Best Practices Version 19.0

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Chapter 4

4.7 Visual Inspection

Practice Statement:

A visual inspection is completed during the facility locating process.

Practice Description:

This inspection includes the following:

  • All facilities within a facility owner/operator’s service area (to evaluate the scope of the locate request)
  • Identification of access points
  • Identification of potential hazards
  • Assurance that plant facilities shown on records match those of the site

A visual inspection helps determine if there are facilities placed that are not on record. It is very important that visual inspections be completed in areas of new construction, where records may not indicate the presence of a facility. The visual inspection is necessary because the time between placing a facility in the field and placing it on permanent records varies by facility owner/operator and location. Evidence of a facility not on record includes, but is not limited to, poles, dips, enclosures, pedestals (including new cables found within the pedestals), valves, meters, risers, and manholes.

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