The Need For Specialist Training On The Use Of The CAT And Genny

Any contractor that is engaged in any type of work that involves digging – whether by hand or the use of equipment such as a JCB – must first undertake a survey of the area involved, including nearby, in order to establish whether there are underground utilities there, and if there are, what sort they may be. There can be electricity cables, gas pipes, water pipes, telecoms, sewer pipes, fibre optics, and more, and many of these may not show up on a utility company plan, or if they do may be inaccurately marked.

Striking underground utilities happens more often than you would imagine: in the UK there are some 60,000 strikes a year. Some are relatively harmless, while others cause serious injuries and are sometimes fatal. At the very best, striking a utility is going to delay the project, and the contractor will have men standing idle while the damage is repaired.

Before a spade is put into the ground, it is essential to carry out an underground survey using the CAT and Genny. These two tools used in combination can detect a lot of underground services, but they are not infallible. This is why anyone who is going to undertake such surveys needs to participate in CAT and Genny training on a recognised CAT and Genny course.

A number of bodies recognise certain courses, including the CSCS and the EUSR. Both of these bodies will award a card to anyone who successfully completes one of the courses they recognise. So if a surveyor attends an EUSR CAT and Genny course and passes the exam, he or she will be awarded an EUSR card and then be permitted to work on any site that accepts that card. And, of course, the same thing applies to the CSCS who will award one of their cards.