Underground cables

Working near to Underground services

Underground services, particularly electricity and gas can be extremely dangerous. Damage to electricity cables can cause a dangerous flash, leading to severe burns or even death. Gas leaks can cause fire and explosion.

Damage can result from excavation or penetration of the ground (e.g. by a road pin). Underground services may be commonly found in roads, footpaths and on sites or across open land. Always assume that they are present. Treat any services found anywhere as 'live'.

Accidents have happened because people have mistaken one service for another, e.g. black plastic covered electricity cables look like plastic water pipes and cast iron gas and water mains look alike. Check before you act!

Health and Safety Executive guidance document HS(G)47 'Avoiding Danger from Underground Services' provides excellent detailed advice on staying safe from the hazard of underground services. It is strongly recommended that this is read carefully before commencing work on site. This leaflet can be downloaded free of charge from the HSE website.

Before starting work you must: Before starting work you should read this leaflet and you must obtain copies of our plans. Make sure you have plans of the underground services in the area. This may not always be possible for emergency or unforeseen works. Remember that service connection cables from the main to a building or a street lamp may not be shown. To obtain plans of our network phone us on 0800 195 4749 or email: DatamanagementDSMC@enwl.co.uk

When you start work:

• Always hand dig near to services, use spades and shovels rather than picks, pins or forks.
• It is possible that cables or pipes may be embedded in concrete. Electricity cables embedded in concrete MUST either be made 'dead' before the concrete is broken out or another safe way of working agreed with the cable owner
• Services are sometimes protected by concrete polythene or earthenware tiles or a marker tape may be laid above the service - this is a useful indication of the presence of the service, you should avoid disturbing any tile or tape to expose the service if possible. There are however, many services in existence that have no tiles, tapes or other physical indication of their presence on site.

Click here to view Guidance for Electrical Contractors.