Does the excavator have to hand dig within the tolerance zone?
• The statute requires the excavator to use reasonable care when digging within the tolerance zone. In the industry, hand digging is typically considered to be a means of reasonable care. Other methods of reasonable care such as vacuum excavation may be more appropriate in some cases. Mechanical excavation in the tolerance zone is allowable as long as the excavator takes extra precautions, (such as a spotter), to avoid damage to the buried facility.
