Any kind of excavation work can be dangerous

One of the most dangerous things that any construction worker can do is to dig down into the ground without there first having been a complete and thorough survey of the area by a competent surveyor using the very latest technology.

The simple fact is that – wherever you live – there is any number of services that supply your home, your office, your local high street, and in fact any building that requires electricity, water, sewage pipes, and more. Certainly, there may be a few barns out in the country that contains cows or pigs and doesn’t require those facilities, but most of us do.

In a nutshell, what that means is that underground cables, water pipes, gas pipes, sewage pipes, telecoms, and more, can be – and indeed are likely to be – almost anywhere.

All of which means that, if you work for a contractor as a groundworker, you need to be confident that the area where you are going to dig is free from underground services. Or more than likely, if it isn’t, you know exactly where they run and that you won’t actually strike them when you commence operations because they are six feet over to the left, or whatever it happens to be.

Read more information Click here

Sign Up for the CAT & Genny Course

Utility or cable strikes are a real problem in the UK. More than 60,000 strikes occur in a year and some of them turn fatal. Some of the strikes severely injure the workers and those around the excavation site, whilst some of them temporary interrupt the utility services and causes discomfort to the people in the surrounding residential or commercial buildings. But, these strikes are completely avoidable if only the workers in the excavation site have proper knowledge of CAT & Genny.

CAT & Genny are amongst the best utility detection tools available in the market. Whilst CAT or cable avoidance tool helps in locating underground services that are switched on, Genny is a signal generator and it helps in the identification of utility services that are switched off. Genny puts a signal on those services and allows CAT to detect them. Workers need to have the right knowledge to safely operate CAT & Genny to prevent cable strikes and subsequent accidents.

Before a site is excavated, the engineer must assign a certified surveyor to survey the area and mark out the places where utility services are buried. Those areas will have to be avoided by the workers when they are digging.

Read More: Click Here

The Need For Surveyors To Attend CAT Training Courses

Contractors who need to undertake any form of groundwork need to be certain, or as certain as they can be, that when they start to excavate – whether by hand or the use of something such as a JCB – that they are not going to damage any underground services. These can be almost anywhere: we all have electricity, telephones, water, and sewer pipes which connect with our homes and businesses, and there may be gas, fibre optics, and other services there as well.

 It is not just the problem of serious injury to personnel which can occur, although that is the primary consideration, but also the damage to the service itself. Strike a power cable and you can put a whole industrial estate, or even a wider area, out of business. The same goes for telecoms because suddenly there is no internet connection. A factory may use a process that requires a lot of water and it comes to a grinding halt. All of those businesses are going to be very angry indeed and may claim compensation from the contractor responsible. That alone could run into thousands.  

This is why it is vital to undertake a survey of the area using the CAT and Genny. That’s the Cable Avoidance Tool and Signal Generator. In general, these need to be used in tandem because the CAT on its’ own can only locate metal pipes and cables.

Both of these tools are extremely useful, but they do have certain limitations, which is why it is necessary for all surveyors to undertake a CAT course which will show them not only how to use the CAT and Genny but will also explain their limitations and what to do about them. CAT training will provide surveyors with the necessary skills to locate and identify the different types of underground services.

Striking Underground Services Can Cause Considerable Injury

Whenever you are undertaking any form of excavation it is essential to take every possible precaution to avoid hitting any underground services. This can be a major danger to health, as striking an electricity cable or a gas pipe can easily cause serious injury to workers or passers-by and occasionally results in fatalities.

It is not just electricity and gas pipes which can cause injury. If you hit a water main where the water is under pressure it can hurl stones out of the ground at speed which can also cause injury. It can result in flooding as well. As for striking a sewer pipe, that is not something that anyone would want to think about.

This is why there is so much work to do before undertaking any form of excavation. The work needs to be planned and STATS, or plans, obtained from the utility suppliers. However, these are not always accurate, nor necessarily complete, so it is essential to undertake a survey of the area using some of the tools designed especially for the purpose.

Read more information Click here

THE MANY RAMIFICATIONS OF STRIKING UNDERGROUND SERVICES WHEN EXCAVATING

Sygma Solutions is now a EUSR approved training provider and also is CITB approved. Our courses are also approved by The Survey Association. This means that we can now provide EUSR HSG47 training for all operatives engaged in the location and identification of underground services in order to avoid striking them when carrying out excavation works.

HSG47 has been produced by the HSE and is now in the third edition which was published in 2014. The guidance outlines the dangers of working near underground services and provides advice as to the best ways to avoid danger to peoples’ health and safety as well as the risks that can be caused by damage to services.

According to the HSE, there are three critical elements of a safe system of working and these are planning the work, locating and identifying any underground services, and carrying out any excavation safely.

