Utility Avoidance
Cable Avoidance Training | CAT and Genny Course
One-day, HSG47-compliant CAT and Genny training. Classroom theory in the morning. Practical assessment on site in the afternoon. Certificate issued same day.
Who Is This Course For
Designed For
Anyone New to Utility Avoidance
No prior knowledge required, the ideal starting point.
Site Operatives and Groundworkers
Anyone who breaks ground near buried services.
Supervisors and Project Managers
Responsible for ensuring safe excavation practices on site.
Organisations Reviewing Their Approach
Companies looking to understand which qualification pathway suits their teams.
Duration
1 Day
Max Delegates
8
Certificate
Sygma In-House
Assessment
Practical + Written
What This Course Delivers
This is Sygma's one-day CAT and Genny training course. It is designed for any operative who excavates near buried utilities or underground services and needs to demonstrate HSG47 compliance, understand the correct use of CAT and Genny equipment, and carry out a practical site survey of buried services to a repeatable, verified standard. Most providers call it CAT and Genny training. Sygma teaches it Genny-First, because starting every survey with the signal generator is the methodology change that reduces service strikes.
Most operatives arrive at this course knowing how to turn the equipment on. They leave knowing why the signal behaves the way it does, what to do when the environment distorts it, and how to use a Genny signal source to build a complete picture of the service layout before a spade goes in the ground.
The course is not a tick-box exercise. It is a behavioural change programme focused on utility strike prevention that happens to issue a certificate at the end. Buried utility detection is only as good as the person holding the locator, and most strike incidents come down to training gaps rather than equipment failures.
HSG47 Compliance
How This Course Meets HSG47 Requirements
HSG47 is the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on avoiding danger from underground services. It sets out what employers and operatives must do before any excavation near buried utilities. For works on or near the public highway, the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) introduces additional statutory duties to protect buried apparatus. This course is designed to meet and exceed the HSG47 requirements and is relevant to operatives working under either framework.
Trained and Competent Operatives
HSG47 requires that anyone using a cable locator is trained in its use and understands its limitations. This course covers all four detection modes, signal interpretation, and equipment limitations in depth.
Safe System of Work
HSG47 requires a safe system of work that includes checking service plans, using a locator, and safe digging practices. The course takes delegates through the complete process from plan reading to practical site survey.
Service Plan Checks
HSG47 requires operatives to obtain and check service plans before excavation. The course includes a dedicated session on interpreting STATS plans, understanding their limitations, and reconciling plans with the physical site.
Correct Use of Locating Equipment
HSG47 specifies that locators must be used correctly and their limitations understood. The course covers all modes, Genny signal application, signal distortion, and the conditions that affect detection accuracy.
Visual Inspection
HSG47 requires a visual inspection of the work area before and during excavation. The course teaches a structured visual inspection process to identify surface indicators, valve covers, and other evidence of buried services.
Evidenced Training Records
HSG47 requires that training can be evidenced. Every delegate receives a certificate recording the date, content, assessment result, and assessing trainer. QR-code feedback reports provide additional documentation for your records.
What You Get
At the End of This Course
Certificate of Completion
Sygma in-house certificate issued same day
Written Assessment Record
Documented written test result for employer records
Practical Assessment Record
On-site competency verification
Pathway Guidance
Advice on which qualification route to progress to next
Course at a Glance
| Course Name | Cable Avoidance Training (CAT and Genny) |
| Also Known As | CAT and Genny training, CAT & Genny course, Genny and CAT training, cable locator HSG47 course, buried services training, underground service location course, buried utility detection training, utility strike prevention training, in-house cable avoidance course |
| Duration | One day. Start: 9:00am. Finish: approx. 3:30pm, with breaks. |
| Format | Classroom theory (morning) followed by on-site practical assessment (afternoon) |
| Assessment | Multiple choice written paper: 70% pass mark. Oral assessment available for delegates with dyslexia or reading difficulties. On-site practical assessment. |
| Certificate | Sygma Solutions in-house certificate (not EUSR-registered). Certificate issued same day on successful completion. |
| Max Delegates | 8 per session to ensure individual practical assessment quality |
| Suitable For | Groundworkers, plant operators, and any operative who excavates near buried utilities |
| Equipment | Sygma provides Radiodetection CAT4 and CAT4+ as standard at Wigan HQ. Skills are transferable to any manufacturer's locator including Vivax-Metrotech vLoc, Leica DSX, and Radiodetection RD8200/RD8100. For on-site delivery, client supplies their own locators and signal generators, or Sygma can supply at additional cost. |
| CITB | CITB Approved Training Organisation. Employers may be eligible for CITB Employer Network funding support. Contact your CITB adviser for current options. |
