Underground Services and Utilities Can Be Anywhere

Any company that is about to undertake any sort of work that involves digging or excavating the ground must first take every possible step to avoid striking any underground services that may be in the area.

The fact is that they can be anywhere. Some places like the local high street will rather obviously have all sorts of underground services in the roadway or under the pavements, but there are many other places where they may be, although it may not be obvious. The very first thing to do is to contact utilities in the area and obtain STATS, or plans, but these must not be regarded as 100% accurate since in some cases they are not.

This means that it is necessary to carry out a survey of the area involved in the excavation in order to double-check the STATS and locate services even if there are no STATS, which can also be the case.

Most reputable contractors take every precaution, but the simple fact is that there are still some 60,000 strikes of underground services every year, many resulting in injury and some fatal. That comes out to around 230 every working day.

The tools used to locate and identify underground services are the CAT and the Genny. CAT and Genny training on a recognised CAT course using the latest CAT 4 is essential for anyone who will use them, as they have their limitations. It is vital that operatives are trained to the highest standards in order to avoid cable strikes and there are some organisations that recognise certain courses as being of the required calibre. These include The Survey Association, CSCS, and EUSR. So, for example, one might undertake an EUSR CAT and Genny training course which would result in the award of an EUSR card if the training resulted in a pass. 

CAT And Genny Training Is Essential

Any company undertaking any sort of excavation has to be as certain as possible that it does not strike and damage any of the multitude of underground services that are all over the country.

When underground services are damaged there can be severe repercussions, not the least of which is the risk of serious injury to workers which, on occasion, is fatal. However, there are other implications as well. To begin with, the project will be delayed while the utility concerned has to send out a team to undertake repairs. This could result in penalties for the contractor, but even if not, he will be paying to have men standing idle. There can be huge claims for compensation from those injured, or in the event of a fatality, their families. It can also result in damage to the contractor’s reputation.

For all these reasons, a full survey of the area MUST be undertaken before a spade so much as touches the ground. The tools used for carrying out such surveys are the CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool) and Genny (signal generator). These are used in combination to detect and locate the position of underground services in the area to be excavated and nearby.

Operatives undertaking these surveys need to take a CAT course for CAT training in order to fully comprehend the use of the CAT. However, in most instances the CAT must be used in conjunction with the Genny, so a full CAT and Genny training course is required.

Several organisations recognise individual courses, and these include the CSCS, EUSR, and The Survey Association. So, for instance, one might undertake an EUSR CAT and Genny course and be awarded an EUSR card to recognise that level of expertise. 

How Does Undertaking a CAT & Genny Training Course Help?

Underground cable strikes in the UK are not a secret, especially after reports of 60,000 strikes annually. Utility strikes are not only cost, but they can be fatal. The only way that the industry can make sure safe working practices is by ensuring that contractors undertaking any kind of excavation work are aware of CAT & Genny and know how the equipment works.

CAT & Genny Course Helps in Area Survey
The fact is that there are thousands of miles of gas pipes, electricity cables, sewage pipes, water pipes, fibre optic cables and telecom lines buried underground. So, before digging an area, contractors must make sure that the area is properly surveyed for these underground utility services. By undertaking a CAT & Genny course, professionals will be able to properly use this equipment to detect and find out where the underground utility services are located. This can eventually result in creating a relatively risk-free working environment.

The Course Offers In-depth Insight
You might think that you can just purchase a CAT & Genny, read the instructions and be able to use the equipment to its potential. But, you are wrong. There are certain limitations of this equipment that users must be aware of and only by attending a CAT course will you be able to fully understand the different modes of this equipment and how to use it.

So, make sure that you sign up for a CAT & Genny training programme run by a professional company.

Underground Services Can Be Found Anywhere

It is a fact that damage to underground services can cause serious injury and on occasion can be fatal. That is why, before ever inserting a spade into the ground, any contractor that has to dig, whether to install new services, repair existing ones, or carry out any other type of work should take every precaution to ensure that underground services are avoided.