There are, of course, different types of services running underground and they can be anywhere. Obviously, if you are going to excavate in the High Street there will be electricity, there may or may not be gas, there will be water, there will be sewage, there will be telecoms, and so on.

Two of the most dangerous services are obviously electricity and gas. Striking either of them can cause serious damage, fire, and explosion. This can easily result in severe injury to workers or passers-by and sometimes is fatal. There is an average of 12 deaths every year as a result of striking underground services.

Read More: HSG47 Training

Cable Avoidance Training - Things You Need to Know

Detecting the location of underground utility services like, gas and electricity, during an excavation project is not only crucial to the safety and health of the operatives working on the site, but also essential to prevent costly disruptions during civil engineering and construction projects. As a result, it is vital that those working on the roads are fully trained in using cable avoidance tools.

The cable avoidance training courses are specifically designed for those who carry out excavations and need to have an in-depth understanding of where buried utility services are located. The course helps candidates learn the following:

l  The latest health and safety legislation

l  Knowledge of safe systems of work, as well as, digging practices

l  A deep understanding of hazard avoidance and site plans

l  Pre-use tests, operational techniques and maintenance for equipment

Cable avoidance training provided by professional companies is usually a combination of theoretical knowledge with its practical applications. Candidates are taught the correct use of the cable avoidance tools like, CAT & Genny. Along with its use, training courses also teach candidates the limitations of the use of the equipment.

Read More: Click Here

Underground Services Can Run Anywhere

Any contractor who needs to undertake any sort of groundwork or excavation is at risk of striking underground services. These can be electricity cables, telephone cables, water pipes, gas pipes, sewers, fibre optics, and more, and they can be found quite literally anywhere. Some places are obvious, others not so. For example, if you are out in the country and there is a small piece of woodland next to a lane you might think that there would be no services running through it. However, it might just be the shortest route to the next village or a farmhouse.

All contractors who are going to carry out an excavation need to first undertake a survey of the area in order to establish (a) if there is anything there, (b) if there is, where exactly it is – including its’ depth, and (c) what sort of service it is.

There are a number of tools which can help to identify and locate underground services, notably the CAT and the Genny, but operatives who are going to use them need to be fully aware of how they work in all their modes and, critically, their limitations – and they do indeed have certain limitations.

All such operatives should undertake cable avoidance training which should cover all of the above. People do talk about cable avoidance, but it is not just related to electricity cables but is used as a generic term to cover all underground services. You no more want to strike a gas pipe than an electricity cable, nor yet a sewer or a water pipe. You might think that striking a water pipe would not cause much harm, but water under pressure can throw stones out of the soil and if one strikes you it can do a lot of damage. There can also be serious flooding.

A cable avoidance course is essential for anyone tasked with undertaking such surveys.

 Read More: cable avoidance training

Anyone Engaged In Underground Surveying Must Take An HSG47 Course

HSG47 is a guide produced by the Health & Safety Executive which gives guidance on how to avoid danger from underground services.

Underground services can be anywhere. If you are carrying out work in a high street, it will be obvious that there are electricity cables, telephone cables, water pipes, and so on. There could also be gas pipes, fibre optics, and more. However, if you are going to carry out work down a small country lane it may be tempting to think that there is nothing there. You could very well be wrong, because there might be a large country house out of sight a quarter of a mile down that lane and it will have electricity, water, and telecoms and a sewer pipe at the very least.

This is why it is essential to carry out a survey using the correct tools before ever putting a spade into the ground. The figures are actually shocking: it is estimated that there are some 4 million groundworks carried out every year in the UK and these result in around 60,000 cable strikes, many of which cause severe injury, and of which a dozen or so are fatal.  

This is why it is vital that anyone who needs to undertake surveys in order to locate underground services should first go on an HSG47 course that should cover every aspect of using the two main tools – the CAT and Genny – together with their limitations. That’s correct. As good as the CAT and Genny are, they do have certain limitations and it is essential to be aware of them.

Read More: Click Here

Why Do You Need VScan Training?

Locating and avoiding underground utility services is an important responsibility of construction companies before digging. Cable damages lead to disrupting utility services, causing injuries to the workers that might be fatal and other such hazards. One way that you can avoid hitting a cable is by using VScan.

VScan is an advanced tool that helps in locating utility services buried in the ground. This equipment is capable of detecting most kinds of buried utility assets. It can find cables used in telecom and electrical services, metal pipes used in water and gas service networks, and so on.

By knowing how to use this utility locator, surveyors and managers will be able to easily detect and mark the underground services. This will make sure that digging takes place without any worry of cable damage and workers can have a safe environment.

However, as Vscan is a highly advanced tool with a lot of features, it is crucial to undertake VScan training from a reputed company. The training will teach the operatives the right way to use the tool. Also, the operative will understand all the features of this utility locator. By using the tool correctly, the operative will make sure that everyone in and around the excavation site is safe.

