Three Things To Consider When Choosing Your Next Hydrovac Company

We believe, with the current economic climate in Alberta construction and Western Canada, you should make a well-thought out decision when choosing your next fluid management company. The type of company that First Call Energy wants to work with are those looking to make mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships in the industry. We believe First Call Energy offers something that other companies in the hydrovac and fluid management business cannot compete with: we offer the best value, the best people and the best equipment, and these are the top three qualities you should consider when picking your next hydrovac partner.

People

The swampers and drivers that First Call Energy chooses to work with always have a few common characteristics: they’re always willing to go the extra mile; they’re diligently committed to safety; and they love what they do.

Safety: We are committed to creating a safe work environment at every level of our company, from employees, to peer contractors, to the public. Our COR Certified Group ensures this through ongoing in-house and 3rd party training, safety meetings, and collaborative communication with employees & clients.

Going the extra mile: servicing our clients to the best of our ability is one of our top priorities. Simply ask, and we’ll see what we can do to make your experience with us the best possible. As mentioned, our priority is creating long-term partnerships with industry leaders, not one-time projects.

Loving what you do: we believe you’re never going to accomplish your job correctly if you don’t already love what you do. Working with people who have the right attitude, and are ready to tackle any and all challenges that are thrown their way with a smile, have been crucial to our growth in this industry.

The Best Value

While each job is different, we have one of the most competitive price points out of any fluid management company working today. Don’t believe us? Request a free consultation HERE! We promise you’ll be happy with what we have to offer!

Our equipment

Recently, we upped our hydrovac capacity, being able to better service the communities of Fort Saskatchewan, Calgary, and and Fort McMurray. Our fleet, which is managed and operated by CJ Lefebvre, First Call’s Managing Partner, includes 2014 Tri Axle Tornado and Foremost Hydrovacs, Tri Axle Water Trucks / Methanol Hauling, and Tri Axle Straight Vac. Each truck is designed, built, and customized to the industry we work in, including excavation processes, tolerance tested, and regulated water pressure for optimum digging power with zero impact to utilities, objects, or the environment. Further specs are as follows:

• Debris – 13.0 CU YD
• Water Capacity – 2366 US GAL
• Roots Blower – 5400 CFM 27″ HG
• Water Pump – CAT Triplex Water Pump 14-60 GPM 0-3000 PSI
• Boiler – 740,000 BTU 120V HOTSY
• Boom – 8″ Top Gun
• Reach – 33″ Extension Reach
• Debris Door – 48″ x 36″
• Controls – Wireless / Manual Backup

The services we’re able to carry out include, but is not limited to:

• tandem & end dump trucks
• flushing units
• water trucks
• vac trucks
• heavy equipment
• dump facilities
• swamp & rig
• mat rental
• shoring boxes
• steel road plate covers
• mix off bin rentals
• camera units
• directional drills
• dig frozen ground
• pipeline crossing
• cable fault repair pits
• water main breaks
• shoring installation
• slot trenching
• gas service installation
• service pits
• disposal
• curb stop repairs

Make your first call First Call Energy – Contact us HERE to get a quote or to start working with us!

10 Safety Statistics that remind us how important safety is on the National Day of Mourning

On April 28th, the National Day of Mourning, we remember the men and women who lost their lives or experienced an injury while on the job site. Regardless of your position, everyone needs to follow the same protocols when it comes to safety. This way, we can ensure no lives are at risk. In order to shed some light on the importance of safety, we’ve gathered 10 facts that make you think twice about unsafe work practices.

1. According to the Canadian Labour Congress, there are hundreds of incidents that go unrecognized each year. Many workers die from occupational injuries or diseases that are not reported.

2. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees paid tribute to 125 workers who lost their lives in 2015.

3. In 2014, 25,528 Albertans filed lost time claims due to work related injuries.

4. Ladders account for 16% of all fatal injuries in the construction industry.

5. The Occupational Health and Safety Association estimates that it has saved more than 75,000 lives since 1970 by using management and safety systems.

6. The most common injuries in Alberta’s construction industry are sprains and strains at 48.22%.

7. 40% of those who suffer an injury report a “re-injury” once they return to work.

8. The Canadian National Institute of the Blind states that every day, 700 Canadians experience eye injuries.

9. Falls are the most frequent construction injury and fall protection is the #1 cited violation as documented by the OHS.

10. In 2014, occupational death was the leading cause of worker death in Alberta. It accounted for 47.9% of fatality claims.

We hope these stats remind you to stay safe! 

