A lot of people are unfamiliar with the process known as vacuum extraction. It is a recent technological advance that has allowed for workers to dig safely, but without affecting existing structures. This means that workers can use this device to dig without damaging buried pipes or cable lines, for example. Also known as a “soft dig”, the vacuum excavation process is much safer than hand digging, as it uses water to loosen soil, then a vacuum to remove the wet soil.
In this manner, vacuum excavation uses only air and water to loosen soil, and then suck it into a debris tank. As you can imagine, this is a revolutionary process that many have considered extremely safe and environmentally conscious. Vacuum excavation is especially cheap when one takes into consideration the costs that injuries can mean for a company.
The applications are endless, whether one chooses to use an air excavator or a hydro excavator. It has been used and will continue to be used for countless residential and commercial purposes and is the perfect choice for specific incidents such as storm drain cleanout. Many excavators even offer filtration systems to ensure that the air is clean so that maintenance isn’t excessive.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that vacuum excavation is without its own hazards. Whether it’s not following procedure, or not wearing the right protective equipment, there is the possibility of injury. However, it should be noted that this device can greatly reduce any risk of injury when used properly.
Although the process uses air and water, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an extremely effective process. Specifically, high pressure water can cut through skin, wood, clothing, and even metal. This is something that many people may not actually know but is the kind of technology that allows vacuum excavation to affect the soil enough to get the job done – see here, for example: http://adpgroupltd.com/vacuum-excavation/. Vacuum excavation isn’t some specialized process – it should work for almost any soil, and the only time it may not completely operate is when you are dealing with solid rock. Even then, vacuum excavation can still work, but might take longer than usual, which of course means it could be more expensive and less safe, which is a combination no company often wants to deal with. The point is that air and water can go a long way towards making progress, which is remarkable considering the alternatives such as hand-digging, or drilling. In fact, some contractors have even noted that the process has worked on frozen soil, although it might not be regularly recommended by any means.
Vacuum excavation leads to safer workers with a higher morale, often because they aren’t absolutely exhausted after a day’s worth of digging. It’s these kinds of benefits that often lead to vacuum excavation devices paying for themselves, over time. The fact that the entire process is non-conductive is an added safety aspect, which of course can save even more time and money. There is a great possibility that vacuum excavation may help your project get done more efficiently than previously thought.