28 Section 1 Fundamentals Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Excavating Digging in the earth poses special hazards. Namely, the risk of contacting an under- ground utility line and the risk of a large trench caving in. To prevent accidental con- tact with any type of buried service line, call the national Call Before You Dig hotline (dial 811) to have the lines marked before you begin digging. Do not use any powered excavating equipment within 24″ of the utility markings. See Figure 2-12. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 2-12. The local utilities mark the position of underground service lines. You may use powered equipment to excavate no closer than 24″ to the markings. Any digging within the 24″ zone must be done with a hand shovel. Hand shovel within this area 24″ 24″ Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 2-11. Always follow proper lifting procedures to reduce strain on your back. To reduce the possibility of a trench col- lapse, reinforce any trench over 5′ deep to prevent the walls from caving in. There are various types of shoring designed for this purpose. Also, install barricades and warn- ing signs around the trench. Without these warnings, other workers or passersby may fall into the trench. Lockout/Tagout/Blockout One of the most important procedures designed to protect electricians is the lockout/tagout/ blockout procedure. This is a combination of rules and devices that prevent the energiz- ing of a circuit that could injure a worker. If an Proper Lifting Technique • Position feet shoulder-width apart. • Bend at your knees. • Lift the load smoothly, without any sudden movements. • Keep the load close to your body while lifting—do not extend your arms away from your body. • Keep your body straight while lifting and holding the load—do not twist your back or turn to the side. • Lift heavy loads with a partner—do not try to lift a heavy load by yourself. SAFETY NOTE Call 811 Before You Dig Prevent hitting underground electrical, water, gas, and other utility lines by having the lines marked in the work area. All it takes is one phone call. Dial 811 to reach the national Call Before You Dig operator. They will connect you to a local call center who will in turn contact all local utilities with lines in your area. Each utility will send out a representative to mark the lines on your site, for free and usually within three days. Be sure to call at least three days prior to digging to prevent work delays.