If you need to locate underground utilities, there is a wide choice of tools available. The cable avoidance tool, known as the CAT, should be used in conjunction with a signal generator (Genny), because a CAT on its' own in Power mode can only detect power cables which are live with power running through them. In most cases, it cannot even detect the same cables when there is no power running through them.
This is just one reason why you need to take a CAT and Genny course in order to fully understand how the two work together. Several companies run a CAT course and will be able to train you in the best practices. There are different tools which can perform a variety of functions, bearing in mind that there are all sorts of buried services such as water, gas, electricity, sewers, fibre optic, and so on. There are some 60,000 cable strikes every year in the UK, which is a lot, and some of them cause serious injury and even fatalities.
Furthermore, a CAT and Genny may detect a cable but not show whether it is a single utility or several buried side by side, or one on top of another.
This is why there is no alternative to attending a recognised course to understand exactly how these tools work, and also what their limitations are. It is like learning to drive a car: you need to understand the Highway Code and you also need practical experience. A CAT and Genny course should cover everything you need to know.
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