In article
,
Pat wrote:

For you, the OP, and everyone else -- don't forget to put
down the safety tape before you fill the trench back in.

Safety tape? For (low voltage) communication cable? That's new.

something like this
http://www.goodmart.com/products/958016.htm
http://www.goodmart.com/products/958692.htm
http://www.goodmart.com/products/83875.htm

I don't know this company, it's just a google search.

Thanks for posting the interesting links.

When it comes to "safety tape", I can't say I've ever seen it "protecting"
non-hazardous, buried plant. That doesn't mean I think it doesn't happen or
gets placed, just that I've never seen it in the field.

Usually, the way a brain-dead digger knows that something is amiss are the
short lengths of fine, colored wire coming up with their spoils. Either that
or when the convoy of telco trucks show up.

Safety tape is probably never placed for a buried phone "drop". It might have
helped in the OP's case, though.

[chopping on "tree root"] Oh, sh*t! It's a WIRE! Ethel! Call the power
company! What do you mean the phone's dead?
--

JR