Underground Services
HSG47 Training: EUSR Compliant Courses for Underground Services
The training required by the HSE guidance that governs all safe digging near underground services. EUSR CAT1 and Cable Avoidance courses. CITB approved. UK-wide delivery.
HSG47 training is the practical safety training required by the HSE guidance document ‘Avoiding Danger from Underground Services.’ It covers the use of cable avoidance tools (CAT and Genny) to locate buried utilities before excavations begin, safe working procedures near underground services, and the skills required by duty holders to meet their competence obligations. HSG47 training is the recognised industry standard for anyone who works or manages work near buried cables, pipes, and underground services across the UK.
HSG47 outlines the competence principles and safety requirements for all activities involving excavation work near underground services. The official HSG47 guidance avoiding danger from underground services was developed in response to accident statistics showing thousands of service strikes occur annually. Training is aimed at all individuals involved in such tasks: the operatives carrying out the excavations, the stakeholders commissioning the work, and those responsible for implementing safe systems of work in accordance with HSG47. Completing an assessed course is intended to ensure that every hazard that can arise from buried services is identified before work begins.
21 Years
One Specialism
Underground utility location training is all we do.
EUSR + CITB
Accredited Routes
EUSR Category 1, ProQual CAT1, CITB Approved Training Organisation.
UK-Wide
On-Site Delivery
Travel included. Delivered at your site, nationwide.
Who Needs It
Who Needs HSG47 Training?
HSG47 requires anyone using cable and pipe locating equipment to be trained and assessed as competent. This applies to the operatives using the equipment and to the duty holders responsible for the work. In practice, that includes:
Site Operatives and Groundworkers
Anyone who picks up a CAT or Genny to locate underground services before excavations begin. This is the core audience for HSG47 training.
Civil Engineers and Site Supervisors
Those responsible for supervising excavation work and ensuring safe systems of work are followed correctly near underground services.
Utility Workers and Contractors
Operatives working on or near buried cables, pipes, and infrastructure for utility companies, highways authorities and network operators.
Duty Holders and Principal Contractors
Project managers, principal contractors and designers all have a legal duty to ensure their teams are trained and competent for excavation work near underground services. HSG47 training is the recognised standard.
Most principal contractors and utility company permit systems require operatives to hold a recognised HSG47 training certificate -- typically EUSR Category 1 or ProQual CAT1 -- before any excavations are permitted to begin.
Course Routes
What Does HSG47 Training Cover?
HSG47 training covers two complementary areas: using cable avoidance tools to locate buried services, and managing safe working procedures around underground services. Sygma offers dedicated courses for each, delivered at your site, UK-wide.
CAT and Genny Training
Equipment operation and detection methodology
Covers the use of cable detection products -- a cable locator (CAT) and signal generator (Genny) -- to detect underground services before excavations. Includes electromagnetic theory, all four detection modes, all types of electromagnetic location and signal application, practical site assessment, and the Genny-First methodology that measurably reduces service strikes.
Available as EUSR Category 1, ProQual CAT1, or Sygma in-house certification. CITB Approved.
View CAT and Genny Training →Cable Avoidance Training
Safe digging procedures and underground risk control
Covers the full cable avoidance procedure: obtaining and interpreting mapped utility drawings, advance planning and visual checks, permits to dig, safe excavation methods to avoid damage to buried services, and how to find and control underground service risk before any team gains access to the excavation area. Includes safe working in proximity to live buried utilities. Designed for operatives, supervisors, and those responsible for safe systems of work.
CITB Approved. Delivered at your site with your plans and your risk profile.
View Cable Avoidance Training →Not sure which course? If your operatives need to use a CAT and Genny on site, they need CAT and Genny Training. If your team needs to understand the full safe digging procedure and permit process, they need Cable Avoidance Training. Many clients book both to fulfil the complete HSG47 training requirement for their workforce.
