Avoiding Underground Services Campaign
To raise awareness of the risks associated with working near underground services, we are expecting our partners to take part in a Services Avoidance ‘Going Underground ?’ Campaign with a safety briefing during the week commencing 11 May 2015. The briefing includes a film based on a real event and is aimed at all project employees and delivery partners.
The campaign will continue through a 3 month period with regular updates, provision of best practice, knowledge share and finally a review of the Raising the Bar 9 – Underground Service Avoidance.
The reason for the focus on service avoidance is that there have been a number of fatalities on UK construction sites and we have seen repeated service strikes on our own highways project sites:
· 113 service strikes have been recorded on the Highways network over a period of the last 18 months.
· 49 of these strikes were due to poor planning or failure to follow procedures.
It is important that we look at how we plan our work and the procedures that we have in place to prevent any further strikes. This campaign is aimed at us stopping and looking at what we do and how we do it.
Most importantly we need to speak to those who do the work as they will have valuable ideas to contribute in making working around services safer.
Please send any questions and your feedback sheets to one of the services champions (John Wilkinson, [email protected] or Julie Clay, [email protected] )
Now to start please download the Campaign Guide which details what is available and how to use it;
Resources;
1. Campaign Guide
To raise awareness of the risks associated with working near underground services, we are expecting our partners to take part in a Services Avoidance ‘Going Underground ?’ Campaign with a safety briefing during the week commencing 11 May 2015. The briefing includes a film based on a real event and is aimed at all project employees and delivery partners.
The campaign will continue through a 3 month period with regular updates, provision of best practice, knowledge share and finally a review of the Raising the Bar 9 – Underground Service Avoidance.
The reason for the focus on service avoidance is that there have been a number of fatalities on UK construction sites and we have seen repeated service strikes on our own highways project sites:
· 113 service strikes have been recorded on the Highways network over a period of the last 18 months.
· 49 of these strikes were due to poor planning or failure to follow procedures.
It is important that we look at how we plan our work and the procedures that we have in place to prevent any further strikes. This campaign is aimed at us stopping and looking at what we do and how we do it.
Most importantly we need to speak to those who do the work as they will have valuable ideas to contribute in making working around services safer.
Please send any questions and your feedback sheets to one of the services champions (John Wilkinson, [email protected] or Julie Clay, [email protected] )
Now to start please download the Campaign Guide which details what is available and how to use it;
Resources;
1. Campaign Guide
| campaign_guide.docx |
Campaign Month One - Planning
3. Presentation 'Going Underground' (Please use with the video 'Doug's Story')
| presentation_-_going_underground.pptx |
4. VIDEO - Doug's Story
| video_dougs_story_mp4.mp4 |
5. Responsibilities By Role Process Map
| responsibilities_by_role_process_map.docx |
6. Decision Map - Designing & Planning
| decision_map_-_design_&_planning_to_avoid_services.docx |
7. Decision Map - Services In Concrete
| decision_map_-_services_in_concrete.docx |
8. VIDEO - 999 Emergency
| video_999_emergency.mp4 |
9. Poster 1 - Going Underground
| poster_1_-_going_underground.docx |
10. Poster 2 - Going Underground
| poster_2_-_going_underground.docx |
11. Links to news stories about service strikes.
| links_to_news_stories.docx |
Campaign Month Two - Controls
As we move into the second month of our campaign to help raise awareness of the risks associated with working near underground services we are going to focus on the role of the designers, client responsibilities and working with Statutory Undertakers.
In respect of the Statutory Undertakers:
- All utilities companies working on the network have a duty to notify planned works
- This is done electronically
- Most works are subject to the standard notice periods – major works requiring 90 days’ notice are unusual
- Even emergency works require notice
- Utilities work will need to be accommodated with other routine maintenance work and on major projects
A powerpoint presentation is available this month on the above topic.
Client, Designer and Contractor Opportunities and Responsibilities
BPAUS 04 is a series of checklists devised by the USAG working group and aimed to be used by clients, designers and contractors to improve the control over works in the vicinity of underground services and reduce the number of strikes leading to injury and damage. Each of the three checklists provides a series of prompts to ensure critical control points have been considered.
As we move into the second month of our campaign to help raise awareness of the risks associated with working near underground services we are going to focus on the role of the designers, client responsibilities and working with Statutory Undertakers.
In respect of the Statutory Undertakers:
- All utilities companies working on the network have a duty to notify planned works
- This is done electronically
- Most works are subject to the standard notice periods – major works requiring 90 days’ notice are unusual
- Even emergency works require notice
- Utilities work will need to be accommodated with other routine maintenance work and on major projects
A powerpoint presentation is available this month on the above topic.
Client, Designer and Contractor Opportunities and Responsibilities
BPAUS 04 is a series of checklists devised by the USAG working group and aimed to be used by clients, designers and contractors to improve the control over works in the vicinity of underground services and reduce the number of strikes leading to injury and damage. Each of the three checklists provides a series of prompts to ensure critical control points have been considered.
Will you start to implement these checklists on your project?
Do you understand the purpose of the checklist?