| Delivery Options | Wigan HQ | The Survey School, Worcester | On-site nationwide (travel included) |
What Delegates Will Be Able to Do
Understanding and Compliance
- ›Explain the legal and HSG47 requirements for using buried service locators before excavation
- ›Read and interpret utility service plans (STATS) in relation to a live site
- ›Identify and describe the financial and safety consequences of service strikes
Electromagnetic Theory
- ›Explain how a pipe and cable locator detects electromagnetic signals
- ›Describe the limitations of passive signals and why Power and Radio modes alone are insufficient
- ›Identify signal distortion scenarios and explain how depth estimates can be affected
Equipment Operation
- ›Correctly operate a cable locator in all four modes: Power, Radio, Genny, and Avoidance
- ›Connect and use a signal generator, including correct earthing and dual frequency application
- ›Perform capacitance locating for non-earthed and small cables
- ›Carry out blind induction sweeps and null services accurately
- ›Take and validate depth readings using the locator's depth estimation function
- ›Locate problem services including street lighting, LV services, and communications cables
- ›Identify joints, loops, and changes in direction from signal response
On-Site Procedure
- ›Conduct a full site visual inspection and utility plan reconciliation before excavation
- ›Start every site survey with a Genny signal to build a positive identification baseline
- ›Identify service strike risk and take appropriate action before and during excavation
Course Agenda: Full Day
| Session | Content |
|---|---|
| Classroom: Why We Use Locators | HSG47 guidance, legal obligations, national legislation and company policy. Real-world strike examples and the financial and safety consequences of getting it wrong. |
| Classroom: Service Plans | Reading and interpreting buried service plans (STATS). How to reconcile plan information with the physical site. What plans do not tell you and why. |
| Classroom: Electromagnetic Theory | How a pipe and cable locator generates and detects signals. Theory behind Power, Radio, Genny, and Avoidance modes. Myth-busting: what the equipment can and cannot find. Signal distortion, the halo effect, and conditions that affect depth accuracy. |
| Classroom: Equipment Controls and Operation | Locator controls, Strike Alert, signal interpretation. Signal generator dual frequency, earthing methods, capacitance locating, blind induction, nulling. Depth estimation techniques. |
| Classroom: Data Logging (Optional Module) | Data logging software overview. How to download, review, and analyse locator site data. Relevant where client requires audit trail capability. |
| Site Practical: Service Plan Reconciliation | Delegates use client-supplied or Sygma-supplied STATS plans to identify likely service routes. Site visual inspection carried out. Equipment checks performed. |
| Site Practical: Genny and CAT Survey | Full site survey using all modes in sequence. Genny connected first. Depth readings taken and tested. Problem services located. Delegates assessed individually on Genny use, signal interpretation, and methodical working. |
| Classroom: Written Assessment | Multiple choice paper. 70% pass mark required. Oral assessment available for delegates with dyslexia or reading difficulties. |
| Certificate Issued | Sygma in-house certificate issued same day on successful completion. Certificate records date, delegate name, equipment trained on, and assessing trainer. |
Certificate Today. Competence That Lasts.
The Sygma in-house cable avoidance certificate is not an accredited qualification from an external awarding body. It is a certificate of completion issued by Sygma Solutions, confirming that the delegate has attended, completed the written assessment, and passed the practical site evaluation to Sygma's standard.
For many clients, this is exactly what they need. HSG47 does not mandate a specific awarding body. It requires that operatives are trained, competent, and that the training can be evidenced. A Sygma certificate, backed by our 21-year track record, CITB accreditation, and the independently assessed feedback system, satisfies that requirement for most site management and H&S frameworks.
If your organisation requires an EUSR-registered or ProQual-accredited qualification, the EUS CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 courses are the right route. See the comparison table on the Utility Avoidance Training hub page.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Sygma charges per course, not per person. Whether you send 4 delegates or 8, the course fee stays the same. Travel within the UK mainland is included. There are no additional charges for course materials, assessments, or certification.
Per course, not per person
One fixed fee covers your whole group of up to 8 delegates.
Travel included
Delivery at your site, Sygma HQ (Wigan), or The Survey School (Worcester). No travel surcharge.
No hidden extras
Assessment materials, equipment, and post-course feedback included.
On-Site Group Delivery
We Come to Your Site. Anywhere in the UK.
The most efficient way to train a group is to bring Sygma to your site. On-site delivery means your team trains on the actual ground conditions, cable routes, and service plans they will encounter in real work. Every session is a practical assessment against the live site, not a demonstration area.
Travel is included in the day rate. You do not need to transport your team to a training centre or pay travel on top. We cover the UK mainland as standard, and can discuss Northern Ireland, Scotland, and offshore requirements on request.
Up to 8 delegates per session
Full-day delivery at your premises. Mix of site operatives, supervisors, and managers welcome.