Ed Talks 2016 and Kids Up Front!

Ed Talks 2016 was a huge success! Hosted by the Young Builders Group and held at the Hotel MacDonald, the event had well over 130 attendees. First Call Energy was this year’s presenting sponsor and we’re proud to team up with an organization that promotes the development of future leaders in the construction industry.  

Ed Talks is modelled after the now famous TED Talks. This year’s leading experts ranged from a variety of backgrounds, including the City of Edmonton, Edmonton Eskimos, Mosaic Family of Companies, Alberta School of Business, and Clark Builders. Each speaker was given 20 minutes (plus a period for Q&A) to educate the audience on their ideas and perspectives. Some of the topics included marketing and personal branding, leadership, employee engagement, and how Edmonton has decreased its carbon footprint.

Ed Talks also featured a game worn Dexter McCoil jersey which was raffled at the event. The raffle ended up earning over $800 and all of the proceeds went to Kids Up Front. Founded in 2003, the organization gives disadvantaged children and their families access to sports, arts, and entertainment events in the community. If you would like to put an unused ticket to good use or would like to make a financial contribution, go to their Donate page today.  

In addition to the raffle, we’re proud to announce that we will be giving 1% of our revenues for the month of May to Kids Up Front. Together, we can give kids and their families the ability to enjoy local games and events and give them a once in a lifetime experience.

Our New Name – First Call Energy

You might have noticed that over the last month, we have gone from First Call Hydrovac to First Call Energy, and are currently in the process of moving our website from firstcallhydrovac.com to firstcallenergy.ca (so update your bookmarks!) and all our social media links have went from First Call Hydrovac to First Call Energy. You’ll also see that our logos on all our trucks will start to reflect the new name.

But what was behind the name change? We wanted to be your go to company for all things fluid management, and your turn-key solution for any projects that you may have. That means that we updated our full service offering with the new name change. What new services?

Our list of services include, but is not limited to (please contact us HERE if you don’t see your project):

• tandem & end dump trucks
• flushing units
• water trucks
• vac trucks
• heavy equipment
• dump facilities
• swamp & rig
• mat rental
• shoring boxes
• steel road plate covers
• mix off bin rentals
• camera units
• directional drills
• dig frozen ground
• pipeline crossing
• cable fault repair pits
• water main breaks
• shoring installation
• slot trenching
• gas service installation
• service pits
• disposal
• curb stop repairs

On top of that, we’ve also added more trucks to our Calgary fleet, adding more capabilities to handle your project, faster. Interested in working with us? Call us in Edmonton at 7806675600 or Calgary at 4035891227! We look forward to creating a long term partnership with you!

State of the Alberta Economy

In 2015, as oil was in a free fall from the days of $100+ a barrel, Alberta’s economy had little to be optimistic about—but around January 2016, something changed. There was cause for optimism, and an air of stability was hitting the province.

As you can see, Initial Jobless Claims (unemployment) plummeted, manufacturing sales started to level off, and the 3 month employment average was coming back. Statistics Canada reported that initial jobless claims for the province declined on an annual basis in March, the first such drop since October 2014, when the Alberta recession started.

A lot of this could be due to the rallying of oil, as it starts to pick back up. You can see from the chart that the recovery and stabilization almost perfectly coincides with the oil rally:

But then we move to May, and the Fort McMurray fires. There’s no doubt that the the Alberta economy will be adversely affected now, and for months into the future, by the inferno. “The fires will create major distortions in the economic data over the second quarter, if not longer,” wrote Manulife Asset Management Senior Economist Frances Donald. “These data distortions will make it difficult to confirm conclusively whether the first quarter stabilization was indeed an improvement or only a temporarily pause in a longer-run economic decline.”

However, with signs of a economic stabilization prior to the fire, is there any room for optimism after the fire? Well, let’s look:

Real Estate

“There’s no better example of the underlying firmness in the Canadian housing market than recent signs of stabilization in hard-hit Alberta, and in particular Calgary,” added Bank of Montreal Senior Economist Sal Guatieri. “After plunging almost 30 percent last year, existing home sales in the city are now sliding at a slower 10 percent year-over-year rate, while the decline in benchmark prices has steadied at 3.5 percent in the past three months.”

Oil Prices

Oil recently rallied to above $50, its highest level since November 2015. Some of this is certainly due to the wildfires in Fort McMurray, but there’s more causes than that, that should leave us optimistic about its continued rise.

Demand has been much higher than expected in the last few months, in key economic areas like China, Russia, and India. Disruptions in supply, besides Fort McMurray, like in Venezuela and Nigeria, have dramatically reduced the stock of available oil.

Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets said, “while supplies remain elevated, the glut does now appear to be diminishing.”

Supply outages and growing demand from China mean crude prices will come into “much better balance” in the next few months, an energy analyst told CNBC.

Construction

What people often don’t realize is that construction, not oil, is the king of Alberta’s economy. Construction is the largest industry in Alberta, followed by healthcare, retail, professional science services, then oil.

And there’s a lot of money currently being pumped into infrastructure spending and construction: “Alberta’s NDP government intends to spend nearly $8.5 billion this year to build and modernize key public infrastructure in hopes of jump-starting the province’s slumping economy.”

One good measure is the value of building permits, which recently jumped 15.5%, 47.7% on higher construction intentions, and 114%, a record high.

So, is there reason for optimism? We hope so!

Safety tips: 10 ways to stay cool during the summer heat!

Summer is in full swing in Alberta, and though the heat is generally modest in our province, and our neighbours to the south might have it much worse, it can still reach upwards of 30 to 40 degrees on some scorching summer days. When you’re working hard for a client, this degree of heat can get into dangerous territories and can jeopardize a worker’s health, if not properly looked over.

So here’s 10 tips to staying cool during the summer months!

1. Recognition: Workers should be trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat stress or stroke and what to do if they notice another worker under visible signs of distress.

2. Hydration: workers should have available water at all times. Water is the key to staying cool during these hot summer months.

3. Nutrition: eating the right food will ensure that employees aren’t zapped of vital nutrients when they start to sweat.

4. Breaks: scheduled breaks, where workers can cool down in shaded areas, will be useful to maintaining safe body temperatures.

5. Smart Scheduling: Try to schedule the heavy, sweat-inducing projects near the beginning or end of the day, when it’s the coolest.

6. Clothing: encourage your employees to wear light-coloured, breathable, loose-fitting clothing—but be careful! Make sure they’re always wearing their appropriate PPE.

7. Sunscreen: workers should be wearing sunscreen on all exposed areas of their body, and then periodically applying it to their skin throughout the day.

8. Sunglasses: Provide workers with tinted safety glasses (PPE Approved!) that prevent glare and eye damage during their shift.

9. Cooling vests: An industrial cooling vest may be a good investment option. It can keep your workers consistently cool even through the most strenuous heat and weather.

10. Air conditioning: utilize portable, outdoor air-conditioning units and dehumidifiers at the job site, especially in areas where strenuous heavy-duty work is taking place.

Our Kids Up Front Donation!

In early May, we announced that we would be donating a portion of our May revenue to the Kids Up Front Foundation. We’re incredibly happy to announce that we raised over $1000.00 to the foundation!

What is the Kids Up Front Foundation?

The foundation was created in 2003, providing tickets and access to arts, sports, and entertainment events for children and youth who would otherwise not have the opportunity attend. To date, the foundation has donated over 300,000 event tickets valued at well over $6.5 million dollars. Through their partner agencies, they target underprivileged and disadvantaged youth and children, giving them an experience that not only broadens and enriches their life, but gives them the opportunity to feel a part of their respective communities.

“Kids Up Front allows somebody to feel included. When you’re at an event, no one knows how you got there, you’re just there with other people. You’re not pointed out to be different. You’re just belonging.”

Why did we choose to do this? 

At First Call Energy, we realize that we not only work in a community, but live in it, raise our children in it, and are intertwined with everything that happens in our respective communities. The more we help the community, the better we all become as a result. It’s one of the reasons why our business is interested in making real, long term relationships with other businesses, instead of simply business transactions. We are interested in truly community building.

If you’re interested in making a donation to Kids Up Front or buying a ticket for a kid in need, all you have to do is follow the instructions on their website. Click here to do so.

“Your ticket can ignite a kid’s passions, inspire their dreams and instil hope that they can have a future with limitless possibilities.”

The People We Work With

In today’s day and age, a lot of employees zip around from company to company, without any loyalty to the place they’re currently being employed at. Gone are the days of one-employer careers, where organizations strived to keep their employees happy in highly competitive markets. Why is this? Because most companies aren’t approaching their employees as their most valuable resource, their strongest asset, and creating bonds of loyalty between employer and employees.

However, this isn’t the way First Call Energy does business. We know our employees are our most valuable asset, as they’re who the customer interacts with, get to know, and they view our company through our drivers and swampers. As Steve Jobs said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” When our employees are happy, the client is happy.