Ensure your clients and Designers know that these checklists are available for them to use
USAG and LinesearchbeforeUdig
Included in this month’s uploads is a document explaining the USAG Charter requirements and how LinesearchbeforeUdig works. Many contractors have already signed up to the USAG Charter and have changed their procedures in accordance with the requirements.
Working with common standards may be the way to go to prevent Service Strikes.
Also this month - Have you considered the following?
- Who is the appointed underground services co-ordinator on your site?
- Is the co-ordinator competent, experienced and have they completed the required training?
- Is the co-ordinator aware of all of their duties?
- Do the trade contractors know who the co-ordinator is and the procedure for works being authorised?
An example of an underground services co-ordinator’s appointment letter is uploaded to the website which can be used as a guide.
We would like to hear from you, please send us your feedback on how useful you are finding this campaign.;
John Wilkinson, [email protected] or Julie Clay, [email protected]
Do you understand the purpose of the checklist?
Ensure your clients and Designers know that these checklists are available for them to use
USAG and LinesearchbeforeUdig
Included in this month’s uploads is a document explaining the USAG Charter requirements and how LinesearchbeforeUdig works. Many contractors have already signed up to the USAG Charter and have changed their procedures in accordance with the requirements.
Working with common standards may be the way to go to prevent Service Strikes.
Also this month - Have you considered the following?
- Who is the appointed underground services co-ordinator on your site?
- Is the co-ordinator competent, experienced and have they completed the required training?
- Is the co-ordinator aware of all of their duties?
- Do the trade contractors know who the co-ordinator is and the procedure for works being authorised?
An example of an underground services co-ordinator’s appointment letter is uploaded to the website which can be used as a guide.
We would like to hear from you, please send us your feedback on how useful you are finding this campaign.;
John Wilkinson, [email protected] or Julie Clay, [email protected]
12. Case Study Service Strike Presentation
| case_study_service_strike_incident_-_case_study.pptx |
13. Utilities Presentation
| utilities_presentation_14052015.pptx |
14. USAG Line Search Before You Dig
| usag_and_linesearchbeforeudig.docx |
15. Client Opportunities
| client_opportunities_and_responsibilities.docx |
16. Designer Opportunities
| designers_including_planners_opportunities_and_responsibilities.docx |
17. Contractors Opportunities
| contractors_opportunities_and_responsibilities.docx |
18. Example Letter Underground Services Coordinator
| example_of_underground_services_avoidance_coordinators_letter_of_appointment.doc |
19.Services Encased In Concrete
| services_encased_or_surrounded_by_concrete.docx |
Campaign Month Three - Monitor & Review
As we move into month 3 of the campaign to help raise awareness of the risks associated with working near underground services, we are going to focus on monitor and review.
Gathering of Best Practice:
We would like to encourage all our supply chain partners to send in their best practice so that this can be shared.
Develop “Lifesaver Rules”
A series of “lifesaver rules” are to be developed throughout month 3 of the campaign.
Site Visits
Visit sites to view ongoing implementation of actions from the campaign
Web-based Survey
A web based survey will be launched during the first week of month 3 to give everyone to give feedback and also to facilitate the sharing of good practice.
Here is the survey link, we really want your feedback !
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5DFLPQJ
Raising the Bar Review
A review of the Raising the Bar document will be carried out taking into account all the best practice and feedback received throughout the campaign
20. An Insurers Perspective
As we move into month 3 of the campaign to help raise awareness of the risks associated with working near underground services, we are going to focus on monitor and review.
Gathering of Best Practice:
We would like to encourage all our supply chain partners to send in their best practice so that this can be shared.
Develop “Lifesaver Rules”
A series of “lifesaver rules” are to be developed throughout month 3 of the campaign.
Site Visits
Visit sites to view ongoing implementation of actions from the campaign
Web-based Survey
A web based survey will be launched during the first week of month 3 to give everyone to give feedback and also to facilitate the sharing of good practice.
Here is the survey link, we really want your feedback !
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5DFLPQJ
Raising the Bar Review
A review of the Raising the Bar document will be carried out taking into account all the best practice and feedback received throughout the campaign
20. An Insurers Perspective
| an_insurers_perspective.pdf |
21. Cables Above Ground
| cables_above_ground.ppt |
22. Key Learning From Recent Service Strikes
| key_learning_from_recent_service_strikes.ppt |
24. Protocol For Management Of Underground Services
| protocol_for_management_of_underground_services.docx |
25. TFL Safety Bulletin
| safety_bulletin_-_cable_strike_incident_-_may_2015_(non_skanska).pdf |
26. Utility Damage Investigation
| utility_damage_investigation.docx |
27. Signage For Working Near Services
| working_near_services_signage.pptx |
28. Case Study - Use Of One Pound Contract When Statutory Undertaker H&S Standards Inadequate
| one_pound_contract.docx |
29. Innovation - The Site track system
http://www.key2id.com/
30. Innovation - Services location and marking system
http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Construction/ConstructionMaterials/Solutions/AssetManagement/LocatingMarkingSystem/
http://www.key2id.com/
30. Innovation - Services location and marking system
http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Construction/ConstructionMaterials/Solutions/AssetManagement/LocatingMarkingSystem/