Safety Tape For Fiber In Street?

[FionaZuppa]

So, any folks here from Miami FL?

When direct burying fiber (fiber in orange pvc) under street in Miami, is the use of safety/warning tape required?

I am not burying it, buddy of mine ran into a fiber cut because contractor dug and ripped up the conduit. Nothing marked on the street for it, and no safety/warning tape above the fiber.

 

[Fred B]

Was 811 called before digging? If not, then usually the contractor that dug it up is on hook for damages regardless if there was no market tape. If 811 was called and was given an all clear before excavation then that is different. This also highlights WHY putting in maker tape is important especially in the event of a mismark.
Was this a telcom fiber or individual internet feeder?

Florida’s One Call Law​

The Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act, Chapter 556, Florida Statutes, requires anyone who is digging or disturbing the ground to contact 811 and have underground facilities marked no less than two full business days before beginning any excavation or demolition

https://www.sunshine811.com/enforcement#:~:text=Florida's%20One%20Call%20Law,beginning%20any%20excavation%20or%20demolition.

 

[retirede]

All fiber here is installed by directional boring. There won’t be tape.

 

[tom baker]

In my experience the tape and fiber are dug up together by the fiber locator (backhoe).

 

[paulengr]

If you tint the concrete no tape needed. If you lay it with enough rebar, it won’t get hit when there is enough to destroy the backhoe.

It’s Miami though. Don’t you guys just remove the topsoil with a broom and dust pan then get out the jack hammer? So do you just water everything and put it back in the hole or do you use cement with chunks of coral?

 

[FionaZuppa]

One Call doesn't always get it all right. Some markings were on the street, yet fiber still cut with backhoe.

@retirede - In this case I think it was buried under middle of the street and then pavement put down. From the pics I saw, conduit was ~30" below surface. A tape placed ~10" below surface might have prevented the accidental cut?

Let me give a context. Many life services (911, etc) run over telco fiber, so cutting fiber can be "deadly". Considering streets get torn up "often", why is safety tape not a requirement by AHJ?

 

[RWC/NC.]

Fiona the sad fact of situation, if it's buried in the ground and regardless if notifying proper authorities in requesting locating services, there's still alway the chance remaining of "accidental happenings".. I've personally witnessed it "twice" in my career, unfortunately during performance of my own work duties. Fortunately both times (best my knowledge) we were not responsible for cost of repair. In both these situations the information provided, wasn't exactly deemed accurate in near to exact location, and along w/the conditions described pertaining to burial "cover" that we were told, that we would be encountering. I remember this "two incidents" clearly, to this day. The first one, I was young man & the "spotter" in the trench, and there was an explosion envolving brightest light (flash) that I've ever seen. The second situational mishap being many years later, I was personally @ the controls of the machine. Both of these situations involved incorrect information of location & discription(s) of encounter. The moral is if you dig, be looking for and expect the "unsuspected"..

 

[retirede]

One Call doesn't always get it all right. Some markings were on the street, yet fiber still cut with backhoe.

@retirede - In this case I think it was buried under middle of the street and then pavement put down. From the pics I saw, conduit was ~30" below surface. A tape placed ~10" below surface might have prevented the accidental cut?

Let me give a context. Many life services (911, etc) run over telco fiber, so cutting fiber can be "deadly". Considering streets get torn up "often", why is safety tape not a requirement by AHJ?

I’m not privy to your picts. I only relate what is done in my area.

 

[retirede]

One Call doesn't always get it all right. Some markings were on the street, yet fiber still cut with backhoe.

@retirede - In this case I think it was buried under middle of the street and then pavement put down. From the pics I saw, conduit was ~30" below surface. A tape placed ~10" below surface might have prevented the accidental cut?

Let me give a context. Many life services (911, etc) run over telco fiber, so cutting fiber can be "deadly". Considering streets get torn up "often", why is safety tape not a requirement by AHJ?

I’m not privy to your picts. I only relate what is done in my area.

 

[Fred B]

One Call doesn't always get it all right. Some markings were on the street, yet fiber still cut with backhoe.

@retirede - In this case I think it was buried under middle of the street and then pavement put down. From the pics I saw, conduit was ~30" below surface. A tape placed ~10" below surface might have prevented the accidental cut?

Let me give a context. Many life services (911, etc) run over telco fiber, so cutting fiber can be "deadly". Considering streets get torn up "often", why is safety tape not a requirement by AHJ?

True one call doesn't always get it. There are many instances specifically that will require private locate also. Safety tape under roadway that can be anticipated to be torn up "often", even if initially installed, may not be replaced during subsequent excavations. Thus the reasoning to require hand excavation in vicinity of an underground utility to validate location and depth.

Personally aware of an excavation that ended tragically, pre 811, that even though engineer on site for locating, it went very wrong and a hit on a 16" high pressure gas line left a huge crater and only bits and peices of a large backhoe, with nothing substantial bury of the operator.