So, find a training provider that offers a combination of theoretical and practical learning. This will make you an expert and you can use this tool to ensure safe digging for all your projects.

The Need For CAT And Genny Training

It is a fact that there are many, many miles of underground services in the UK, carrying electricity, gas, water, sewage, telephone cables, fibre-optics, and more. Nobody really knows exactly how many miles there are, but it is at least 1.5 million and may in fact be a lot more.

Furthermore, they can also be anywhere – even in what might seem like the most unlikely places. What that means is that wherever you are going to dig you first have to undertake a survey in order to see if there are any services there and where they run, how deep they are, if possible, and what sort of services they are.

For this, you need two tools – the CAT and Genny – used in combination. The CAT has different modes of detection but what it can locate on its’ own is limited. This is why the CAT has to be used in combination with the Genny – short for signal generator. The Genny can apply a signal to different types of utility which can then be detected by the CAT so when working together they will locate a lot more than using the CAT on its’ own. Even then, there are certain limitations which is why anyone undertaking survey work using the two tools needs to attend a CAT and Genny course in order to fully understand not only how they operate together, but also – possibly more importantly – what the limitations are.

It is possible for them to return a negative result when there is, in fact, a utility there. In terms of the amount of excavations carried out every year this doesn’t happen all that often, but nonetheless there are around 60,000 cable strikes every year, a dozen or so of them fatal, and quite a lot more causing serious injury, so a CAT and Genny training course is essential.

Understanding The Limitations Of Buried Utility Detection Tools.

Any contractor who is going to become involved in any sort of excavation or digging must be aware that there is always the chance of striking an underground cable, gas pipe, water pipe, sewer, and more. These utilities can be absolutely anywhere, even in places that on the face of it seem very unlikely. Fair enough, if you are digging in a street full of shops or in a residential close, it is fairly obvious that there will be electricity cables, sewer pipes, water pipes, and so on, but they can be literally anywhere.

What that means is that it is necessary to take every precaution in order to ascertain if there are utilities where you are going to dig, and if there are to locate exactly where they run. Fortunately, there are several tools that can help to locate underground services such as the Cable Avoidance Tool, or CAT, the signal generator, known as the Genny, and so on.

One tool that is frequently used is the Vivax Metrotech vScan which, according to the manufacturers, has been designed to make buried utility detection simple and cost-effective. They say that you don’t need to be an electronics expert to get the best out of it, as the main controls and features are in keeping with industry standards. However, as with all these tools you really do need training in how to use them in their various modes, and vScan training is no different.

Part of the problem is that you need to understand the limitations of these tools – and they DO have imitations. For instance, one thing which seems obvious when you understand why is that you may get a negative reading and believe there is nothing there. However, if the tool can only read to a certain depth and the utility is below that depth you will get a negative reading!

Striking underground services when digging can be fatal

When you are a contractor who is often called upon to undertake any sort of works which involve breaking the ground, you have to be extremely careful to avoid striking any underground services. This might seem an obvious thing to say, but the fact remains that there are somewhere around 60,000 strikes of underground services every year – about 230 every single working day up and down the country.

This is not just in order to avoid damage to the services themselves, although that’s bad enough, it is all the other problems which can arise, not the least of which is an injury to the worker or workers who cut into or damage the service. Serious injury happens frequently, and there are around a dozen fatalities every year just as a result of striking underground services.

Depending whose figures you believe, there are anywhere up to 1.5 MILLION kilometres of underground services in this country, so they can be anywhere. Even if it is not 1.5 million, it is certainly above one million marks. OK, we all expect to find electricity cables, telephone cables, water pipes, sewage trunking, gas pipes, and so on in the local high street. But services can be found anywhere, even in places where you would NOT expect to find them.

Read more information: CAT and Genny

PAS256 - the New Code of Practice for Buried Utilities

The precise mapping of buried cables and pipes is required for avoiding damage by contractors or workers undertaking excavations. There are over 3 million highway excavations carried out each year, but very little guidance for the owners of assets on how best to manage the data records. This leads to excavations that are unnecessary.

PAS256 is the publicly available specification that has been created to capture, record, maintain and share data and the location information of buried assets. This is a code of practice that is curated to address the reliability, variable quality and availability of the existing data. PAS also provides recommendations on how the recording, capturing and maintaining data related to underground utility services can be improved. PAS256 is intended to be used alongside PAS128. If you are not aware, PAS128 is applicable to abandoned, active, redundant or even unknown buried utilities and the precise location of their surface features.

With the new PAS256 in place, contractors and workers are required to sign up for PAS256 training. Without proper knowledge of this practice code, safe excavation cannot be carried out and that might result in grave injuries, reputation loss and steep financial losses.

