Supporting Exposed Utilities

When you dig up to a gas main, water line or electrical duct, the dirt that held it in place is gone. An unsupported pipe can sag, crack or pull apart at a joint, and a nicked gas line can leak and explode days later.

• Construction
• Utility contractors
• Equipment operators

Exposing the line

• Call 811 and wait for marks before digging. See Call 811.
• Hand dig or vacuum excavate within the tolerance zone around marked lines (often 18 to 24 inches on each side; it varies by state). See Hydro & Vacuum Excavation.
• Pothole to find the exact depth and location before machine digging close by.
• Watch for unmarked lines, including private and abandoned ones. See Private Utility Locating.

Protect and support

OSHA requires underground installations to be protected, supported or removed as needed while the excavation is open.

• Hang long exposed spans from a beam or timber across the trench with slings, straps or chains, following the utility owner’s requirements.
• Support joints and fittings, which are the weak points.
• Protect pipes from being hit by buckets, rocks and falling material.
• Keep heavy loads and equipment from bearing on shallow lines near the trench.
• Ask the utility for their support and backfill specifications, especially for gas mains and large water lines.

Don’t

• Stand, sit or climb on exposed pipes, conduits or cables
• Use pipes as anchor points or to support shoring
• Pry or move lines without the owner’s approval
• Backfill over damaged coating, wrap or tracer wire without reporting it
• Assume a line is dead or abandoned

Backfilling around utilities

Use the bedding and backfill material the utility requires, compact in layers, and keep heavy compactors off shallow lines. See Backfilling & Compaction.

Last updated: October 2, 2026