You supply the site
Meeting room for theory, accessible site area with buried metallic utilities for the practical. Your own locators and signal generators, or Sygma can supply at additional cost.
STATS plans required
You provide current utility service plans for the delivery site. Sygma uses them as part of the service plan reconciliation module.
CITB Funding for Cable Avoidance Training
Sygma Solutions is a CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO). CITB-registered employers may be able to access funding through the CITB Employer Network.
To find out what support your business may be eligible for, contact your CITB adviser or the CITB helpline directly. Sygma can provide all required course documentation to support your funding application, including course outlines, assessment records, and certification evidence.
Request CITB DocumentationReady for the Next Step?
The Sygma in-house cable avoidance certificate is an excellent starting point. If your operative needs a qualification that is EUSR-registered, ProQual-accredited, or part of a longer professional development pathway, the following courses build directly on this foundation.
| Next Course | Why |
|---|---|
| EUS CAT1 Training | EUSR-registered qualification. Required by many utility sector frameworks. Builds directly on all skills covered in this course. |
| ProQual CAT1 | Accredited qualification with individual assessment of all four EML modes. Suitable for operatives seeking a higher-level accredited certificate. |
| OSCA: On-Site Competency Assessment | GPS-stamped, photo-verified on-site competency assessment. Used to demonstrate and record real-world competence in the field. Not a training course. |
| Bespoke Corporate Training | Design a multi-day programme around your specific site risks, equipment fleet, and workforce. Ideal for contractors with multiple cohorts. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CAT and Genny training?
CAT and Genny training is a course that teaches operatives how to safely locate buried utilities using a Cable Avoidance Tool (CAT) and Genny signal generator before any excavation takes place. Training covers electromagnetic theory, correct equipment operation in all four modes, utility service plan reading, and on-site practical assessment. Sygma's CAT and Genny training complies with the requirements of HSG47, the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on avoiding danger from underground services. Sygma teaches it Genny-First, meaning operatives learn to start every survey with the signal generator rather than relying on passive modes alone.
How long is the cable avoidance training course?
Sygma's cable avoidance training course is one day. It typically starts at 9:00am and finishes at approximately 3:30pm, including classroom theory in the morning and an on-site practical assessment in the afternoon. Maximum 8 delegates per session.
What certificate do delegates receive?
Delegates who pass the written assessment (70% minimum) and the practical on-site evaluation receive a Sygma Solutions in-house certificate, issued on the day of training. This is a Sygma certificate and is not issued by EUSR or ProQual Accreditations. If you require an EUSR-registered or ProQual-accredited qualification, see our EUS CAT1 or ProQual CAT1 courses.
Can you deliver this course on our site?
Yes. Sygma delivers cable avoidance training on client sites nationwide. Travel is included in our day rate. You will need to provide STATS plans for the site, a meeting room for the classroom session, a suitable site area with buried metallic utilities for the practical, and one locator and one signal generator per delegate (or Sygma can supply equipment at cost). Any manufacturer's CAT and Genny equipment is suitable. Maximum 8 delegates per session.
Is this course relevant to NRSWA-governed works?
Yes. While this course is built around HSG47 (the HSE guidance on avoiding danger from underground services), the skills and knowledge it covers are directly relevant to operatives carrying out works governed by NRSWA. The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 places statutory duties on those working on or near the public highway to avoid damage to buried apparatus. The safe system of work this course teaches, including service plan checks, correct use of locating equipment, and visual inspection before excavation, aligns with NRSWA requirements. Operatives working on the highway will typically also need NRSWA streetworks qualifications, which are separate to this course.
Is CITB funding available for this course?
Sygma Solutions is a CITB Approved Training Organisation. CITB-registered employers may be eligible for funding through the CITB Employer Network. Contact your CITB adviser for current eligibility and options.
Is a Sygma certificate accepted on construction sites?
A Sygma cable avoidance certificate is accepted on the majority of construction sites as evidence of HSG47-compliant training. HSG47 does not prescribe a specific awarding body; it requires operatives to be trained and competent. Sygma is a CITB-accredited training organisation. For sites or frameworks that specify EUSR or ProQual certification, see our EUS CAT1 or ProQual CAT1 courses.
Why Sygma
Why Choose Sygma for Cable Avoidance Training?
Content That Exceeds Standards
Sygma content goes above and beyond minimum spec.
Genny-First Methodology
70 to 80% increase in Genny usage.
Specialist Trainers
Directly employed, ex-surveyors, TAQA qualified.
Real Practical Assessment
On-site, real conditions.
Independent
No surveys, no equipment, no manufacturer ties.
We Come to You
At your site, travel included.
Ready to Book CAT and Genny Training?
Delivered at Sygma HQ in Wigan, at The Survey School in Worcester, or on your site anywhere in the UK. Travel included. Maximum 8 delegates.