There are several professional training companies providing well-designed PAS256 course under the guidance of experienced professionals. Get enrolled and be able to create a safe working environment for yourself, your workers and bystanders. Proper expertise and knowledge ensure that the risks associated with cable strikes can be reduced or prevented.

Know How Cable Avoidance Training Helps

The ground is filled with millions of buried utilities. Without knowing the precise location of the underground utility services, you cannot begin your excavation or digging project. A thorough survey of the area to be excavated is crucial if you want your project to be completed smoothly and without any accidents, such as cable strikes. Striking and damaging buried utilities can be life-threatening, along with causing a massive delay on project completion, temporary interruption of utility services for the buildings nearby and financial losses for the company. The utility company might even ask the contractor to replace the utility cables before starting the excavation project.

In the UK, more than 60,000 utility strikes are reported on a yearly basis. Even when cable strikes are not posing a life risk, it is a huge loss of finances and gives a bad reputation to the company carrying out the excavation project. Such unfortunate situations can be avoided if the contractor undertakes professional CAT course and becomes a certified surveyor.

Read More Visit - CAT course

You Can’t Train A Cat, Can You?

You may have seen companies advertising cat training and laughed out loud. Surely it is not possible to train a cat? If you have ever kept one you will know that you can train it to arrive at the kitchen door when it is feeding time, but that’s about it. You most certainly can’t train a cat to do much else, as you could a dog. For instance, you can’t train a cat to round up sheep. Cat’s do their “own thing”. It has often been said that you don’t own a cat – the cat owns you!

However, the cat training we are referring to here is training in the use of the CAT - Cable Avoidance Tool – which is essential knowledge for anyone engaged in the location of underground services. As a contractor undertaking any sort of work which involves digging into the ground – whether by hand or the use of a machine such as a JCB – it is vital to establish whether there are underground services before you try to remove an inch of soil.

To assist with doing this there are two main tools, the CAT and Genny (Signal Generator). Used in combination, they can locate a very large percentage of underground services, although even then they can miss some for a variety of reasons.

Read More Visit - cat training

As A Contractor, You Need To Be Aware Of Underground Services

When you are a contractor who engages in any sort of excavation work – even if it is only going down a couple of feet – you need to be aware of the ever-present problem of underground services. They can be literally anywhere. Of course, there are a lot of places where you would expect to find them, such as in any high street or residential street, because they all have telephone cables, electricity cables, sewer pipes, and water pipes running through them, and there may be gas pipes, fibreoptic cables, and more.

It is thought that there are at least a million kilometres of underground services in the UK, and you can also find them in places that you might not expect to, such as out in the country or a remote Scottish island with few inhabitants.

Read More Visit - cable strike

Vscan Training from Sygma Solutions

When undertaking any sort of excavation work it is critical to avoid striking any underground services. This is not just to avoid damage to the services themselves, although that is important. Striking a telephone cable, for instance, could bring a whole area of business to a halt – unable to use the internet or deal with customers. An electricity cable could have the same effect on manufacturers.

If you are a contractor and are responsible for striking underground utilities, at the very least you will have men standing around idle doing nothing until the utility has sent a team out to carry out repairs. You may also suffer penalties in addition.

However, while that is bad enough, more important is the danger to life and limb. Striking electricity cables and gas pipes can have very serious consequences often resulting in severe injury to contractors, and on occasion can be fatal. There are around 60,000 underground utility strikes every year – and that is even with all the equipment that we have to help locate them.

Read More Visit -  vScan training

How to Reduce Utility Strikes?

It is widely estimated that each year 60,000 utility strike takes place in the UK. The accidental striking of buried utility assets like, gas and water pipelines or electric cables results in temporary interruption of services, reputation loss and project delays. It also causes grave injuries to the workers on the site and people around it. It makes for an unsafe working environment. The main reasons for cable strikes are:

• Behavioural issues on the worksite during the excavation work
• Not being aware of the risks in the excavation before commencing work
• Not carrying out a thorough survey of the place and inspection of existing underground utility assets

Read More Visit - cable strike

Utility Mapping Reduces the Risks of Cable Strikes

The importance of utility mapping cannot be overstated, especially for those involved in digging and excavation activities. Before starting any kind of street work, it is crucial to carry out utility mapping. This helps in safeguarding subsurface activity by identifying the precise location of underground utilities and such other foreign obstructions. This way workers can safely operate without having to think about the risks of cable strikes.

For accurate utility mapping, surveyors have to know the correct use of cable avoidance tools, such as CAT & Genny. When CAT and Genny are used in tandem, they help in identifying and detecting the location of almost all underground utility services. The surveyor can map out those areas and mark them so that when the digging process commences, workers can avoid those specific areas.

Thanks to utility mapping, accidents and injuries on the worksite can be avoided. Also, damage to underground utility services can be prevented, along with the prevention of extra expenditure that might be the direct result of hitting or damaging a buried cable, wire or pipe.

