The space is tight, and so is the margin for error. Facility digs happen inside the fence where utilities crisscross in every direction, space is measured in inches and the line you’re exposing is just feet from all sorts of live infrastructure. You’re not in a field with room to maneuver. You’re in the middle of an operating site where every move has consequences.
Most of these digs target non-piggable pipe; lines that can’t be inspected with inline tools. So the only way to confirm an issue is dig, assess and act. The hard part? Doing all of that safely in a high-traffic, high-risk environment without disrupting operations. It takes more than a crew and a backhoe. It takes discipline, detailed planning and a clear understanding of what’s happening both above and below ground.
Facility digs aren’t just harder, they’re different. From tangled utilities and legacy coatings to groundwater and environmental constraints, these digs come with a very specific set of obstacles. But for a crew who thrives on problem solving, they’re exactly the kind of challenge we’re built for.
You can’t fix what you can’t reach
Facility digs often target non-piggable pipe — lines that can’t be inspected with inline tools due to bends, valves or legacy configurations. That leaves only one option: manual inspection. Exposing buried assets inside live, utility-dense sites is both essential and inherently complex.
These digs offer one of the few reliable ways to assess aging facility infrastructure — especially in compressor stations, meter sites, and pump houses, where corrosion, leaks or coating failures can develop out of view.
A properly executed facility dig delivers clarity: Is this pipe safe? Is the coating intact? Is there a repair needed before things escalate? If it’s not, and the dig has to happen again, traffic continues to be held up for weeks, caution tape surrounds parking lots and disrupts everyday life. Proximal organizations get angry, regulators get antsy and the client pays the price.
Facility digs vs. Integrity digs
Think of an integrity dig like an open-book test. You’ve got time, you’ve got space and most of the questions can be answered in advance. With facility digs, the stakes are higher and the unknowns are countless. While the pipeline might be buried just a few feet deep, so is everything else. Air lines. Electrical conduits. Water pipes. And very rarely is there an updated utility map to guide you.
You’re working within an active facility where the system can’t always be shut down. The crew’s squeezed between live infrastructure and outdated layouts. There’s a very real risk of striking the wrong line or triggering an unplanned outage. And because you’re dealing with confined spaces and potentially hazardous environments, your team has to know the difference between cutting corners and cutting a conduit.
In short. All digs require planning, but facility digs demand choreography.
The challenge: Why facility digs demand more
Here’s why breaking ground inside a live facility is different from a standard right-of-way excavation.
1. Limited access
Facility digs rarely come with elbow room. Excavation zones are surrounded by structures, pipe racks, valves, and equipment that can’t be moved or shut down. Getting vac trucks and excavation tools in place requires detailed planning — sometimes using remote hose systems or low-profile gear — just to access the dig site safely.
2. Dense utility corridors
It’s not uncommon to encounter five or more utility types in the same trench. Gas, electric, water, air, communications — often installed decades apart with minimal documentation. 811 locates help, but they’re not enough. Crews may need private locators, potholing, and multiple verification steps to identify and avoid critical lines.
3. Confined space excavation
Many facility digs involve vertical excavation in small footprints — sometimes up to 20 feet deep, surrounded by aboveground piping or buildings. These conditions require engineered shoring systems, speed shoring, or trench boxes, along with strict compliance to OSHA 1926 Subpart P and confined space entry protocols.
4. Environmental risk factors
Older assets often mean older coatings — including coal tar, asbestos, or lead-based materials. Combined with high groundwater tables and the potential for contaminated soil, crews must follow environmental protocols including slurry containment, spoil segregation, dewatering and proper sampling. HAZWOPER-certified personnel are a must.
5. No margin for error
Inside an active facility, the cost of a mistake is steep. A utility strike can cause unplanned shutdowns, safety incidents or regulatory violations. As a result, facility digs rely on tight coordination between excavation crews, QC inspectors, operator reps and environmental teams all using the same playbook from start to finish.
The solution: Expertise and a heavy dose of planning
Facility digs require risk management in the constrained, high-stakes environments. The only way to ensure the worst doesn’t happen? Meticulous planning from start to finish. Luckily, that’s our happy place.
1. Know exactly what you’re working with
Every facility dig begins with boots on the ground. A superintendent visits the site to assess access, utilities, soil conditions, space constraints, and any environmental concerns. We plan for:
- Access planning and equipment staging
- Remote hose setup for tight or elevated locations
- Shoring systems for confined or deep excavations
- Spoil and slurry management
- Dewatering needs and environmental controls
- Utility locating and verification, beyond the standard one-call
2. Choose the best method
Space is often limited, and live operations can’t always be paused — so we adapt our excavation method to fit the site. Dry Vac is often preferred to reduce slurry and allow easier soil handling, but hydro vac remains an option when water is required for soil conditions. Both methods are supported by environmental containment and restoration planning baked into the pre-dig phase.
3. Bring your A-Team
Facility digs often require more certifications than typical right-of-way projects. Charps crews are union-trained and include the following specialists:
- Confined Space and HAZWOPER-certified personnel
- Excavation Competent Persons on every dig
- Crews qualified in major repair systems (Clock Spring, A+ Wrap, Atlas Wrap)
- Coating and Painting specialists certified in Denzo, SPC, Carboline, and more
4. Coordinate with stakeholders and stay flexible
Facility digs require close coordination with operator QC reps, inspection teams and sometimes environmental consultants. We manage that process in real time, adjusting for conditions as needed. That includes:
- Locating undocumented utilities through potholing and private locating
- Managing and testing groundwater and potentially contaminated spoil
- Logging every repair and inspection for compliance and recordkeeping
- Keeping communication open with weekly updates and full project transparency
5. Close the loop with restoration and documentation
A clean finish matters. We don’t just refill the hole and move on. We restore final grade, touch up coatings, recompact soil and leave the site in better condition than we found it. Our documentation package includes:
- Repair logs and coating certifications
- Environmental handling records
- As-built drawings or updates (if applicable)
- Photo documentation for every stage of work
How to know if you need a facility dig:
If your facility includes non-piggable segments, aging coatings or areas where anomalies have been flagged by survey or DCVG testing, a facility dig is the only way to get clear answers. Other red flags include:
- Areas with persistent leaks or past corrosion history
- Sites where pipeline records are incomplete or outdated
- Locations that can’t be inspected remotely due to bends, valves or infrastructure
- Any signs of coating failure near critical infrastructure
Ready when you are
When the site is tight, the variables are stacked, and failure isn’t an option, you need a crew that’s been there before and knows how to deliver. At Charps, we live to guide our clients through complexity and protect your most confined, complicated and critical assets. From planning to restoration, we build smart, site-specific solutions that keep operators confident, inspectors satisfied and neighbors at ease.