Describe the planning process – obtaining information on underground services, provision of plans by service owners, use and limitations of plans, duties as a contractor, explain process of detecting services, types and use of cable locators and devices, exposing services, marking identified services, excavation safety, backfilling, updating plans. Damage to underground services can cause fatal or severe injury as well as significant disruption and environmental damage; it can also delay the project and incur considerable costs. Electric cable strike – Injuries are usually caused by the explosive effects of arcing current and by any associated fire or flames that may result when a live cable is penetrated by a sharp object such as the point of a tool. Gas Pipes – Damage to gas pipes and connections can cause leaks that may lead to fire or explosion. Water Pipes and Sewers – A jet of water from a main can be of sufficient pressure and intensity to injure a person. Leaks of water from underground pipes can affect adjacent services and reduce support for other structures and cause them to collapse. Ref GS6
Every year people at work are killed or seriously injured when they come into contact with live overhead electricity power lines. These incidents often involve
Machinery, e.g. cranes, lorry-loader cranes, combine harvesters, and tipping trailers
Equipment, e.g. scaffold tubes and ladders
Work activities, e.g. loading, unloading, lifting, spraying, and stacking. If a machine, scaffold tube, ladder, or even a jet of water touches or gets too close to an overhead wire, then electricity will be conducted to earth. This can cause a fire or explosion and electric shock and burn injuries to anyone touching the machine or equipment. An overhead wire does not need to be touched to cause serious injury or death as electricity can jump, or arc, across small gaps. Describe process of planning for work near to overhead power lines describe the different types of overhead power lines and their height, use of barriers, working near overhead lines, establishing exclusion zones, safe operating distances, emergency procedures etc
(Ref GS6 & Energy Networks Association – Look out look up)