But, not everyone can become a surveyor. This task must only be carried out by an experienced and expert professional who has completed the utility mapping course. The completion of the course means that the individual is aware of not just the right use of the cable avoidance tools, but also has knowledge of its limitations.

So, if you are engaged in such kind of activity that involves working in and around buried utility services, you should consider undertaking a course.

Things to Know About PAS 256

The UK has a wide network of local authority and utility infrastructure. There is more than 1.5 million km of assets that are buried beneath footways and highways of the nation. To upgrade, maintain and repair this, the Local Highways Authority and the utility industry undertake more than 3.5 million street works annually.

However, carrying out excavation or digging work is difficult because there is a large repository of underground utility services. It is crucial to detect the exact location of the buried utility services before commencing any kind of digging work to avoid accidents and mishaps. So, the exchange of asset information must be readily available so that excavation projects can be properly planned and completed within the stipulated time. This is where PAS 256 was created to support the creation of digital maps that use real world location and provide a step change in how effectively managing data can improve planning, coordination and delivery.

PAS 256 aims to provide a framework for those who own buried assets to:

• Improve accuracy when recording and capturing information
• Share accurate records collaboratively with utility workers or operatives working near buried assets
• Enhance the linkage between assets that are a part of the national infrastructure

The PAS 256 also covers the gathering of geospatial data, the depth of the asset, measurable deviations from straight line installations and so on. To fully understand what it covers, you have to reach out to a PAS 256 training provider.

What Is the EUSR?

Anyone who is not in the contracting business may not have heard of the EUSR. It is the Energy and Utility Skills Register and is an online register of an individual’s training and skills. An EUSR card is an alternative to a CSCS card, and one or the other may be required before an individual is permitted not just to work on certain sites, but even enter them. HS2 is a good example of a project that requires anyone entering a site to be properly registered.

When conducting any sort of cable avoidance survey, the surveyor can be required to possess an EUSR cable avoidance card, which will show proof of EUSR Cat and Genny training. That is not to say that the EUSR itself has carried out the training, but that it is satisfied with the skills of the operative because he or she has trained with one of their recognised training companies and has passed the necessary tests.

HSG47 is guidance from the HSE regarding the undertaking of excavation work and contains a detailed report of the potential dangers of working near underground services, and provides advice on how to reduce any risks. It is more concerned with risks to health and safety than with damage to services, although damage to services can have immense implications, not the least of them financial ones. However, the HSE does point out that reducing the risks to health and safety will also generally reduce the risk of damage to services.

HSG47 is aimed at all those carrying out work on or near underground services, as well as the operators or owners of those services. The guidance is divided into four sections: identifying and managing the dangers, planning the work, identifying and marking underground services, and carrying out the excavation work safely.

It goes into great detail about the dangers of electricity cables and gas pipes, both of which can cause major explosions, as well as the dangers of striking water pipes, and more.

EUSR HSG47 is another category for which a card can be obtained, and which will permit the operative to work on certain sites.  

Cable Avoidance Tools Can Have Certain Limitations

Damage to underground services – electricity, telecoms, gas pipes, water, fibre optics, and a lot more – causes a huge amount of problems every year. Just to begin with, on average there are some 600 serious injuries and 12 deaths every year in the UK as a result of operatives striking underground services when carrying out some form of excavation. 

That may not seem a considerable amount when you consider that there are an estimated 1.5 million km of underground services and that some 3.5 million to 4 million excavations are carried out every year by utility companies and local authorities in order to maintain them. Nonetheless, it is 600 serious injuries and 12 deaths every year too many. Not only that, the figures for street works only apply to utilities and local authorities who are intentionally digging to maintain the services, let alone all the other contractors who may be digging for many other reasons such as preparing the foundations for construction works.

This is why cable avoidance training is essential for any contractors undertaking groundworks. We have tools such as the CAT and Genny, yet many surveyors do not understand all of their uses, and – more importantly – do not understand that these tools have certain limitations. In other words, they may provide a reading which says there is nothing in the area to be excavated, when in fact there is.

How can that be? You might well ask. If a cable avoidance tool has shown there is nothing there, how can it be wrong?

Here is a simple example – although there can be others. The tool may be limited in how deep it can read. So you may intend to dig down 2 metres, but the tool can only read down to 1 metre. It says there is nothing there, but suppose there is a cable at 1.5 metres depth? Cable avoidance training tells you how to understand these limitations, and how to deal with them.

OUR COURSES INCLUDE THE LIMITATIONS OF CABLE AVOIDANCE TOOLS

At Sygma Solutions our mission is to teach operatives everything – and we mean EVERYTHING – that they need to know about cable avoidance when undertaking any kind of excavation work, and about the cable avoidance tools that are used. This includes their limitations, and they do have certain limitations.

