Crews that work underground know the biggest risks are often the ones that can’t be seen. Calling or clicking before digging is an important first step, but it’s also only part of larger process crews should use to stay safe on every job.

In today’s crowded and complex underground environments, compliance alone isn’t enough. Crews should be combining proven practices like locating and daylighting with the latest tools that can improve their visibility and decision-making on job sites.

With April being National Safe Digging Month in Canada, now is a good time to review the key elements of safe digging in today’s more technology-driven underground construction.

Improve accuracy with modern locating

The first rule of excavation remains unchanged. Contractors must understand and follow the requirements that are specific to their province, territory, or municipality before digging begins. Yet modern locating practices have evolved into a more comprehensive and proactive effort.

White lining, the practice of marking an intended bore path before utilities are located, has become a standard step in improving accuracy and coordination. From there, contractors increasingly rely on advanced locating technologies to validate marked utilities and identify what may have been missed.

OEMs such as Subsite are designing advanced multi-frequency locating systems that allow crews to trace utilities across a wide range of signals, delivering both position and depth data with a high degree of confidence. For non-metallic infrastructure, including plastic water lines, complementary technologies such as beacons and ground-penetrating radar can help identify assets that traditional methods may miss.

At the same time, industry leaders stress that the absence of surface markings should not be interpreted as the absence of underground utilities. Instead, it should trigger additional verification. Maintaining locating equipment on-site and validating results has become a widely accepted best practice, particularly as underground environments grow more congested and complex.

Once utilities have been marked, the next step is to verify their position through soft excavation, often called potholing or daylighting. Exposing utilities before digging provides visual confirmation, one of the most trusted safeguards against accidental damage.

Use data to enhance safety

One of the most significant developments in underground construction is the rapid adoption of telematics and connected equipment, shifting operations from reactive to data-driven.

Platforms such as Ditch Witch‘s Orange Intel system provide real-time visibility into machine location, performance, utilization, and maintenance status. That visibility goes beyond tracking, giving contractors a clearer understanding of how equipment is being used and where potential risks may be developing across job sites.

From a safety and damage prevention standpoint, this insight is critical. Monitoring service intervals helps prevent unexpected equipment failures that could create hazardous conditions, while usage data can reveal patterns such as improper operation or excessive wear. Left unaddressed, these issues can increase the likelihood of incidents, including utility strikes.

Telematics also enables better decision-making before and during a job. Historical performance data can help contractors match equipment to ground conditions, improve planning, and optimize workflows. Across fleets, centralized data supports more consistent maintenance practices, stronger operator accountability, and targeted training.

As underground infrastructure expands, telematics is becoming more than a fleet management tool. It is a source of actionable insight that helps contractors make smarter business decisions while strengthening safety and damage mitigation across every job site.