Avoiding costly underground cable problems - now and in the future

Recently, a friend of mine who operates an excavator tore through a mains cable as he was digging footings on a commercial site. Not only did he get the scare of his life, but he had a few anxious moments afterwards wondering if he would cop the huge repair bill for the damage he had just caused. Fortunately for him, he called Dial Before You Dig before commencing to excavate.

Most of our services are run underground these days. Water, gas and sewerage services have been buried for a century and now underground electrical and communications services have become the norm in recent decades.

But these services need to be ‘seen’ when civil works are being carried out in their vicinity. ‘Out of sight and out of mind’ in these instances can be disastrous. But there is a simple step that everyone can take to mitigate the risk of such a disaster - contact Dial Before You Dig.

Dial Before You Dig is a free community service that operates to prevent damage and disruption to the vast pipe and cable networks that provide Australia with the essential services we use every day. It’s a not-for-profit association made up of member organisations that own the country’s underground assets, including electricity, gas and water utilities, telcos, councils and universities. It’s a group of state-based associations, each governed by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from these organisations.

In 1999, the Australian Association of Dial Before You Dig Services was established to ensure a consistent national approach to the provision of the service across all states and territories. The association acts as a single point of contact to obtain information about underground networks at an excavation site, alleviating the need for developers or subcontractors to have to contact all of the utility organisations individually.

It’s therefore vitally important for electrical contractors installing underground mains cabling to accurately document the routes and locations of their cabling and submit this documentation to the appropriate authorities. The Dial Before You Dig service relies heavily on the integrity of the documentation it draws on to guide future works in the vicinity of these cables. Erroneous or incomplete information about the locations of underground services may not seem such a big issue at the time of completion of works, but could have catastrophic consequences for an excavator or an entire community years later.

The process before digging

Anyone contemplating digging simply needs to phone the association on 1100 and provide details of the dig location, or submit the details online at www.1100.com.au. Registered users simply enter their name and password for access. New users can register by clicking on ‘New User? Register Here?’

The online enquiry lodgement system was upgraded in July to be more streamlined, making it easier and quicker to lodge requests. Online tools enable users to mark up a map showing the exact work site, keeping them in control of the area.

The association then passes on the referral to the affected asset owners, who then send the information directly to the enquirer, generally within two working days.

This is predominantly a free service to enquirers, paid for by association members, although there are cases where charges apply, such as for large development applications or where significant work is required to supply plans at the design stage of a project. In these cases, members reserve the right to charge for plans.

Underground location plans provide information about ‘plant presence’ only. They don’t pinpoint the exact location of the cables and pipes. It’s the excavator’s responsibility to visually expose the cable or pipe manually by using hand tools or non-destructive digging methods before any construction begins. This is usually completed using the pot-holing technique and by following the relevant utilities’ instructions.

The service is also designed to protect Australia’s excavators - whether backyard renovators, individual tradespeople or professional excavators - as the potential for injury, personal liability and even death exists every day. Obtaining accurate information about the worksite significantly minimises these risks.

Damages and incidents

The likelihood of encountering one of the thousands of underground pipes and cables while excavating increases daily, as more and more services are installed underground and into houses and businesses.

Historically, many accidents and disruptions have occurred from excavators unwittingly digging up underground assets - ruptured sewerage pipes, gas mains explosions and even deaths from contact with electricity cables. Some incidents have left entire communities isolated from power, water or phone services.

If someone is found to negligently damage underground services, they may face criminal prosecution and damages claims. Commercial damages claims from businesses unable to function have been known to run into millions of dollars. The Dial Before You Dig service exists to help minimise the risk of these damages and prevent disruptions occurring.

Duty of care

It’s important for anyone working in the vicinity of underground networks to know what their obligations are in protecting these services. The following ‘good practice’ guidelines should be complied with when undertaking any form of excavation:

• All constructors have a duty of care to observe with regard to underground networks when digging or excavating.
• Underground network information should be sought from Dial Before You Dig well in advance of construction activities.
• Should the scope of works change, or plan validity dates expire, a new Dial Before You Dig enquiry must be submitted.
• Always perform an on-site inspection for the presence of assets. For an on-site location, contact the asset owners directly.
• Constructors must dig by hand when excavating or working close to underground networks.
• If an underground asset is damaged, the asset owner must be advised immediately.

All asset owners provide specifications on safe distances for excavating when in the vicinity of their networks.

There are many incidents of damage to underground networks throughout Australia each year, costing millions of dollars. Most of this results from ignorance, carelessness or blatant disregard for the networks. Individual and company liability for cable and pipe damage has been introduced by many utilities to make individuals take responsibility to avoid such damage. Litigation may be taken against individuals or companies where negligence can be proved.

All individuals have a duty of care they must observe when working in the vicinity of underground plant. A vital component of that duty of care is to use the Dial Before You Dig service before any digging or excavation commences.

When observing this duty of care the following must be considered:

• It is the excavator’s responsibility to visually expose the underground assets manually.
• Location plans provide an indication of the presence of underground plant only. They do not pinpoint the exact location. This is why manual exposure is required.
• Utilities may hold individuals and companies liable for all damage caused to their network if it can be shown that negligent or careless behaviour caused the damage.
• Utilities can provide engineering support and advice where necessary.

Australians need to take responsibility for their valuable underground network. The time and effort spent avoiding just one instance of damage could save thousands of dollars and avoid isolating thousands of people from vital services.

The location of underground plant on any site needs to be considered during the planning stages of every project. With thorough organisation, the time required to determine the location of the network can be minimised. Plans outlining plant presence can be obtained long before on-site work commences. The time required for locating underground plant should be considered when scheduling heavy machinery for excavation work.