If you are not aware of them, it can lead to drawing the wrong conclusions about the location of underground services.

For example, when using the CAT and Genny – especially the latest models – you will be able to locate the depth of buried services. Or will you?

Read for full blog : Cable Avoidance Tools

What is EUSR Cable Avoidance Training?

EUSR or the Energy and Utilities Skills Register is a recognised, independent body that needs surveyors to be training and experienced to the highest levels. A card, known as the EUSR card, is given to anyone who has completed the EUSR cable avoidance training. Only those who have this card is eligible to work on projects like, HS2.

There are several providers of CAT & Genny training in the UK, but the best ones are those whose training meets the lofty standards of EUSR HSG47. By undertaking a EUSR cable avoidance training programme, individuals will be taught the use of the cable avoidance equipment in their various modes. Also, individuals will be taught about the limitations of these tools. Knowing the limitations helps surveyors in staying safe as one might feel that there are no underground utilities in an area whilst in reality, there is.

As you must be aware, the UK suffers from over 60, 000 cable strikes in a year. Regardless of whether the damage has been caused to an electric cable or a sewer pipe, it is risky and can cause serious health hazards. These utility strikes can be completely prevented through training and knowing how to use cable avoidance tools to detect and find the location of the utility services so that they can be avoided.

So, find a professional training provider and gain the knowledge that you need to keep your excavation site free of risks of any kind of fatality.

Questions to Ask When Choosing Cable Avoidance Tools

If you are working with or within the underground utility sector, or breaking ground, you are likely to come across the recommendation of using cable avoidance tools. With the help of these tools, you can avoid striking an underground cable or wiring, and therefore, prevent any kind of injury or project delay. However, there are certain important questions that you need to ask when choosing cable avoidance tools.

• Will you use the CAT in isolation or with Genny?: This is a trick question because best practice demands that you always use CAT and Genny together. In isolation, CAT can only detect live power cables. With Genny, it can detect cables and wires that do not have current flowing through them.
• Over what distance do you need to trace buried utilities?: The industry-standard detection frequencies are 8khz and 33khz. However, there are more advanced models available in the market today that can emit additional frequencies and allow you to detect signals over much longer distances.
• Do you need to store data for analysis?: If you are simply using cable avoidance tools for marking up the ground, you can get a standard CAT & Genny. However, if you want to store data for future analysis, you need an advanced model.

The last question you need to ask is whether you are competent enough to use CAT & Genny. If you or anyone on your team does not have expertise in using cable avoidance tools, it is advised that you undertake a cable avoidance training course.

What is the Importance of Utility Mapping?

Utility mapping is crucial before the start of any excavation project. A utility map shows the identification and positioning of buried cables and pipes under the ground. The process involves detecting things like electric cables, sewers, water and gas mains, and telecoms cables. Combining this procedure with a topographical survey will give you the results of a comprehensive detailed map of anything that is buried underground. 

Utility maps are crucial any time an area is about to be excavated or dug. These maps show the exact location of the underground utilities and warn the workers from before of what to expect. The maps also help in preventing damaging or digging into any buried utility services that might cause harm to the workforce or the public.
In the UK, health and safety guidance recommends that you should always check for buried utilities before undertaking any kind of groundwork. This is done for:

• Meeting the obligation of the company under the regulations of CDM and the Health and Safety at Work Act, which makes sure that the safety of the general public and the workforce is kept intact.
• Avoiding and also re-routing the utilities during the planning stage so that cable strikes can be prevented and there are no unexpected delays and costs during the completion of the project

In order to conduct utility mapping, one must undertake a professional utility mapping course. This will ensure the avoidance of cable strikes and accidents in the workplace.

How Does Cable Avoidance Training Help?

Before digging up the ground, it is crucial to find out where exactly the underground utility services are located. The UK is already reeling under 60,000 cables strikes in a year and you do not have to add on to that number. Striking underground utilities is not just life-threatening, but also expensive and a nuisance to the people staying around the construction or excavation area. This is why it is important that you enrol yourself for cable avoidance training and if you do so, you can achieve the following benefits.

• The full potential of the equipment is maximised: Today, cable avoidance tools are capable of so much more. The latest models are equipped with GPS, which means that all the work can be stored, as well as, tracked. In order to take full advantage of the cable avoidance tools in detecting buried utilities, you need to get proper training. Training programmes will teach you the use, as well as, the limitations of the equipment.
• Project can be completed quickly and cost-effectively: By knowing how to use CAT, you can avoid hitting buried utilities. This means that there will be no delays in your project and you can complete it within time and budget.
• Improves work environment: The safety of the workers is crucial for any project. By avoiding cable strikes, you can create a safe working environment.

So, all you have to do now is look for a reliable training company and undertaking CAT training course.

