Did you know as part of your duty of care obligation you must have current Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) plans on site before you begin any earthworks on site? This is the case for anyone from someone digging a hole in the front yard to building a major highway. It is safest to always have the area located before work begins. If you don’t have current DBYD plans (each asset owner has different set expiry dates) on site and an asset is damaged, YOU ARE LIABLE for the damages caused! Going one step further and having us locate all known services in the area covers you not only legally but also means you can go home without injury or death.

No. All services are not at least 600mm deep. Don’t assume the contractor did their work properly, or that nothing has changed since the works were done.  We often come across services, only a few millimeters deep – some have even been exposed by erosion.

No. While some asset owners tell us what depths each asset is, they are frequently out of date or inaccurate. This might be due to other works, erosion, incorrect installation or other factors. Even if you know how deep they are, asset owners also require vertical separation, or place other restrictions about how close works can be conducted.

Almost all asset owners require their assets to have confirmed visual location, especially of crossing or working alongside the asset. They require non-destructive digging after EMF location to provide that visual confirmation. Non-destructive digging involves digging by hand, vacuum excavation, or water excavation but NO mechanical excavation. If you require vacuum excavators, we can contact one for you.

EMF location is a Quality Level B, meaning ±300mm horizontal accuracy, and ±500mm vertical accuracy. Bear in mind that there may be services in close proximity. EMF location is a significant risk reduction, and should be part of every risk management plan.

Keeping it simple. EMF location works on the basic principle that electrical current produces an Electro-Magnetic Field (EMF) which can be detected. We inject a signal onto cables that produces a specific EMF and we trace this signal. Where the pipe can’t conduct electricity, we use specific rods that can, and we inject a signal onto that. In the more complex explanation, EMF induces electric current on other wires, other than the target, which also produces its own EMF signature, almost identical to the injected signal.