One of our clients, Brand Energy Solutions, had this to day about us: “There is no company in the industry more competitive and invested in your projects than First Call, thank you.”

We also instil in our employees a sense of community, of relationship building, where they make the client feel like they’re “more than just a dollar value,” because they are.

When asked about what his favourite part of working with the men and women of First Call Energy, Managing Partner CJ Lefebvre had this to say: “The knowledge and expertise each employee has is mind blowing. They have worked with different companies and multiple environments and bring lots to the table. I learn something new each and every day from my team.”

As you can see, we don’t just believe our drivers and swampers are the number one reason why all our customers stick with First Call Energy, we know that’s the number one reason. Our guys are always efficient, safe, and personable. They know what it takes to get a job done and they aren’t scared to get their hands dirty and to get into the trenches. They are the defining reason why we continually make partnerships in the industry, always willing to go the extra mile.

For example, after helping this particular client out with filling holes with sand, we went the extra mile (literally) and took the left over sand out to his farm, free of charge.

Does this sound like a company you want to work with? Contact us!

Industry and Academia explore research advancements in construction productivity and organizational competency!

Recently, there was a one-day event hosted by the University of Alberta, which focused on construction productivity, how to improve it, and outlined what project practices and people skills were related to the performance of a project, based on an extensive multi-year study, which collected job site data from multiple projects across Alberta. The event was put on by the School of Construction Engineering under the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Industrial Research Chair (IRC), and the Strategic Construction Modeling and Delivery (SCMD).

What did the research find? Let’s sum it up:

Managers and trade workers view productivity differently. What is viewed as productive work for a worker may not be viewed as productive work for manager. Specifically, they viewed productivity differently with regards to safety rules, frequency of re-work, training, experience, co-operation, fairness, assignments, frequency of accidents.

Interestingly, a survey by the National Safety Council showed that 60% of respondents in the construction industry believe their bosses favour productivity over safety.

Researchers found that effective working time (tool time) is not a good indicator of productivity. That being said, they also found that increasing tool time, while simultaneously increasing factors that impacted productivity would yield more than 1.5 times the results of increasing productivity alone.

Another interesting finding was that owners had a higher ‘maturity’ level than contractors when related to safety, environmental management, administration, commissioning, and start-up, while contractors out-scored owners when dealing with scope management, cost management, time management, and resource management.

All in all, the research gave the construction industry a benchmark to compare productivity of other companies, owners, and contractors. It is no secret that studies like these are important to an economic environment like Alberta, where reducing capital costs and competing with international markets is on everyone’s mind.

Road Construction Season in Calgary is upon us

There’s two seasons in Calgary and everyone knows them: road construction and winter! While everyone is out enjoying patios, sunshine, fishing, and long weekends, we’ll be busy deploying our trucks in and around Calgary, helping with the various construction projects around the city. Luckily this year, with the mild winter Calgary had, road construction started earlier than normal. While it typically starts in mid June, this year it began in May.

But even with the early start, Calgary still plans to complete 25% more road construction projects this year, due to lower oil prices, cheaper bids, and an injection of capital funding from both the Alberta government, federal government, and Calgary City Council (who approved a plan to increase capital spending by $47 million over the next 2 years). In total, the City of Calgary has a budget of more than $40 million to maintain and improve the roads of Calgary. This includes 15 major roads, 28 industrial streets, and 84 residential streets. The total kilometres of roads that will be serviced this summer totals more than 164KM.

“We have approximately 111 locations to do this year,” said Shannon Williams, senior paving leader. And Christopher McGeachy, a spokesman for Calgary Roads, said “We’re doing more construction, trying to take advantage of the depressed price of oil and try to get more infrastructure work done. For instance, we’re doing 12 contracted projects this year vs 6 or 7 that we normally do.”

Here are some major road projects going on in Calgary: 

Bonaventure Drive S.E. from Canyon Meadows Drive to Anderson Road S.E.

Edmonton Trail from Memorial Drive to 32nd Avenue N.E.

36th Street N.E. from Memorial Drive to McKnight Boulevard N.E.

Macleod Trail S.E. from 34th Avenue to 58th Avenue S.E.

Northmount Drive N.W. between Cambrian Drive and 4th Street N.W.

14th Street N.W. between Memorial Drive and 21st Avenue N.W.

You can find more information on all the major road projects HERE! 

If your neighbourhood is slated for construction work, the City of Calgary has set up a handy PDF that’ll give you a run down of what they expect of you.

