Job hazard analysis: locating utilities and potholing
Find and expose buried services before you dig.
- 4 steps
- 5 PPE items
- Editable in Reldro
The job hazard analysis
PPE required: Hard hat, Safety glasses, Gloves, Safety boots, High-visibility vest
1. Request locates and review records
What could go wrong
Unknown or mismarked services
How we control it
Call your local utility locating service, wait for the marks, and review the plans. Treat any unmarked line as live.
2. Check the marks on site
What could go wrong
Faded or missing marks; marks that don't match plans
How we control it
Compare the marks with the drawings. If anything doesn't match, stop and ask.
3. Expose the service
What could go wrong
Striking a line with a tool
How we control it
Use hand tools or vacuum excavation within the tolerance zone set by your local rules. Don't use a pick or a mechanical tool close to a line.
4. Protect and record
What could go wrong
Damaged or unsupported services
How we control it
Support exposed lines. Photograph and record the location and depth.
- Local rules set how close you can dig to a marked line with mechanical equipment. Find out what applies where you work.
When to use it
Use it before any digging, even for a shallow job, and each time the dig area changes.
Review it with the crew before the work starts, change anything that doesn't match how you'll do the job, and update it when the method, the equipment, or the site changes.
Use this JHA in Reldro
- It arrives ready to edit, and your crew uses it on their phone, even without signal.
- Failed items become corrective actions with an owner and a due date.
- Every completed one is kept with the site, the date and who did it.
