Picture this scenario: you’re on a construction site, and you have a hydrovac truck ready to go. It seems simple enough, right? Just blast some high-pressure water into the ground, and the vacuum will suck up the debris. Easy-peasy! Well, not quite. The sad reality is that using a hydrovac truck without proper training can lead to a whole host of difficulties and pitfalls that you definitely want to avoid.

First and foremost, safety is a significant concern. A hydrovac truck operates with high-pressure water and a powerful vacuum system, which can be dangerous if not handled correctly. Without proper training, you or your crew might not know how to safely operate the equipment, putting yourselves and others at risk of injury even while dealing with something like a basic daylighting project.

Then you also have to be mindful of damaging underground utilities or the fragile roots of trees and plants. The whole point of hydro excavation is to dig up the ground fast without causing damage to buried utilities like gas lines, water pipes, or electrical cables. But without the right training, you might end up accidentally blasting away at those critical utilities, leading to costly repairs and service disruptions.

Even if you manage to avoid causing immediate damage, there’s still the risk of long-term consequences. Improper use of a hydrovac truck can weaken the surrounding soil or cause voids underground, leading to potential sinkholes or collapses later on.

And finally, let’s not forget about efficiency. Without proper training, you might find yourself struggling to get the job done efficiently, wasting time and resources in the process, and possibly even losing a lot of money as a result.