Locate Underground Services Using CAT & Genny

The CAT (cable avoidance tool) & Genny (signal generator) is widely used to locate underground utility services before proceeding with any kind of digging or excavation work. On its own, CAT is only capable of locating electricity cables that have power running through them. However, with the power turned off, the CAT will not be able to locate the buried cables. This is why CAT is used in conjunction with Genny. CAt & Genny are able to identify and locate buried services like, clay or plastic pipes, metal water pipes, telecoms and more.

In the UK, there are a number of companies providing professional CAT and Genny training courses in order to prevent cable strikes. The country already experiences over sixty thousand cables strikes each year, which results in causing severe injury to the workers and the people living nearby the excavation site. Even if the strike does not cause damage to human life, it still results in financial losses as the services that are hit remains disabled until the time the cables or pipes have been repaired or replaced. By availing proper training, supervisors, engineers and contractors are able to prevent cable strikes and also employ safe working practices.

The training programmes are called by various names, such as EUSR CAT and Genny training, HSG47 training and so on. Even though all the courses teach how to use cable avoidance tools, the different names are given depending on the authority that the training company is recognised by.

So, if you have any upcoming excavation project, make sure that you enrol yourself for a CAT & Genny course. The course will help you to gain a complete understanding of the limitations and use of the equipment so that you can create a safe working environment.

What Can You Learn by Undertaking a EUSR CAT & Genny Course?

The CAT & Genny training course is specifically designed to give supervisors and operatives in-depth knowledge of how to conduct cable avoidance operations in a safe and secure manner. As a matter of fact, there are several main contractors and businesses that do not allow the work to process unless a survey has been carried out but a trained surveyor who is qualified to the standards of EUSR.

EUSR or the Energy and Utilities Skills Register is a completely independent body that requires surveyors to be trained to the highest level. Only after assessing the training of the surveyor, this recognised body awards the trainer with a EUSR card, which enables the surveyor to work on various projects like, HS2.

By undertaking a EUSR CAT and Genny course, you will be able to learn the following:

• Be able to safely use a pipe detector or cable detector when sent to an excavation site
• You will be capable of identifying and reading electricity, gas, telecom and water service plans by using specialised equipment.
• Identify undamaged, as well as, damaged underground utility services with the use of penetrating radar and such tools
• Gain proper understanding of the guidelines of underground services and the effects of a cable strike
• Identify and locate buried utility services by learning the right use and limitations of the CAT & Genny
• Be able to complete plans that show that the services have been detected and excavation work can proceed safely

EUSR CAT & Genny training programmes are offered by several professional companies. By undertaking this course, you will be ensuring the safety of your workers and yourself, along with the people living near the excavation site. Also, you will not be adding to the 60,000 cable strikes that the UK experience each year.

Helpful Tips to Prevent Cable Strikes

Gas, electricity, water, telecommunications and other such utility network structures are a crucial part of the country’s economic health. Since cities are expanding at an exponential rate, the dependency on more complicated and larger networks of utilities is increasing growing. Also, cities are struggling to maintain the existing infrastructure and finding space for new installations. In order to ensure the smooth operation of the vital services, modernisation and repair programmes have to be undertaken and dig holes to reach underground services.

During any excavation work, workers are inevitably in close proximity to buried utility services. Knowing the exact location of the underground services is crucial as striking a cable leads to financial losses and severe injuries. Below given are a few helpful tips to prevent cable strikes.

• Employing safe working practices: It is important to implement safe and standard working practices when excavating an area. You must follow the utility plans and also make use of utility detection tools.
• Conduct a site survey: A site survey is essential in detecting and locating the underground utility services before digging the area. Knowing the areas to avoid will ensure that cable strike can be prevented, as well as, damage to life.
• Cable avoidance training: Lack of proper utility avoidance training provides an added risk to the excavation team. The incidence of cable strikes can be reduced by gaining proper knowledge of how to use cable detection tools.

So, before starting excavating, make sure that you have the right training and knowledge about the right methods of locating underground services.

