Performing surveys of underground cables and services is about more than just identifying where existing infrastructure is so that it can be avoided during excavation. It is also a way that authorities and contractors can maintain and improve key services throughout the UK.

It is a necessary process that facilitates the ongoing maintenance of our villages, towns and cities. And to make sure everything goes smoothly, it’s important to follow some important rules.

Equipped with a checklist of important principles, it can be easier to ensure that underground excavation does not lead to accidents caused by cable strikes and disruptions to local services.

Remember What Damage Looks Like

The rules and industry standards in place for cable avoidance are there for a reason. It is worth reminding yourself and your crew of these reasons and keep in mind what damage to cables can cause when services are not appropriately identified.

In the most extreme cases, when underground cables are damaged, people can be killed and injured by electric shock, electrical explosions, and flames. This can often result in severe burns to the body despite protective gear being worn.

This damage can be caused by a sharp object cutting through the outer layer of the cable, such as a drilling or excavation tool. It can also happen when cables below the ground are crushed by large vehicles, powerful machines or heavy equipment on site.

Additionally, any cables that have previously been damaged and left unreported, or only partially fixed, can pose a serious hazard to anyone working on the site in the future. So even if you have not caused the damage yourself, you will need effective detection to ensure that you avoid accidents caused by faulty cables.

Always Plan Before You Start Work

Service cables can belong to different network operators and any operations should factor in all relevant records of cables before any excavation begins. Some cables belong to organisations such as the highways authority, Ministry of Defence or Network Rail and must be cross-referenced with current information you have on existing cables in any given area being surveyed.

If you suspect there are underground cables, you should always try to find plans to map out their locations. This might take time to research and identify who has this information you need, but it’s a vital part of the process.

You may need to deactivate certain cables for your work to proceed safely and this might take time, especially when dealing with electricity companies who will require additional notice before they disconnect any power supplies for their customers.

After this, you should still use your own cable detection processes to double-check that the locations are correct, especially when networks are complex and intricate with a dense mass of different types of cables in one area.

If the excavation work is urgent then operatives should assume that there are live cables below the ground and accurately map out any services that must be factored into the excavation plan.

Careful planning is always essential and should be followed up by suitable risk assessments by qualified professionals. There may be a number of environmental or circumstances to consider too as a part of an overall safety plan for cable detection and excavation.

Adhere to Safe Digging Practices

Once cables are detected, excavation work should be carried out carefully and follow recognised safe digging practices. It may be necessary to run multiple rounds of cable detection as the project evolves, to ensure that markers and cable symbols are always accurate.

Use the Right Equipment

Cable locators should ideally be used frequently and repeatedly during the course of any excavation work. However, it’s crucial that the right kind of equipment is used with frequencies and distance tracing capabilities that can offer you exactly the level of data you need to proceed safely.

In addition to this, cable locating devices, or cable avoidance tools (CAT), should always be used by qualified professionals who know how both CAT and Genny equipment should be operated. Training is a good measure of competence as well as previous experience working on cable avoidance projects.

There are many providers of cable avoidance training online today, but some offer more comprehensive educational programs than others. It is advised to work with professionals who have a good level of practical knowledge as well as industry-standard theory to draw from.

At Sygma Solutions, we offer the very best training courses for operatives wanting to develop a good working knowledge of cable avoidance practices and practical experience so that they can reduce chances for unnecessary cable strikes and support the excavation projects they work on.