The fact is that underground services can be anywhere. Quite obviously, in a high street, there will be electricity cables running to shops and stores, water pipes, there may be gas, there will be telephone cables, and so on. However, part of the problem is that even though we know they are there we don't know exactly where they run.

A second problem is that you may have to dig in an area well away from buildings somewhere out in the countryside, but there can still be services there even though it may not appear so. This is why it is essential to carry out a survey using the CAT and Genny before ever beginning any work.

However, the CAT and Genny, useful as they are, have certain limitations, and also require expert knowledge on their use. This is why everyone involved in surveys should undertake a CAT and Genny course. There are several companies which specialise in running a CAT course, and these can be from a day's training up to a full week. Attending such a course will empower surveyors with the confidence to carry out a full survey.

The Necessity for Cable Avoidance Training for Underground Surveyors

When underground services are damaged it can result in serious injury to workers, and there are occasional fatalities as well. There are some 60,000 strikes of underground services every year, despite the fact that most contractors take care to try to avoid them by locating them before undertaking any work.

The two main tools used for the location of underground services are the CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool) and Genny (Signal Generator). The CAT used on its' own can only locate live power cables with power running through them. This means that if you use a CAT in the street at night when the street lights are on it should find the cable. If you searched the same area next morning you would not find them.

To locate all underground services, it is necessary to use the CAT and Genny in combination, the Genny being used to apply a signal to an underground service such as water or gas pipes, telecoms, and so on, which the CAT is then able to detect.

Despite the care taken, the amount of cable strikes that occur every year seems to indicate that many people are unaware of everything that the CAT and Genny can do, but perhaps more importantly what they can't do. This is why specialist cable avoidance training is essential for all people who undertake surveys in order to locate buried services. There are certain companies in the UK who provide such training and can teach not only the use of the CAT and Genny in all modes, but also their limitations.

Some Notes about EUSR CAT and Genny Training

Damage to underground services can cause severe injury and on occasion can be fatal. Making contact with, and damaging, electricity cables, gas, or water pipes can be exceedingly dangerous. Some others are less dangerous, such as sewer pipes, but can still cause health problems if workers are exposed to raw sewage. Yet the facts are that in the UK there are an average of 60,000 strikes of underground services every year.

Part of the problem is that they are everywhere – even in places that you might reasonably expect not to find them. This is why undertaking an underground survey before commencing any excavation is vital. In fact, many businesses and/or main contractors will not allow work to proceed unless a survey has been undertaken by not only a trained surveyor, but one who is qualified to EUSR standards.

The Energy and Utilities Skills Register is an independent, yet recognised, body which requires surveyors to be trained to the highest levels and issues them with a card which enables them to work on projects such as HS2. There are companies which provide EUSR cable avoidance training and provide courses which are to EUSR hsg47 standard. EUSR CAT and Genny training will teach surveyors the use of the CAT and Genny in all their different modes, and most especially will teach the limitations of the equipment. Sometimes it can appear that an area is safe when in fact there is an underground service present, so knowing the limitations of the equipment is vital.

The Reasons for Undertaking a Specialist CAT and Genny Course

If you are a contractor who is going to undertake any sort of excavation work, the very first thing you should do is to undertake a survey of the area in which you nee to dig in order to establish what, if any, buried services are in the place that you are working or very close to it. 

 

The plain facts are that there are unknown thousands of miles of electricity cables, gas pipes, water pipes, sewage pipes, telecoms, fibre optic cables, and more, buried underground in this country, and some of them are in places which might seem most unlikely. The grim figures are that there are some 60,000 cases of strikes on underground utilities every year in the UK – many of them causing severe injury, and some fatal – DESPITE the fact that responsible contractors take precautions before digging. That is over 230 every working day!

This is why you should assume, unless you know otherwise, that there are services in the area that you need to excavate. Surveyors will be familiar with the use of the CAT and Genny but many are not aware of their limitations. This is why anyone undertaking surveys using the CAT and Genny needs to attend a professional CAT and Genny course that covers everything that they can and can't do and gains some practical experience in the field. It is not enough just to buy the equipment and read the instructions. A CAT course run by a professional company will cover everything that a surveyor needs to know.