Page 18 - Gi flipbook - November 2018

Digging up Britain

the problem, reviewing the level of
electrical cable and gas pipeline
strikes that are reported to the Health
and Safety Executive (HSE) on a
yearly basis. Although awareness
around the subject of asset strikes is
improving, the sheer scale of
construction work taking place in GB
means there are still high levels of
incidents reported to the HSE, and
this number is growing fast. For
instance, the number of ‘safety related
electrical incidents’ reported in
2012/13 was 162, whereas the
incidents reported in 2016/17 was up
to 1,244. This is an increase of 668 per Every time a spade or digger bucket
cent over five years, doubling in the
last year alone. hits the ground, no matter whether it
Reported strikes to gas pipelines are is for fencing, housebuilding, piling or
falling, but the construction sector
still managed to clock up 1,264 in the industrial work, there is a real chance
last year. It is important to remember
that these numbers are for ‘reported’ an asset may be hit
incidents, so it does not take into
account the significant volume of
incidents that were not brought to near-miss in Birmingham from 2005. A per cent of all searches made last year.
the HSE’s attention. subcontractor was undertaking an Using the data to build an accurate
In its 2017/2018 Stakeholder everyday connection to the gas network picture of GB’s construction activity,
Engagement Submission to Ofgem, in a densely populated area that was the report also shows that 80 per cent
SGN (which became a LSBUD member close to Spaghetti Junction. The of searches carried out were to inform
in 2017), noted that by joining LSBUD, subcontractor mistook a 12in multifuel utility work and 13 per cent related to
its enquiries increased from 2,500 per pipeline for a 6in gas pipeline, so when highways works. Government drives to
month to an average of 47,300. As a drilling started the contractors were increase housing provision and reduce
result of this, SGN has benefitted from unaware that they were drilling into a flooding meant that searches ordered for
a corresponding decrease in damages pipe with petrol running through it at housing projects rose by 34 per cent in
to its network. These figures support very high pressure. Thanks to a regular 2017, while there was also a 17 per cent
the call for a comprehensive utility patrol by the pipeline technicians, a leap in work relating to watercourses.
asset search to become recognised as strike was avoided by millimetres, but it
standard practice, before any would have been GB’s most extreme CONCLUSION
organisation plans for work that may fuel pipe incident if work had continued We are definitely seeing an
break ground. for a matter of minutes longer. improvement in education and uptake
In addition to health and safety, both regarding asset searches. At LSBUD,
IMPACT OF STRIKES financial costs and damage to brand we received a 27 per cent increase in
The implications of a strike are reputation are also major implications searches between 2016 and 2017,
evident on both an individual and of hitting underground assets. It’s fair which means that we are now
organisational basis and will heavily to say that both of these typically providing information for more than
depend on the level of strike severity. affect asset owners more than the 10,000 searches every working day to
The safety of workers should always contractor, with the commercial costs help the industry work more safely.
be the priority, no matter the financial of strikes being especially significant. This is a really positive step forward.
ramifications. Strikes while digging can The first step to stop strikes from
cause serious injury, or in the most WHO IS MOST AT RISK? happening is to ensure information
severe cases, fatalities. Between 2012 The LSBUD report reveals that the about asset location is made available
and 2017, the HSE reported 318 injuries highest volume of searches by sector to as wide an audience as possible. That
and fatalities caused by underground came from firms working on behalf of means that all utility companies should
electrical cable strikes. Again, this is telecoms companies, with just under ensure their underground assets are
only the number that was reported to 800,000 searches made in 2017. Using available through LSBUD so that
the HSE, so it is likely that many more this data as an indicator, we can say construction companies can ensure their
strikes went unreported. with confidence that 35 per cent of all teams are able to easily access them
When focusing on gas pipeline strikes, works being undertaken in GB relate to every time the ground is broken. ■
it is easy to see why they are likely to the telecoms sector. Water companies
cause more widespread harm. One and their contractors generated the ■ To download a copy of the Digging
example often used to reiterate the second highest volume of search Up Britain report, go to the LSBUD
importance of asset searches is a enquiries, with 523,043 occasions – 23 website www.lsbud.co.uk

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