One of the biggest dangers facing workers in the water supply industry is that of accidentally striking electricity cables and gas pipes. If proper plans are not made before commencing any work, cable strikes can be a regular occurrence, leading to injury and sometimes fatalities.

1. Some
Strikes
One of
is mak
proper
strikes
even be
The fig
no exa
excavat
the figu
cable s
in ever
results
excavat
you hap
Anothe
obligati
contrac
investig
poor pr
Yet an
pressur
trying
want to
make it
Of the
s
the bigge
king accide
plans ar
can be a
e fatal on
ures for u
act figure
tions carr
ure is 2.5
trikes eac
ry 65 or
in accide
tions is ac
ppen to be
r part of
ion to rep
ctors may
gations, d
ractice.
other fac
re for wor
to improv
o carry o
t difficult t
Shockin
est danger
ental con
e not ma
a regular
occasion.
undergroun
es, one e
ied out ev
5 million.
ch year. Ev
so such
entally hit
ctually clo
e such a w
the prob
port such a
y be cove
delays, an
tor is tha
rk to be c
ve leakag
out repairs
to carry o
ng Facts
rs that wo
tact with
ade befor
occurrenc
nd service
estimate
very year
What is
ven with t
street wo
tting an u
oser to 2.5
worker, th
blem with
accidents.
ring up s
d associa
at contra
carried ou
e rates a
s as quic
ut works
Concer
orkers in t
gas pipe
re comme
ce, and ca
es strikes
says that
in the UK
known is
the best e
orks and
undergrou
5 million,
hen your o
the figu
. In additi
uch an in
ted costs,
ctors say
ut. Water
and custom
kly as po
properly.
ning Un
he water
elines or e
encing an
an lead to
are shock
t there a
K, while an
that ther
estimate, t
other exc
und servic
then it is
odds are n
res is tha
ion, it is s
ncident in
, and avo
y that the
companie
mer servi
ossible, bu
ndergroun
supply ind
electricity
y work, t
o serious
king. While
are some
nother sug
re are som
that mean
cavations
ce. If the
s one in e
not that go
at there i
suspected
order to
oid being
ere is oft
es, in part
ice levels,
ut in turn
nd Utilit
dustry fac
cables.
then cabl
injury an
e there ar
4 millio
ggests tha
me 60,00
ns that on
each yea
figure fo
very 40.
ood.
is no lega
that som
o avoid th
blamed fo
ten a tim
ticular, ar
, and the
n, that ca
ty
ce
If
le
nd
re
on
at
00
ne
ar
or
If
al
me
he
or
me
re
ey
n

2. Not only that, but maps and plans can be unreliable. As an example,
many waterpipe records originated as drawingsand then became
microfiche and are now computerised records. It is feared that many
errors may have crept in along the way, and at the same time, changes to
nearby buildings or roads can also make things misleading.
It gets worse, because other considerations, such as cost, may lead to
work which is substandard. So a company installing a cable may state
that it was at the depth the utility ordered, but it may actually be
shallower. Possibly an old utility which should have been removed when
being replaced was actually left in position because of the time and
money involved in removing it.
It gets even worse. One senior manager at a plant hire company
explained that sometimes new gas pipelines are laid alongside or
underneath old pipelines. The old pipelines are recorded, but the new
ones have not been added. He commented that it is staggering but does
actually happen.
According to PAS128, which is a specification for underground utility
detection, location, and identification, the location of services is
something that should be kept entirely separate from that of the actual
excavation.That means that “plans should be sought and checked through
all appropriate channels before arriving at the site, with a CAT and
Gennythen used to detect the buried utilities and verify the information”.

3. However, what actually happens can be very different. The CAT and
Genny should only be used by utility survey experts, and not the actual
site operatives. Nonetheless, in a 2012 survey of the Civil Engineering
Contractors Association, 57% of respondents said that in their experience,
this was not the case. 86% said the survey was not carried out as a
separate exercise, and the same number said that the Genny was not
used as much as it should be (https://wwtonline.co.uk/features/striking-
it-out-how-can-the-industry-cut-down-utility-strikes).
Anyone tasked with locating and identifying buried services should
undertake a cable avoidance training course from one of the specialist
training companies in the UK which will teach the use of the CAT and
Genny in all their different modes so that, as far as possible, all
underground services can be detected. Furthermore, and equally
importantly, if not more so, these individuals should learn and understand
the limitations of the CAT and Genny. Great tools as they are, they do
have some limitations and it is vital that surveyors should know and
understand them, and the appropriate actions to take, if the number of
cable strikes every year is to be reduced.
Sygma Solutions is a specialist provider of cable avoidance training
and the use and limitations of the CAT and Genny. The company’s courses
are approved by The Survey Association, EUSR, and CITB.