Things You Need to Know About CAT & Genny Training

It is estimated that more than four million excavations take place in the UK each year. Most of these digging work happens without proper examination of the existing buried assets. This results in accidental cable strikes of electrical cables or gas pipelines, which is an important risk to the utility structure. Cable strikes result in injury, loss of life and delay in projects. What is surprising is the fact that these incidents can be prevented if you are trained in the use of CAT & Genny.

The CAT & Genny tools are used to detect and locate buried or hidden cables on groundwork, excavation and construction sites. The CAT detects buried utilities so that the workers are able to avoid them when they are digging up the area. The Genny mode on CAT is basically a signal generator and it helps to detect signals from metal services that naturally radiate from them. By enrolling for a national recognised CAT and Genny training programme, you will learn the following:

• The primary or basic principles of detecting and locating underground utility services
• The operation and use of pipe locators
• The accurate interpretation of plans and records
• The ability to easily identify safe working practices and equipment
• Deep understanding of how non-metallic pipe locators function
• The precise way of mapping and surveying an area before beginning the excavation process

So, sign up for a training programme and stay safe by avoiding cable strikes.

Level of Surveys for Underground Utility Mapping

If you are a contractor, you would be bestowed with the responsibility of carrying out level 5 utility mapping to locate and detect buried utility services. This is important because you would not want to strike a cable or a gas pipe during excavation. Cable avoidance is the best way to reduce cable strikes and maintain a safe working environment.

A comprehensive mapping of the area is integral to the protection of the workers and the people living near the excavation site. Also, it will save you from having to pay compensation costs. The equipment to be used and how much is to be mapped is decided by the surveyor. For instance, if you are a level 5 utility surveyor, you would be needed to establish technical information systems and site surveying management. For a better understanding, take a look at the different level of surveys.

Level 1 survey: This involves searching existing utility records, which can be consolidated into a single plan in CAD and overlain onto base mapping.

Level 2 survey: At this level, a visual walkover survey is carried out as a part of site visit. Normally, this would be an addition to level 1 survey.

Level 3 survey: Electro-magnetic location survey in both active and passive mode with located services being marked onto the surface of the ground.

Level 4 survey: This is level 3 survey in addition to ground probing radar (GPR).

Level 5 survey: This is a level 3 survey, along with recorded close centred GPR with post data collection analysis and interpretation.

For more information on level 5 NVQ utility survey, reach out to a professional training provider.

Why Do You Need EUSR CAT & Genny Training?

Striking an underground utility service and damaging it can seriously injure the workers on the excavation site and on some occasions, might even prove to be fatal. Damaging or making contact with water pipes, gas or electricity cables can be extremely dangerous. Even though striking sewer pipes might be considered less dangerous, but they can also cause health issues if the workforce is exposed to raw sewage. Also, the UK reports more than 60,000 cable strikes on a yearly basis.

The main problem with underground utility services is that they are practically everywhere. You may even find them in places that you least expect to. This is what makes a thorough survey of the underground crucial before the beginning of any kind of excavation work and the survey needs to be carried out by someone who has had professional EUSR CAT and Genny training.

The EUSR or Energy and Utilities Skills Register is an independent, but recognised body that needs surveyors to be properly trained to the highest levels. Whoever completes the training is handed with a card, which allows them to work on various projects like, HS2. There are a few reputed and professional companies providing EUSR cable avoidance training and offer courses that meet the standard of EUSR hsg47. By undertaking this specialist training programme, surveyors will be able to learn the correct use of the CAT & Genny in the different modes and also learn about their limitations.

So, sign up for a training programme and carry out excavation work safely.

Hsg47 Training. What’s It All About?

Many people are unsure what HSG47 training is all about. HSG47 is the guide to commissioning, planning, managing, and carrying out work on or near to underground services, that is produced by the Health and Safety Executive. The latest edition, which is the third, was produced in 2014 and still stands today.

The HSG47 course that we provide here at Sygma Solutions trains all those involved in the location and identification of underground services to the standard laid down by HSG47.

The fact is that underground services can be absolutely anywhere. You might expect to find them in the local high street, since there will be telephone cables, electricity cables, water pipes, sewage pipes, possibly gas pipes, and more, supplying all of the shops, restaurants, bars, and offices that are there.

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