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Training Objectives: This 3 day Advanced Utility Locator Training Seminar offers participants a chance take their art and skills to the next level.  You will enjoy plenty of hands on training time spent outdoors, in warm weather,  utilizing an assorted array of locating devices and methods.  You will pick up a few tips for creating and deploying a site locating plan along with advanced troubleshooting techniques utilizing both equipment  and deductive reasoning skills to identify, overcome and even prevent certain types of line locating errors.

Who Should Attend?  “This seminar is designed to challenge individuals with utility locating and designating experience, however, novice utility locators or individuals seeking a career in this profession are welcome to attend and gain this valuable knowledge."

 Non-Vendor specific training Types of underground utility detection equipment used for training

• Ferromagnetic
• Acoustic Locating
• Electromagnetic
• Ground Penetrating Radar
• Passive Locating Devices

  CLASSROOM TRAINING   

Best Practices, State One Call Laws and Utility Owners and Excavators Responsibilities  This session covers One Call Laws and Responsibilities.  Participants will complete review of state one call safe excavation manual, Marking Standards and Line Locating Best Practices. The presentation also covers 6 keys to Safe Excavation with emphasis on “knowing your role”

Utility Locator Daily Operations and On Job Safety Awareness   We will start this sessions reviewing the different reasons locates are performed and explore the daily operations and safety considerations that utility technicians face on a daily basis while performing line locating. We will also review visual site investigation techniques and what clues to look. Participants will gain a good understanding of the processes and daily operations of line locators as well as a few points to ponder for being safe.  

EM Signal Theory,  Equipment Operations, Techniques and Best Practices  In this session, we explore the different types of underground utility detection equipment and tools of the trade.  You will learn how the equipment works and the professional techniques used to detect the presence and estimated location of an underground utility.  We will view the limitations of the locating equipment and the factors that impact success of a technician and some effective troubleshooting techniques in our bag of tricks.

Utility Network Infrastructures and Plant Detail.  This is a very detailed session on utility network design, components and plant basics of the worldwide utility infrastructures.  Participants will be familiarized with Pipeline Gathering and Transmission systems, Electric, Telephone, Broadband, Natural Gas, Pipeline Transmissions, Potable Water, Waste Water, Reclaimed Water, Storm  Sewer, distribution systems and services systems.  We will also review general layouts for each utility system from the product or service source to the end user. You will gain a general understanding of Utility Infrastructure, piping systems, overhead and direct buried underground cabling systems and conduit or duct systems. Emphasis is place on the similarities in the different systems, top side facility structures, direct access points for underground line locating and above ground indications of below ground facilities.

Site Investigation and creating a locating plan of attack: This presentation focusing on gathering on site visual clues and evidence of how the utilities are laid out in an area.  We will discuss the process for compiling the evidence and creating a locating plan of attack.

 Hands-On Field Training

Field Session 1:  Mastering the art of Site Investigation: Utilizing visual observation skills to collect valuable clues and combine that information with available map and print information. .

“The most important tools you need for successfully locating underground pipes and cables are your eyes and your brain”

 Utility locators must utilize their visual observation skills and street smarts to:

·         Identifying potential safety hazards on site

·         Identifying  the top side positive visual identifiers of underground utilities and expected paths.

·         Identifying “Clues” on site of the possible location of underground utilities.

Field Exercise A: Combine the visual evidence.  Draw a map of the visible clues of “possible” location of buried utilities.

Field Exercise B: Combine the visual information with available prints and drawings of the area and make a locating “plan of attack”

Field Session 2: Utilizing Locating Equipment:  Locating Methods and Techniques using multiple types of equipment

Exercise: Locating techniques for applying, searching, pinpointing, evaluating and tracing the path of EM signals.  As a locating team, participants

Field Session 3: Field Exercise: Work as part of a utility designating team and locate and map utilities in an assigned area.

Utilizing methods for Locating Conductive cables and pipes 

·         Direct Connection

·         Inductive locating methods 

Ø   Inductive blind Search (1 person scan)

Ø   Inductive Sweep (2 person scan)

·         Passive Signal Sweep

·         Searching for and Qualifying a Signals - (troubleshooting techniques)

Utilizing methods for Locating Non-Conductive cables and pipes

·         Acoustic Locating techniques

·         Utilizing a Traceable tape or rod

·         Utilizing a Ground Penetrating Radar

Course Registration:

 - Enrollment Cost: $965 ea.   

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