April 2016
The “Do’s and Don’ts” of Hand Digging
By: Lareina Taing with Charity Corbeille
Spring has arrived! You’re probably thinking about putting your hand tools to work after a long winter in
storage. Choosing the proper tools and digging techniques can make all the difference when completing
spring time projects. As always, contact Gopher State One Call (GSOC) 48 hours, excluding weekends
and holidays, before starting any excavating project. Hand digging around marked buried lines to
expose them is also an important part of digging safely. Keep these helpful “do’s and don’ts” in mind
when you plan to dig by hand.
DO’S
DO Practice Safe Excavation
•
Contact GSOC 48 hours, excluding weekends and
holidays, before you break the surface of the
ground.
•
Fully describe the entire extent of your project,
no matter how large or small it is.
DO Choose the Right Tool
•
Choose a tool with a fiberglass handle. It is more
durable and lasts longer.
•
The ideal tool for digging holes is a pointed shovel. A square blade shovel works best for moving
materials.
•
A grub hoe with a wide blade and a sharp pick is an effective tool to loosen soil when the ground
is hard to penetrate with a shovel.
•
A long iron bar is an effective tool to pry rocks and boulders out of your work zone.
DO Use Proper Excavation
Techniques
•
Keep the shovel head
perpendicular to the ground, with
the handle in front of you and the
blade near your feet.
•
Center one foot on the step of
the blade and push down with
necessary force.
Photo courtesy of Home Depot
• With the shovel head well planted, pull your arms
toward your body, pivot the shovel head, and rest your
arm on your thigh for additional support when
prying the soil.
•
Bend your knees, keep your back straight, and tighten your
stomach muscles as you lift with your legs when emptying
the shovel load. Doing so prevents undue strain on your
back. Use the momentum from the upright lunge of your
legs to propel the material out of the hole.
Photo 1C
•
Flip the shovel head around to cut plant
roots or clean up the sides of a hole.
DON’TS
DON’T Stomp or Jump on the Shovel
Photo 1D
•
Don’t jump or
stomp on the head
of the shovel with
both feet. Switch to
a tool better suited
to the job if the
ground is difficult to
penetrate.
Photo 2A
DON’T Place Your Hands Near the Shovel Head
•
If your hands are placed near the shovel head,
chances are that you will have to bend over in an
uncomfortable position. Always hold the shovel
higher up on the handle (see photo 1C).
Photo 2C
Photo 2B
DON’T Overextend Your Arms
•
Keep the shovel load closer to your body and it will
feel lighter and be easier to move.
DON’T Twist Your Back While Shoveling
•
This can cause additional strain to joints that shouldn’t
move that way. Keep your back straight during the motion.
With these tips in mind, you are set for success. Don’t
forget that the first step towards safe excavation starts with
contacting GSOC. For more information, refer to the GSOC
handbook, which can be accessed here. Remember that filing
a locate request with GSOC is easy, free, and the law. Stay safe
and happy digging!
Photo 2D
To File a Locate Request:
Twin Cities Metro
Greater MN Area
Emergency
Or you can go online at
Customer Support
(651)681-7326
651-454-0002
800-252-1166
866-640-3637
www.gopherstateonecall.org
www.facebook.com/gopherstateonecall
1110 Centre Pointe Curve Suite 100
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
www.twitter.com/gopheronecall
[email protected]
www.gopherstateonecall.org