UG Underground UG-02 Step 2 of 13

Pre-Construction Survey, Staking and White-Lining

Walk the route, document existing conditions, stake pits and enclosures, and white-line the dig area before anyone excavates.

Watch Checklist On the Map

Crew

Foreman
Design Engineer or Owner Representative
Survey or Staking Crew
Private Locator

Hazards

Roadside Traffic
Uneven Ground and Trip Hazards
Unmarked Private Utilities

UG-02 · OSP Hub Shorts

Watch the Video

Pre-Construction Survey, Staking and White-Lining
Duration 1:05
Watch on YouTube: Pre-Construction Survey, Staking and White-Lining (external site)

Crew: Foreman · Design Engineer or Owner Representative · Survey or Staking Crew · Private Locator
Hazards: Roadside Traffic · Uneven Ground and Trip Hazards · Unmarked Private Utilities
Governing Rules: MUTCD Part 6 · State one-call law · CGA Best Practices

Job / route		Date
Location / station		Locate ticket

Purpose

Confirm the design fits the ground, and record what the site looks like before you touch it. This walk finds the fences, roots and valve boxes the prints missed, and puts the pits where a rig and a reel can actually fit. The dated photos and video protect the crew, the contractor and the owner against damage claims.

When to Do It

Trigger: permits are approved or close to approval, and the route is ready to stake.
Prerequisites: current construction prints, permit drawings and right-of-way limits.
Before: the one-call ticket (UG-03). White-lining comes first so the locators know exactly where you plan to dig.
Previous step: UG-01 Permits and Right-of-Way.
Next step: UG-03 One-Call Locates (811) and Ticket Management.

Roles

Foreman: walks the route, picks practical pit and enclosure locations, and arranges private locates.
Design engineer or owner representative: approves changes to the route, pits and enclosures.
Survey or staking crew: sets stationing, stakes and offsets.
Private locator: marks private facilities the one-call members do not mark.

Equipment and Materials

Construction prints with stationing.
Camera or video recorder with date and time stamp; GPS tagging where available.
GPS receiver or measuring wheel for stationing.
Stakes, lath and flags.
White-lining paint and white flags.

Safety

Procedure

Walk the route with the prints. Confirm right-of-way limits, easements and stationing on the ground.
Note every obstacle: trees and roots, driveways, retaining walls, fences, ditches, culverts, sidewalks and landscaping. Mark up the prints as you go.
Look for signs of buried facilities that locate marks might miss:
- Valve boxes, meters, cleanouts, pedestals, transformers and manholes.
- Pipeline warning signs and risers on poles.
Record existing conditions with dated photos or video.
- Cover the whole route, plus every pit, enclosure and crossing.
- Tie each photo or clip to stationing or GPS, so you can prove what was there before you arrived.
Pick bore entry and exit points with room for the work.
- Allow for the rig setback, the reel trailer, fluid handling and traffic control. Clearances are per rig manufacturer and site plan.
- Stake enclosure locations per the design and owner construction standards, typically where the lid will sit flat and out of drainage paths, and where the permit allows.
Identify private facilities that one-call members do not mark.
- Private electric, irrigation, sewer laterals, propane and private cable on private property.
- Arrange a private locate for each one.
White-line the proposed excavation with white paint or white flags where your state requires or recommends it. Requirements vary by state.
Send route, pit and enclosure changes to the engineer or owner for approval.

Hold Points

Records to Keep

Photo and video log tied to stationing or GPS.
Survey notes and marked-up prints.
Stake list: station, offset and what each stake marks.
Approval of route, pit and enclosure changes.
Private locate requests.

Common Mistakes

No pre-construction video. Without it, every cracked driveway on the street becomes your claim.
Pits with no room for the rig or reel. Check the setback and the reel path before you stake.
Forgetting private utilities. Many one-call members mark only to the meter or the property line (it varies by utility and state); beyond that, lines are often private.
White-lining too loosely. Vague white marks get vague locate marks. Show exactly where you plan to dig.

Standards and References

CGA Best Practices: white-lining and pre-excavation practices.
APWA uniform color code: white marks proposed excavation.
State one-call law: white-lining and staking rules vary by state.
MUTCD Part 6: traffic control while walking and staking along roads.
Owner construction standards for enclosure placement.

On the Map

White-Lining: white paint dashes down the centerline of the intended bore path, for the locators.
Locate Marks: the colored marks the locators will add in the next step.
Handhole: the enclosures you stake in this step.

Not applicable: no FAHMY tool covers survey and staking.

UG-02 · Field Checklist

Checklist

0/9items ticked

Tick each procedure step and hold point as the crew completes it. Ticks stay on this device only. They are a personal aid, not a hold-point release or a project record; follow the owner’s sign-off process.

Procedure

Step 1: Walk the route with the prints. Confirm right-of-way limits, easements and stationing on the ground.
Step 2: Note every obstacle: trees and roots, driveways, retaining walls, fences, ditches, culverts, sidewalks and landscaping. Mark up the prints as you go.
Step 3: Look for signs of buried facilities that locate marks might miss:Valve boxes, meters, cleanouts, pedestals, transformers and manholes.Pipeline warning signs and risers on poles.
Step 4: Record existing conditions with dated photos or video.Cover the whole route, plus every pit, enclosure and crossing.Tie each photo or clip to stationing or GPS, so you can prove what was there before you arrived.
Step 5: Pick bore entry and exit points with room for the work.Allow for the rig setback, the reel trailer, fluid handling and traffic control. Clearances are per rig manufacturer and site plan.Stake enclosure locations per the design and owner construction standards, typically where the lid will sit flat and out of drainage paths, and where the permit allows.
Step 6: Identify private facilities that one-call members do not mark.Private electric, irrigation, sewer laterals, propane and private cable on private property.Arrange a private locate for each one.
Step 7: White-line the proposed excavation with white paint or white flags where your state requires or recommends it. Requirements vary by state.
Step 8: Send route, pit and enclosure changes to the engineer or owner for approval.

Hold Points

Hold PointStop and Verify the LayoutDo not request locates or schedule the rig until the engineer or owner has approved the route, the pit locations and the enclosure locations, and a private locate is arranged for every private facility found.

Records to Keep

Photo and video log tied to stationing or GPS.
Survey notes and marked-up prints.
Stake list: station, offset and what each stake marks.
Approval of route, pit and enclosure changes.
Private locate requests.

Completed by		Signature
Checked by		Notes

UG-02 v1.0.0 · https://fahmy.io/underground/ug-02/ · Printed from FAHMY. Check the page for the current version before use. FAHMY is a reference, not a substitute for owner specifications, the authority having jurisdiction, manufacturer instructions, training or qualified supervision. Follow your employer's safety program and all applicable laws.

OSP Map · Plan View

On the Map

White-LiningWhite paint dashes, like locate marks, down the centerline of the intended bore path so locators know what to mark.
Locate MarksAPWA-colored paint and flags marking the approximate location of buried facilities.
HandholeBelow-grade box with a load-rated lid for cable access, slack storage and splicing.