Cable Avoidance Training

The complexity of large underground utilities networks is continually increasing. Therefore, obtaining information on the location of specific cables and pipes has never been so important. This information will help you to:

• reduce cable and pipe strikes
• reduce the costs incurred from striking a cable or pipe
• reduce the downtime you encounter from cable and pipe strikes
• protect your workforce.

The pitfalls of striking buried cables and pipes are well-known in terms of injury to site workers or disruption of supply. But what is probably less well known is how easy it is to guard against such situations.

If you are interested in CAT and Genny Training, contact us for information.


Why?
Why should you bother trying to locate or trace buried cables or pipes?
Four simple reasons:

Most importantly - to avoid personal injury or death
Striking a buried utility can cause you serious personal injury. You can suffer severe burns from striking an electricity cable or cause a gas explosion if you strike a gas pipe.

Avoid financial penalties
A street-light cable strike can cost upwards of £1,600 (€2,000) to repair, and a fibre optic cable upwards of £40,000 (€50,000). Total repair costs, however, can run into hundreds of thousands of Pounds (or Euros), and you could be financially responsible for any claims from affected businesses through loss of services and downtime resulting from your cable strike. This alone has caused some companies to go out of business.

Avoid costly or time consuming delays
If you strike a buried cable or pipe you will need to stop work on site or in that area of the site until the utility has been repaired. You might then incur costs because of this or be fined by your customer for the delays to the work.

Avoid prosecution
Each country has its own laws and legislation surrounding health and safety and underground utilities. If you don’t adhere to these you could face prosecution and fines.

Is it really worth the risk not to check for buried cables or pipes before you excavate the ground?


Cable Avoidance Training?
Training helps to easily reduce the risk of cable strikes and to keep your workforce safe.

In the UK the Government Body the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommend that ”anyone who uses a locator should receive thorough training on its uses and limitations”. So if you are using cable avoidance equipment (CAT, Genny, Signal Transmitter, Sonde, Trace Rod etc.) then you should be trained on how to use the equipment.

This type of training is called Cable Avoidance Training or CAT and Gennny Training and the courses are normally a half day. They should encompass both theoretical and practical elements and involve a test at the end. The course should cover:

• Legislation
• Safe system of work
• Theory of operation
• Use of locating devices
• Locating methods

Want to book a cable avoidance training course, or find out more information?.

Call for training on 01782 384630.