There are over 60,000 cable strikes each year in the UK alone. These accidents, which are often caused by workers being unaware of underground services, can be devastating for workers, businesses, and the community.

Even without considering the cost to human life which can be fatal in the worst cases, the delay to large scale projects can cost millions while disruptions to local communities due to services being disrupted can be severe.

If you’re planning an excavation of any kind and wondering whether cable avoidance is necessary, or how you can go about ensuring you are able to identify any and all services below the ground, we’ve outlined some important considerations for you to take into account.

Why Does Cable Avoidance Matter?

There are many consequences of cable strikes. Some are obvious and some are not. Being aware of the context and taking the right precautions is the only real way to avoid the many huge problems that come with cable strikes.

Safety

The most important issue when it comes to cable strikes is the safety of the worker who is tasked with excavating an area and potentially at risk of encountering a live cable. A great many injuries have been caused due to cable or pipe strikes, with some of these incidents being fatal.

Safety is a huge component of construction and excavation, and sometimes underground services are overlooked because they are not “obvious” threats. However, the complexity and size of underground services in the UK is vast, and any kind of project involving excavations could put workers in contact with underground cables.

Financial Costs

Cable strikes have a massive financial impact for the company commissioning the work as well as the construction company hired to carry out the job. Large scale projects with tight deadlines are the worst affected.

It will likely take time to repair the damaged cable, meaning building work will be severely delayed. And this disruption will do damage to a construction companies’ reputation, potentially disrupting future business.

Community Disruption

Depending on which cable or pipe is struck, local power supplies may be affected, causing huge problems for local communities and businesses. Relocating for some businesses temporarily simply isn’t possible, and often the smallest local businesses are forced to face the cost.

Carrying Out Effective Cable Avoidance

Cable avoidance should generally follow the below steps, with particular importance placed on the training of operatives to adequately locate and identify underground services.

1. Research of publically available surveys and utility maps
2. First-hand inspection of the site
3. Use of suitable cable locating equipment (CAT and Genny tools)
4. Use of safe digging practices

What Equipment is Needed?

Cable location tools, also known as cable avoidance tools (CAT) or CAT and Genny tools, are smart devices that detect signals potentially being omitted from cables below the ground. They are good at doing what they do, but effectiveness relies on a fully trained operative handling them in the right way.

It is also recommended that cable locating equipment is serviced and calibrated every 12 months using the latest software.

There are many different types of CATs, which have slightly different functionality, but they all generally do the same thing by detecting signals emitted from pipes and cables underground.

They can detect magnetic fields of loaded power cables, or a Genny can be used to induce a signal onto pipes and cables, so they can be located with a CAT.

Cable Avoidance Training Courses

Excavations should always be carried out by trained professionals who are capable of using the industry’s tools to efficiently locate any and all buried cables. If you want to learn more about CAT and Genny training such as the popular HSG47 training, get in touch with us at Sygma Solutions.