Buried warning tape is typically placed at what depth below the ground surface?

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Warning tape serves as an early alert to anyone digging that a buried utility lies below. Placing the tape about one foot (12 inches) below finished grade strikes a practical balance: it’s deep enough to survive routine surface activities, yet shallow enough to be encountered before a excavation reaches the actual cable or pipe. If the tape were only a few inches down, it could be damaged or removed by lawn care or shallow digging and wouldn’t reliably warn excavators. If it were buried much deeper, the warning might not be found until after digging has progressed, reducing its effectiveness.