For Edmonton hydrovac operators, April and May mean fewer layers, muddy job sites, and thinner gloves. It also means the annual spring road ban. Axel weight limits are imposed beginning in spring and last until the end of May or beginning of June, as different counties and municipalities enact their […]
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When winter hits and Alberta grounds become frozen solid, working with underground utility lines can be a challenge. Even the softest of soils can quickly turn into what feels like concrete. There can be several feet of frozen earth before you can get to your utility line and the softer […]
Hydrovac and utility work can take you all over the province. It’s quite common that you’ll be working on the side of a busy road or highway, with cars whizzing by at break-neck speed. It can be easy to take working on the roadside for granted when you’re eager to […]
Hydrovac slurry has been a contentious issue in Alberta’s oilfield and construction industry for several years. Hydrovac waste – or slurry – is what’s left when a hydrovac uses high-pressure water to dig through soil and clay. It’s basically thick mud, composed of around 60% water and 40% solids. Hydrovac […]
The hydrovac signalled, slowed, and pulled to the side of the highway. The operator and his swamper had just pulled up to the job site: they would be digging holes for two new utility poles that would soon be mounted with brand new power lines, replacing the existing ones. The […]
Your crew is digging a trench to fix a leaking water line. The ground looks solid. It seems safe. One of your workers climbs down a ladder and begins working on the pipe. Suddenly, one side of the trench wall collapses, burying your worker. Luckily your crew quickly fishes him […]
Hydrovac trucks have become incredibly common over the past two decades. Prior to that, the oil-and-gas, utility, and construction industries relied on backhoes and shovels to do their digging. There were a few hydrovacs around but for the most part, they were pretty much non-existent. In the 90’s, more popped […]
When I first started in the excavation industry, one of my co-workers exposed a medium-sized rock that he noticed was different. He picked it out of the small sight-hole he was digging and washed it off. It turned out to be a really cool looking fossil. Though neither of us […]