What is required to locate and expose utilities before trenching can begin?

To safely locate and expose utilities before trenching begins, relying on specialized equipment, like a sucker truck, is essential. A sucker truck, also known as a vacuum excavation truck, uses suction to remove soil while exposing underground utilities without damaging them. This method reduces the risk of accidents by allowing workers to visualize and access utilities such as gas, water, and electrical lines while keeping the surrounding area intact.

Other tools and methods like shovels or power tools may be employed in various situations, but they do not offer the same level of safety and efficiency when it comes to locating utilities. A shovel, for instance, requires manual effort and poses a risk of accidental damage to buried lines. Power tools could potentially disrupt the ground too aggressively, which could also lead to utility damage. A bulldozer is largely inappropriate for this initial stage of locating utilities as it is designed for heavy earth-moving tasks and would likely cause significant disruption and damage rather than expose utilities safely.