Get to know the team: Managing Partner, CJ Lefebvre

With this blog series, it is our goal to give you a better understanding of who you are working with when you call First Call Energy.

In our first interview series, we’re talking to one of the key members behind First Call Energy, CJ Lefebvre, Managing Partner.

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Q: Could you give a brief introduction to yourself and your role at First Call Energy?
A: Managing Partner. My key roles include business development, overseeing operations, growth strategy, team-building, and bringing to the table new and innovative ideas to give FCE the edge in our industry.

Q: How long have you been in the industry?
A: I’ve been in the industry for 13 years operating, supervising and managing up to 120+ people and 60 units.

Q: What first attracted you to the industry?
A: I was working on the rigs between the ages of 17-22 and operating a vac/hydrovac during break up periods. When I finally chose to leave the rigs behind, I went with what I know, which was the vac and the hydrovac industry.

Q: What do you love about working with other Albertan construction companies?
A: There is always something new and exciting happening in Alberta, whether it be oil and gas or infrastructure, and each company does things slightly different. Everytime we go to a new site, we get to see new and innovative ways of getting the job done and gaining that extra knowledge of the services we can supply, or new ways we can help. There are always things to be learned or ways we can go the extra mile.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting out in the industry, what would it be?
A: Keep your head up, be safe, always give your best and say yes to the overtime!

Q: How is First Call Energy capitalizing on its success in Edmonton and Calgary construction?
A: We have been able to build new units to help support our growing company, allowing us to better serve our customers with the equipment and manpower needed to get the job done.

Q: What are you hoping to achieve in the next 5 years with FCE?
A: We will have new divisions in BC and Saskatchewan, along with steady growth in Edmonton and Calgary, hoping to see 20-30 units throughout Western Canada.

Q: What do you think is the biggest factor in keeping the men and women who work with FCE safe while on the job?
A: We are a team and we work together to get the job done as a team. Each and every employee knows that working unsafe is not acceptable and that each step they take can have a long term outcomes towards themselves and their team. Putting each other at risk is not an option here and we strive to get better and more mindful of our surroundings, constantly pushing for excellence

Q: What’s your favourite thing about working with the men and women of FCE?
A: The knowledge and expertise each employee has is mind blowing. They have worked with different companies and multiple environments and bring lots to the table. I learn something new each and every day from my team.

Q: What has been the most challenging part about running a company like FCE (or one of the most challenging projects so far?)
A: Getting everyone on the same page and working together for a common goal. We all have different ideas on where we want to go but in order for anything to work and run smoothly we all have to be on the same page, whether it be safety, finances or overall production onsite. We all have to want to be better and give that extra effort to set ourselves apart.

Q: Any final words or anything else to add
A: First Call Energy will continue doing the best we can in the industry and will continue to grow, despite this economic environment. Our only competition is ourselves. If we stop wanting to be better we will fade into the darkness and this is not an option. We want to be the company of choice in the industry. We want to help people and companies on their projects and we won’t stop until we reach our goals of being the best in the industry and the First Call for all projects.

Tips For Finding A Job In A Recession

Due to the prolonged low price of oil, Alberta is on track for its second year of a recession, which will amount to cuts in investment and employment in many sectors, according to ATB financial. There are some estimates that say the provincial economy will be contracting by .5 percent in 2016, which follows a 1 percent decrease in 2015.

A recession like this hasn’t been seen in the province since 1982-1983, but, it’s not all bad news. The Canadian dollar has shown some recent strength, rallying back to .77c, the WTI is above $40.00, Canadian inflation has slowed to just 1.7%, and there is a planned meeting of OPEC countries to discuss an output freeze on April 17th. This shows there is some reason to be optimistic about the future of the Albertan economy.

However, right now, the fact remains that we are in a recession, and there must be some adaptation to the new normal that is our current low-oil price economy, which is why we’ve compiled this list of tips to better serve our fellow Calgarians, Edmontonians, and Albertans on their search for a new career.

1. Tailor your resume and cover letter to the position you’re applying for. When searching for a new job, there’s a desire to send out as many job applications as you can, hoping that one of them bites. However, the much better method is to be methodical, specific, and directed with your job search. Learn about the companies you want to work with, find out who works there, how you should present your resume, and send a personal cover letter. The shotgun method may make you feel like you’re out there looking for work, but in reality, it’s doing more harm than good.

2. Find the right company, not the right job. Like #1, the goal should be finding a company that you want to work with, and tailoring your application towards that company. You’ll be sure to stand out from the pack with this method. Once you have found the right company, then you can start building a plan of ‘attack,’ so to speak. You need to show your future employer that you are capable of long-term strategy development, self-starting, research, planning, and long-term goal setting. You need to confidently communicate that you want this position at this company. 

