Hand Excavation

Hand excavation remains a component of the utility excavation industry despite the widespread adoption of hydrovac technology. Some utility owners and project specifications still require hand digging within a specified distance of certain types of infrastructure, particularly direct-buried fiber optic cables, high-pressure gas mains, and high-voltage electrical conductors.

Hand excavation is significantly slower and more labor-intensive than hydrovac excavation. A laborer can typically hand-dig 0.5 to 1 cubic yard per hour in favorable soil conditions, compared to 5 to 15 cubic yards per hour for a hydrovac truck. Hand digging is also physically demanding and poses ergonomic risks to workers, particularly in confined spaces or at significant depth.

Most industry best practices now recognize hydrovac excavation as equal or superior to hand digging in terms of safety and precision, and many specifications have been updated to allow hydrovac as a substitute for hand excavation. However, hand digging remains the fallback method when hydrovac equipment is not available or when site conditions prevent truck access.