Stumpgrinding wavier

[bushinspector]

Well today was NOT a good day. Our job was to remove a small pine (20 feet tall), and grind the stump. Everything went well until I was grinding the stump and cut the buried electric cable going to the house. The wire came from underneath the driveway, (it was only 8 inches deep) and it was in a location that you would not expect a wire to be buried at.

It looked like someone built the house and forgot where the incoming wire was at and planted the pine within four inches of the line.

To make a long story short does anyone who grind stumps do you get a signed wavier from the home owner? If you do, what verbage do you include?

No I did not get shocked but want to learn from this mistake and keep it happening again in the future.

 

[Curbside]

In our area if your going deeper than 6" your supposed to call the utilites for marking. If you cut a line and they haven't been out you are liable for the line. Doesn't matter if you have the resident sign anything.

 

[flushcut]

A call to diggers hot line would have made your day a lot easier and less costly. You are luckey to be alive!

 

[Frank Boyer]

In CA you are liable for damages and up to a $50K fine for not getting a locate. A waiver doesn't change your liability.

 

[bushinspector]

Not in Oklahoma

Utilities in Oklahoma (the ones in this area) will only mark the lines UP TO your property line but will not cross over. I am very well aware of calling the hot line when you are digging out in the country but does no good when in the city limits. Each homeower is on their own.

 

[flushcut]

Utilities in Oklahoma (the ones in this area) will only mark the lines UP TO your property line but will not cross over. I am very well aware of calling the hot line when you are digging out in the country but does no good when in the city limits. Each homeower is on their own.

Call Okie 1-800-522-6543

 

[bushinspector]

Call Okie 1-800-522-6543

Am very aware of calling Okie but will not come on private property!

 

[Walt41]

Eight inches deep! That is a WTF if I ever heard one, we go at least 36 and then bury a double stran of caution tape at about 12, just in case someone gets shovel happy at a later date.

 

[Curbside]

Not sure what the point of marking the lines are then if they aren't going to mark to their meters. Here in Manitoba Utilities mark all of the lines up to their meters. If homeowner puts some other kind of lines in after that then that would be the homeowners issue but otherwise everything is marked.

 

[bushinspector]

The meter was at the pole about 50 yards away.

Do they make some sort of a detector that will sniff out alummium wiring? What about the cost?

 

[flushcut]

The meter was at the pole about 50 yards away.

Do they make some sort of a detector that will sniff out alummium wiring? What about the cost?

They do if I could do a link I would but heres this. There is a catalogue called Ben Meadows and they carrie a detector that will find energized lines to two meters for radio and three meters for power and generator lines. It is the cheapest one they had $895.00 and the really spendy ones are $2600.00.
benmeadows.com Item #JF0-159009 Leica DIGICAT 100 Locator.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Eight inches deep! That is a WTF if I ever heard one, we go at least 36 and then bury a double stran of caution tape at about 12, just in case someone gets shovel happy at a later date.

Aw, that makes too much sense! Where's the fun in that?

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Do they make some sort of a detector that will sniff out alummium wiring? What about the cost?

Hmmmm. If a standard consumer grade metal detector will find a nickel at that depth (and they WILL), I don't think you should have any trouble with finding power lines.

 

[Walt41]

Aw, that makes too much sense! Where's the fun in that?

No fun at all but I don't want some silly homeowner ending up dead. I even once lobbied unsuccessfully to get my town to require buried utilities to be noted on surveys, guess it was too logical for them.

 

[howel07264]

In CA you are liable for damages and up to a $50K fine for not getting a locate. A waiver doesn't change your liability.

Man, glad I'm not working in CA. They are getting crazy with all the penalties.,fees,taxes and regulations. I would pack my ass and get out of there asap!

 

[RVALUE]

I was pulling out about a thirty foot pine, root ball and all, on a university campus. I got a funny feeling just as I tightened the cable. I called the city electric company:

"No, no electric over there, but there is a major fiber optic cable in the area."

Got it located, and it the tree had been planted directly over it, and would have pulled it out.........


Whew.......

 

[bushinspector]

So back to the waiver, Would it be any good if the responsbility was the homeower? At least it would make me feel better knowing I asked. Just would like to get away from the danger and the cost of replacement of the underground lines of all types.

 

[Frank Boyer]

Check with a lawyer in your state. In CA you need a locate first and good insurance. I did hillside excavating, underground and drilling for 20 years. You will take out a few electrical, gas and communication lines.

I started a job on a friends 80 acre ranch in the hills. About 30 minutes after I unloaded the tractor a plane was circling overhead. Shortly after the plane arrived a truck pulled up and the driver asked what I was doing. There was a 10" high pressure gas line that the property owner didn't know about. If you break a high pressure gas line you most likely will be fried before you know what you hit.

 

[Mike Van]

Here in Ct. a waiver and a piece of toilet paper would be about the same - You need to call before you dig [grind, whatever] It's free, the utilitys pay for it. Call Before You Dig
Please call 811 48 hours in advance. You are covered then, If you don't call, the repairs & fine can be staggering. Not to mention the saftey aspect to you, your machine, crew, whatever. If the locating company misses something, it's their butt, not yours.

 

[peregordusmc]

So what was the end result? Did you have to pay for the damage? What was the final bill? Very glad you have posted this because i would have never thought about this and in fact im working on a red maple removal and will have to grind the stump out and will be looking into this before i grind.