Avoid Dangers from Underground Services with HSG47 Training

On a yearly basis, there are 60,000 reported cable strikes in the UK. Cable strikes lead to serious injuries, loss of reputation and temporary disablement of utility services. It also results in project delay and the company has to bear extra expenditure. Surprisingly, the cable strikes can be entirely prevented if a proper survey is conducted by certified and trained surveyors. There are a number of professional companies providing cable avoidance training programmes that teach candidates the use and limitations of the cable avoidance tools.

It is necessary that before excavation, an in-depth survey of the site is carried out with the use of CAT & Genny. These equipment help to accurately detect and locate the underground services. So, you will know exactly which areas to avoid when you start digging the ground. However, you need to make sure that the survey is carried out by someone who has EUSR HSG47 training from a professional company.

The EUSR (Energy and Utilities Skills Register) is a recognised and independent body that requires surveyors to be trained properly and to the highest level. So, anybody who completes proper training is handed with a card that allows the individual to work on several projects including HS2.
So, learn the correct use of CAT & Genny by signing up for a training programme. This will help you to create a safe working environment for your workers and yourself, as well as, the public in and around the excavation area.

Why CAT Training is Required?

Workers or contractors working on projects involving excavation are at risk of hitting underground cables and gas pipes, which may lead to explosion and injuries. It is crucial to undertake cable avoidance course to learn about the tools which will help the supervisor in detecting buried utility services and avert fatal situations at a construction or excavation site. Here’s how CAT training is helpful.

Avert risks and injuries- When you dig a ground without knowing the exact location of the cables or pipes, you may strike it. As site maps are usually outdated, you cannot simply rely on them at the time of site survey, therefore, you need to understand the use of cable avoidance tools. During the training period, professionals get to learn about the equipment that can precisely detect the location of underground services. Once the wires and cables are spotted, the workers can excavate the ground without the fear of cable strikes.

Circumvent extra paying out- Once a fibre cable is damaged, a lump sum amount has to be spent for its repair and replacement. Moreover, the company responsible for excavation will lose its reputation, and utility services for the homes and business in the surrounding areas will be disabled. Even the project will come to a halt. By undertaking the course on cable avoidance, the engineers can find out the pipe’s location and avoid any kind of mishap.

Opt for the right cable avoidance course from a reputable company and maintain safety at the construction site.

What to Expect from the Best HSG47 Training Program

During construction works, there’s a lot of excavation required, and this poses great risks. Buried services are common across the country, and you must equip your workers with prerequisite skills on handling them. Complying with HSG47 (Avoiding Danger from Underground Services) is imperative for all contractors. HSG47 Training is crucial for the construction industry as it prepares workers in handling underground services. This course gives your company an edge in the business as your team will work more efficiently.

Leveraging HSG47 Courses
Underground services offer crucial services to communities across the country. From telecommunication, electricity, drinking water, sewage to alarm and signals, these underground lines are critical.

Damage to buried services can lead to inordinate delays, which will increase the cost of your projects.  Without the necessary skills, your workers are also at risk when handling these buried services. This could lead to debilitating workers’ compensation suits.

To make matters worse, your company might suffer stiff fines and penalties from the authorities and other liability claims from utility providers. More importantly, contractors in the construction industry must comply with the HSE HSG47 guidance Avoiding Danger from Underground Services.

All these reasons make it necessary for your workers to learn more about underground services. This is where training for your workers in HSG47 (Avoiding Danger from Underground Services) comes into play.

The course is necessary for everyone involved in the planning, designing and execution of excavation works. It covers avoidance of damage to underground services, underground services colour coding system, safe digging practises, using CAT and Genny to detect underground services, underground mapping technology and much more.

If there is a risk of damage to buried services, it is important to have skilled technicians handling your project.

Need the best from your construction teams? It is time to equip them in the HSE HSG47-Avoiding Danger from Underground Services.

Importance of CAT Training for Construction Teams

As a contractor, you need to adapt the latest technologies and skills to stay ahead in this competitive industry.   These new technologies help you cut costs and enhance safety. During excavations, you need the best tools to detect and avoid buried services. Using C.A.T (Cable Avoidance Tool) and Genny in your construction projects not only boosts safety but also improves efficiency. To use these advanced tools,   your employees must undertake a comprehensive CAT Course.

About CAT and Genny Training
Buried services are essential in modern society. They facilitate the delivery of crucial services across the UK. Such services include drinking water, electricity, internet services, phone communication, alarm and signal lines, among others.

During excavations, your construction team has to take precautions to avoid damage to these buried services.  In the past, this was through trial and error, which cost contractors a lot of money. 
Today, the use of C.A.T (Cable Avoidance Tool) and Genny has revolutionised the construction industry. Detection of buried services is easier, faster and more convenient. Using these cable avoidance tools ensures fewer delays, damages and also promotes safety on site.

