Utility Strike Avoidance Working Group
Introduction
Utility strikes continue to be one of the biggest health and safety hazards in our industry. Across the highways industry, there can be as many as one utility strike per day on average. Whilst these incidents caused disruption to work and to the public, more importantly they all had the potential to cause serious injury or death to the operatives involved. The most significant incidents have tragically resulted in fatalities and life changing injuries.
Routinely, the root cause of these incidents includes poor quality or inaccurate information about buried service locations, little or no consideration of diversion during design development, lack of consistency of safe working practices across the industry and inadequate or inconsistent control measures on site.
This webpage is designed to provide information and relevant training material in all phases of work to ensure we avoid striking all manner of services.
Common Intent Document
Introduction
Utility strikes continue to be one of the biggest health and safety hazards in our industry. Across the highways industry, there can be as many as one utility strike per day on average. Whilst these incidents caused disruption to work and to the public, more importantly they all had the potential to cause serious injury or death to the operatives involved. The most significant incidents have tragically resulted in fatalities and life changing injuries.
Routinely, the root cause of these incidents includes poor quality or inaccurate information about buried service locations, little or no consideration of diversion during design development, lack of consistency of safe working practices across the industry and inadequate or inconsistent control measures on site.
This webpage is designed to provide information and relevant training material in all phases of work to ensure we avoid striking all manner of services.
Common Intent Document
| common_intent_-_utility_strike_avoidance_-_final_v1.2a.pdf |
Relevant Raising the Bar Documents
RTB7 Overhead Structures and Services Protection
RTB7 Overhead Structures and Services Protection
| b9_utility_avoidance_feb_2022.pdf |
Documents to support Elimination Phase
CDM Designer Surveyor Presentation - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/cdm_designer_surveyor_presentation.pptx
Decision Map - Design & Planning – http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/decision_map_-_design_&_planning_to_avoid_services.docx
Documents to support Isolation Phase
A14 Cable Diversion Case Study - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/cable_diversions_case_study.pdf
Documents to support Minimise Phase
Why use vacuum excavation information sheet - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/why_use_vacuum_excavation.pdf
Balfour Beatty Excavator Mounted Cable Location Device Case Study - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/bb_case_study_ezidig_-_excavator_mounted_cable_location___system.pdf
CDM Designer Surveyor Presentation - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/cdm_designer_surveyor_presentation.pptx
Decision Map - Design & Planning – http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/decision_map_-_design_&_planning_to_avoid_services.docx
Documents to support Isolation Phase
A14 Cable Diversion Case Study - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/cable_diversions_case_study.pdf
Documents to support Minimise Phase
Why use vacuum excavation information sheet - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/why_use_vacuum_excavation.pdf
Balfour Beatty Excavator Mounted Cable Location Device Case Study - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/bb_case_study_ezidig_-_excavator_mounted_cable_location___system.pdf
Management of Statutory Undertakers Toolkit
| template_document_expectations_for_sus_hoswa_3rd_march_22__003___002_.docx |
| how_to_manage_statutory_undertakers.docx |
Emergency and Incident Response
USAG Service Strike Investigation Checklist - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/usag_checklist.docx
Relevant toolkit ideas and Blue Stars
Toolkit Idea 022 - http://partoneclaims.highways.dft.gov.uk/minisite/ssrtoolkit/HS%20Toolkit/Cones%20with%20overhead%20electric%20sleeves.pdf
Toolkit Idea 086 - http://partoneclaims.highways.dft.gov.uk/minisite/ssrtoolkit/HS%20Toolkit/Linesearch.pdf
Blue Star Award BS31 - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/hsi-10_-_blue_star_item_-_31_-_google_maps_services_and_obstructions_planning.pdf
Related Training Material
CAT & Genny Training Video, Northern Gas Networks - https://vimeo.com/143734236
CAT And Genny Training Briefing, Balfour Beatty - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/balfour_beatty_cat___genny_training_briefing.pdf
Toolbox Talks
Toolbox Talk, Underground Service Avoidance - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/toolbox_talk_-_underground_services_avoidance.pdf
Videos
M3 Cable Strike Lessons Learnt - Balfour Beatty - Make Safety Personal - M3 Cable Strike Lessons Learned - YouTube
Video Of A Real Service Strike - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/video_1_-_cctv_of_cable_strike_incident.avi
AOne+ A Hidden Danger - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXbBcosQtdE&feature=youtu.be
Energy Networks Association Think Before You Dig - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTt5QyGyrS8&feature=emb_logo
NMCN Minefield Video - Service Strikes - Internal safety training video - YouTube
USAG Service Strike Investigation Checklist - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/usag_checklist.docx
Relevant toolkit ideas and Blue Stars
Toolkit Idea 022 - http://partoneclaims.highways.dft.gov.uk/minisite/ssrtoolkit/HS%20Toolkit/Cones%20with%20overhead%20electric%20sleeves.pdf
Toolkit Idea 086 - http://partoneclaims.highways.dft.gov.uk/minisite/ssrtoolkit/HS%20Toolkit/Linesearch.pdf
Blue Star Award BS31 - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/hsi-10_-_blue_star_item_-_31_-_google_maps_services_and_obstructions_planning.pdf
Related Training Material
CAT & Genny Training Video, Northern Gas Networks - https://vimeo.com/143734236
CAT And Genny Training Briefing, Balfour Beatty - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/balfour_beatty_cat___genny_training_briefing.pdf
Toolbox Talks
Toolbox Talk, Underground Service Avoidance - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/toolbox_talk_-_underground_services_avoidance.pdf
Videos
M3 Cable Strike Lessons Learnt - Balfour Beatty - Make Safety Personal - M3 Cable Strike Lessons Learned - YouTube
Video Of A Real Service Strike - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/uploads/5/1/2/9/51294565/video_1_-_cctv_of_cable_strike_incident.avi
AOne+ A Hidden Danger - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXbBcosQtdE&feature=youtu.be
Energy Networks Association Think Before You Dig - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTt5QyGyrS8&feature=emb_logo
NMCN Minefield Video - Service Strikes - Internal safety training video - YouTube
Video footage of a service strike;
| 175a2003-59d0-4ae4-8eb3-97349a36013e.mp4 |
Case Studies
| service_strike_case_study_july_21.pdf |
Relevant Hub Campaigns link
Hub Campaign 2015 - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/buried-services-2015.html
Hub Campaign 2017 - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/buried-services-2017.html
Useful links / Other Industry Guidance
Links to other useful web pages USAG HSE etc.
HSG47 – Avoiding danger from underground services - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg47.htm
Hub Campaign 2015 - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/buried-services-2015.html
Hub Campaign 2017 - http://www.highwayssafetyhub.com/buried-services-2017.html
Useful links / Other Industry Guidance
Links to other useful web pages USAG HSE etc.
HSG47 – Avoiding danger from underground services - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg47.htm