Accreditation
HSG47 Training Accreditation
EUSR Category 1
The Energy and Utility Skills Register (EUSR) Category 1 qualification -- formally Utility Excavations Category 1 -- is the most widely accepted route to demonstrating HSG47 training compliance. Operatives must be EUSR registered before most utility companies permit work on or near buried cables. The card lasts three years and is recognised across UK construction, utilities, highways, and HV substations sectors. Working near HV substations or buried HV cables is a specific area where EUSR Category 1 is required by most principal contractors. Sygma delivers EUSR Category 1 as a one-day or two-day in-house course.
ProQual CAT1
ProQual CAT1 is an externally accredited qualification that assesses all four EML detection modes in a formal practical assessment. The ProQual CAT1 Plus two-day route includes the Genny-First methodology in its assessment criteria -- a standard Sygma helped develop. Three-year certificate, renewed on expiry.
CITB Approved
Sygma Solutions is a CITB Approved Training Organisation. Every HSG47 training course is delivered to CITB ATO standards. Employers who pay the CITB levy may be eligible for training funding support through the CITB Employer Network. Sygma provides all documentation required to support funding applications.
Why Choose Sygma
Why Sygma for HSG47 Training?
Specialism
The UK’s Only Independent Specialist
No surveys, no equipment sales, no manufacturer relationships. Underground utility location training is the only thing Sygma does. That means trainers with real field experience, unbiased methodology, and course content that genuinely reduces service strikes across a variety of utility sectors, rather than just issuing certificates.
Methodology
Genny-First -- Proven to Work
Sygma-trained operatives show a 70-80% increase in Genny usage, measured through locator data downloads. Clients report measurable reductions in service strikes. This is what good HSG47 training achieves -- changed behaviour on site, not just a card in a wallet.
Delivery
Your Site, Nationwide, Travel Included
All HSG47 training courses are delivered at your site across the UK. Travel is included in the day rate with no hidden extras. Operatives learn on the same ground and the same buried services they encounter daily -- not on a generic training centre rig.
Trainers
Specialist Trainers, Not Generalists
All Sygma trainers are directly employed ex-utility surveyors or ex-equipment manufacturer specialists. TAQA qualified. They have carried out the work they are teaching -- the credibility this brings to a practical site session is something no generalist health and safety training company can replicate.
UK Delivery
HSG47 Training Across the UK
HSG47 training courses are held at client sites across the UK. Common delivery regions include:
- ›London and the South East
- ›Manchester and the North West
- ›Birmingham and the Midlands
- ›Bristol and the South West
- ›Leeds, Sheffield and Yorkshire
- ›Scotland and Northern Ireland
- ›Northern England and the North East
Travel is included in the day rate with no hidden extras. Sygma’s training centre in Wigan is available as an alternative venue at no additional cost.
HSG47 Training Near Me
We come to you. Sygma delivers HSG47 training at your site -- no travel for your delegates, training on real underground services you actually work near, and course content tailored to your company’s permits and procedures.
CITB Funding
Sygma Solutions is a CITB Approved Training Organisation. Employers who pay the CITB levy may be eligible for training funding through the CITB Employer Network.
Contact your CITB adviser for current funding options. Sygma provides all documentation required to support applications.
Related Reading
HSG47 Explained
The HSE guidance document in plain English -- what it requires, who it applies to, and why it exists.
Genny-First Methodology
Why applying the signal generator first increases buried utility detection rates and reduces service strikes.
Strike Prevention for Site Managers
Practical guidance for those responsible for managing excavation risk near underground services.
EUSR Card Renewal
When and how to renew your EUSR Category 1 card before the three-year certificate expires.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About HSG47 Training
Is HSG47 training a legal requirement?
HSG47 training is not a statutory requirement in the strict sense -- HSG47 is HSE guidance, not legislation. However, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to ensure workers are trained and competent for the work they carry out. Where HSG47 training is the recognised industry standard for working near underground services, not providing it creates a significant duty of care exposure. Most principal contractors, utility companies and highways authorities require evidence of HSG47 training before allowing operatives to dig.
What is HSG47 training?