CAT and Genny Training is necessary for both site operatives and construction supervisors. The course equips these professionals with prerequisite skills and knowledge to effectively and safely carry out cable avoidance work.

This course covers different types of buried services, location of underground apparatus for construction and hazard identification. Trainees also learn practical and safe use of cable avoidance tools and how to read and understand site plans.

The best courses also introduce workers to the legislation, regulations and best practice in detection and tracing of buried services, inspecting, calibration and testing of CAT equipment and much more.
To improve efficiency and safety in your excavation projects, it is time to consider CAT and Genny training for your construction team.  

What is HSG47 Training All About?

A lot of people are not sure about HSG47 training. HSG47 is a guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on the planning, commissioning, managing and also carrying out work near or on underground utility services. The third and latest edition was produced by the HSE in 2014 and the guidance is still followed today.

The HSG47 guidance applies to any and all situations where buried utility services might be found and disturbed. This can include road works, street works, site remediation and demolition, excavation, piling and drilling, site investigation surveys and any other such work that includes penetrating the ground below the surface level.

Damage to buried utility services can cause severe injury to the workforce and grave environmental damage. In almost all cases, a cable strike delays the project and there might even be financial implications. Since the UK already witnesses about 60,000 cable strikes each year, it is recommended that anybody undertaking construction or excavation project gets the proper cable avoidance training first. The situation is entirely preventable with the right training.

The thing is that underground utility services can be anywhere. It can even be in places that you least expect it to be. Unless you want to delay the completion of your project and end up paying hefty compensation fees, you will sign up for HSG47 training and make yourself aware of the dangers of hitting or striking underground utility services. Make sure to get training from a reputed and professional provider.

Why Use CAT & Genny for Locating Underground Services?

Contractors or engineers carrying out any kind of excavation work must undertake a survey of the site and locate the buried utility services. Under highways and pavements, there are approximately 1.5 million kms of buried services. So, in order to maintain and repair these buried services, the local highway authorities and utility companies undertake millions of street work each year.

Even though contractors do use the right tools like, CAT & Genny to detect underground services, most of them are not aware of the correct use of the equipment. It is important to survey the area before starting the work so that you can avoid striking a live cable or wire. Each year, the UK reports about 60,000 strikes. Whilst some of them do not cause any injuries or damage, there are some that prove to be fatal. Some of the strikes also result in delaying the project or the loss of reputation for the company. In order to avoid such situations, it is important that contractors have the training to use these tools.

Damaging underground utility services can also result in huge losses for the company. In case other services are nearby like, gas pipes or water pipes, these can also be damaged and there might be risks of fire and explosion. Such situations are definitely not ideal when working.
So, learn the right use of CAT & Genny and be able to create a safe working environment for your workers and the nearby buildings.

Here’s Why You Must Undertake Cable Avoidance Training

When it is about digging up or excavation an area, contractors need to be careful not to strike and damage underground utility services. In the UK, there are miles and miles of buried services and some of them are even found in the most unexpected of places. In the event that a worker strikes a cable, wire or pipe and damages it, it can result in causing severe injury to the workers present on-site, as well as, disruption of services and financial losses. Accidental cable strikes reported each year are already over 60,000, and therefore, you need to be very careful. Cable strikes and resulted accidents can be prevented if contractors learn the use of detection tools like, CAT & Genny.

The CAT or cable avoidance tool can locate live wires and cables that have power running through them. However, the CAT is unable to locate other types of underground services. This is why it is necessary to use the CAT and Genny together. The Genny is basically a signal generator that helps to apply a unique signal to the buried services that the CAT is able to detect easily.

The detection tools do come with a user manual and instructions, but that is not enough to properly operate the equipment. Contractors, engineers and workers are recommended to undertake cable avoidance training to learn the right way to operate the equipment and also learn about its limitations.

So, find a professional training provider and sign up for the course.

Reasons for Using the Cat & Genny For Location of Buried Services

Any contractor undertaking any sort of excavation work, even if it only involves using hand tools, should carry out a survey of the area in order to locate underground services. There are some 1.5 million kms of underground services running under pavements and highways alone, and in order to repair and maintain these, the utility companies and Local Highways Authorities between them undertake over 3.5 million street works every year.

Despite the fact that contractors use the correct tools – the CAT and Genny – in order to locate buried services before commencing any work, there are still some 60,000 strikes of such services every year. Such accidents can result in serious injuries and are sometimes fatal.

Striking an electricity cable can lead to arcing of electricity which causes severe burns. Electric shock is also possible but less likely. Cables may be damaged by the sharp point of a tool, or they can be crushed by heavy machinery. If other services are nearby, such as plastic gas pipes, these can be damaged by live electric cables which have been hit, and there is the risk of explosions and fire.

Read More Visit - CAT and Genny training courses