3. Look for companies that are thriving. In an economy like Alberta, there are businesses that are adapting to this new-normal and making it work to their advantage. These are the companies that you want to work with. If you worked in Oil & Gas, this may be an opportunity to try something new. This is where working for companies, not industries, and finding the right one to work with, plays in.

4. Remember: your resume and cover letter is a self-marketing tool, not a biography of your life. Provide valuable information that piques the recruiters interest. It’s recommend that you spend 3-4 hours per application on your resume, writing it more like a proposal, than a description of your past work experiences. Recruiters want to see how your skills can benefit them. The key is to make all your skills, employment history, and hobbies relevant to the position you’re applying for.

5. Make everything perfect. The little things matter. Make sure you have someone double and triple check that everything in your resume was grammatically correct and that there were no spelling errors. According to a study by Job Dig, a small typo is the number one biggest recruitment turn off.

6. In this day and age of Social Media, make sure your online presence is free from any clear blemishes. This is becoming more and more of an issue as we dive deeper into the lives of our Social Media personas. Take some time to google yourself and see what comes up, then correct anything you think may reflect poorly on you. You’ll be surprised what type of stuff you (and more importantly, recruiters) can find with just one search.

Hope this helps you in your search for the perfect job! Good luck out there!

10 Highly Tweetable Facts That’ll Have You Calling First Call Energy

1. We have the lowest price and best value in both the Edmonton and Calgary region. Don’t believe us? Get a quote! Call 7806675600

2. Much like the excavation industry, it’s what’s beneath the surface that matters. We always drive towards excellence & innovation.

3. When you choose First Call Energy as your hydrovac company, you know you’ll get a fast, safe, reliable job.

4. We have a current capacity of up to ten full time trucks, including a Tri Axle Tornado & Foremost Hydrovacs. See full specs here.

5. Our drivers are the number one reason why all of our new customers end up as repeat customers.

6. Our managing team has over 40 years experience in the Edmonton and Calgary hydrovac construction industry.

7. Our goal is to unite with industry leaders in Alberta by investing in long-term partnerships, not short-term profits.

8. We recognize that we not only work, but live in our community, so we’re committed to an environmentally conscience work-environment.

9. Our goal is to be a part of the sustainable, positive growth that is going on in our cities.

10 If you work with us, you’ll see why we’re becoming the industry’s First Call for everything hydrovac.

Why Should I Use HydroVac Over Conventional Digging?

Hydrovacing utilizes high-pressure water to excavate soil, sediment, rocks, clay, and dirt, and then vacuums the chunks up into a holding tank once they’ve been broken up into small enough pieces. Once the hydrovac truck is full, the ‘slurry’ (what was removed) is then deposited in a safe, designated area. This type of excavation is used when there are pipes, gas lines, electricity, or other sensitive materials or structures in the excavation area.

Traditionally, before hydrovacs were common place, these sensitive digs were carried by backhoes or hand dug, which posed a number of difficulties to the digger. Studies have shown that hand digging and traditional excavation is responsible for almost 20% of all utility damages in North America, whereas hydrovac excavation is the non-destructive alternative. In 2013 alone, in Ontario, there were 197 cases where a buried electrical line was damaged during excavation.

Here are the benefits of using a Hydrovac:

Safety

Hydrovacs take less direct manpower, and have less men in the excavation area, so that if something were to go wrong, like a trench cave-in, there would be less people injured. When hand digging, there’s the possibility of hitting underground lines, electricity, pipes, water ways, which could end up seriously hurting the digger. If there are contaminated materials that need to be removed, it can be done safety with a hydrovac.

Environmental

Hydrovacs are regarded as the safest, minimally invasive option in the construction industry. Since everything is vacuumed up and held in the holding tank, there is little chance of extraneous waste, run-off contaminating waterways and sewer systems, or needless destruction to the land and surrounding area. The destruction of waste is also carried out in a more controlled manner than conventional digging. Some of the sensitive objects that are avoided include plant life, trees, roots systems, and so on.

Speed and Precision

It is estimated that Hydrovacing can increase your excavation time between 50% and 100% or more over conventional digging. Once the dig is complete, the clean up process is significantly faster due to the precise nature of hydrovacing.

In the end, using a hydrovac and using First Call Energy in particular, will save you time, improve safety, increase productivity, lower project costs, and improve waste and the environment.