HSG47 training is the collective term for the training required by the HSE guidance document 'HSG47: Avoiding Danger from Underground Services.' It covers the correct use of cable avoidance tools (CAT and Genny) to locate, find and detect underground services before excavations begin, safe working procedures near buried utilities, and the competence requirements that duty holders must meet. In practice, HSG47 training refers to courses fulfilling the HSG47 competence standard -- typically EUSR Category 1, ProQual CAT1, or equivalent assessed cable avoidance training from a CITB Approved Training Organisation.
How long does HSG47 training take?
HSG47 training takes one or two days, depending on the course format and accreditation route. The one-day format covers CAT and Genny theory to verify work understanding, and a practical site assessment. Two-day formats add additional depth to the practical element or incorporate a second accreditation assessment. EUSR CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 both run as either one-day or two-day programmes. For complete beginners, the two-day format is recommended.
What certificate do you get from HSG47 training?
Delegates receive the EUSR Category 1 card (Utility Excavations Category 1) on the most widely recognised accreditation route. Issued by the Energy and Utility Skills Register and valid for three years, it is recognised across UK construction, utilities, HV substations and highways sectors. ProQual CAT1 is an alternative accredited route that also produces a three-year assessed certificate. Sygma also issues its own in-house certificate of completion for companies that do not require an awarding body card. All certificates are backed by written and practical assessment records.
How much does HSG47 training cost?
HSG47 training is priced as an in-house day rate for up to 8 delegates at your site, or per person on open courses. Travel is included in the day rate with no hidden extras. The cost varies by format -- EUSR CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 carry additional awarding body fees. CITB levy-paying employers may be eligible for funding support through the CITB Employer Network. Contact Sygma for a tailored quote.
Does HSG47 training need to be renewed?
Yes. EUSR CAT1 and ProQual CAT1 certificates expire after three years and must be renewed before expiry. Most principal contractors and utility companies will not permit operatives on site once a certificate has lapsed. Sygma recommends booking renewal in the three months before your current certificate expires to avoid any gap in coverage.
What is the difference between HSG47 training and EUSR CAT1?
HSG47 training is the broad term for any training that meets the competence requirements in the HSG47 guidance document. EUSR Category 1 is a specific accredited qualification issued by the Energy and Utility Skills Register -- one of the most widely accepted routes to meeting the HSG47 standard. In practice, most employers who require 'HSG47 training' will accept EUSR CAT1, ProQual CAT1, or an equivalent assessed certificate from a CITB Approved Training Organisation.
Can HSG47 training be done online?
Awareness-level HSG47 training can be completed online -- Sygma offers an online CAT4 HSG47 awareness course for this purpose. For information on that option, see the CAT4 HSG47 Awareness Online course page. However, the full competence qualification -- EUSR CAT1 or ProQual CAT1 -- requires a practical site assessment using live locating products and cannot be completed entirely online. The practical element is what proves competence and is what most principal contractors, utility companies and duty holders require on site.
Who needs HSG47 training on site?
Anyone who uses cable and pipe locating equipment before excavation, or who supervises or manages such work, should hold HSG47 training. This includes site operatives and groundworkers, civil engineers and site managers, utility workers and contractors, highways teams, and anyone with a duty to ensure safe digging near underground services. Duty holders -- including principal contractors and project managers -- are responsible for ensuring their teams are trained and competent. Note: underground services regulations in specific sectors may also require operatives to hold a recognised qualification before gaining access to certain work areas.
Does HSG47 training cover both CAT and Genny and cable avoidance?
Yes. HSG47 training typically covers both CAT and Genny equipment operation -- using a cable locator and signal generator to detect buried services -- and the broader cable avoidance procedure for safe working near underground services. Sygma offers dedicated courses for each: CAT and Genny Training for the equipment and detection methodology, and Cable Avoidance Training for the full safe digging procedure and whole-site risk approach.
Book HSG47 Training
EUSR Category 1 and Cable Avoidance courses delivered at your site, UK-wide. CITB approved. Travel included. For information on costs and availability, contact us for a tailored quote.