Page 6 - Alabama 811 Magazine 2018 Issue 3
P. 6
The Power of Safe Digging
By Ken Gllmtve
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labama power company 1. underground Powex conduit and cable - Depending on the application
is impacted by the and type oi soil, Alabama Pnwez company underground cables are installed vnth
underground Damage or without conduit. Concrete encased conduit is utilized ior cntical main line
Preventlon state Law in two cables voltages oi Alabama power company underground eables range irom
iiery important ways as an excavator lzn volt street light cable to 115,000 volt transmission cable. Pmvldzd below are
and as an underground iaeility pictures oi the more rommonly installed Alabama Power company underground
operator Not only are we digging conduit and cables;
trenrhes, installing new anchors, and
installing new poles everyday but we
also have over 10,000 miles oi buried
electneal iacilities that need protecting
when underground power cables are
damaged, people can be iniured or
kllled by electric shock, arcing current,
or an explosion. underground power I .
cable damage is the result oi cable
insulation being penetrated by a shai-p
ob}2ct such as a digging tool or being .
crushed by a derrick truck auger or ‘
the bucket oia backhoe. Resulting - 0
electiieal ares can be catastrophic,
espeeially when damage spreads to .
other nearby underground iacilities , ®
such as gas pipelines ln some cases,
the dlflerence maker between sate —
digging and an electncal iacility
damage event can be: 1) the application ‘
of a general understanding oi eleetncal
iacilities, 2) the visual inspection oi
above ground electrical iacilities and
3) “*2 “>2 0‘ E“°=“‘"= =°""“““i=““°') 1 3 'i7Vc caiiiiiai . Tilt‘ eycaiiiaaii iitiano INN) wiaoaiiia Fowl caiiiiiaiiy ai.iiripioai.ii.aiic K (may V0 mlov
between the excavator and the electrical THA‘LDHl1Hfl lei/1 v..i.~ iiiiaiiiiiiiiy or W aiii. rtrylimdli Hwxvllllvvif
iacility operator. M _ ,
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i , 2. visual Above Ground lndiczlors — ln addition to contacting i~tl.sll and
nun-AL811 members as appropriate, it is highly recommended to periorm
i an inspection oi your proposed excavation site ior evidence oi underground
, r iii electrical iaeilities. The iollowing are typical clues that indicate Alabama Power
’ V! _ ' , company underground eleetrieal iacilities are located nearby.
" C . - overhead Power Lines - Al iirst glance, it may appear that all electrical
iaeilities are located above the ground However, "n~'er~"’ are commonly
i’ attached to poles ior the purpose oi transitioning iron. an overhead system to
an underground system. in addition to overhead power iacilities, "user poles"
provide a clear indication oi underground power iacilities as well.
All!!!/lmfl eairi CAHH)At)HV VVHL’CV‘g(TflVWL’WIAHIUIVVU
ratitii l1[HVuZg(4‘L’ by noon»
4 . Alubamasll 2015, issvea
