Everyone should exercise extreme caution when working in the vicinity of underground cables.
Before you start digging you should apply for network maps of the area that you will be working in.
Request an Outage or Network Map
- Always dig by hand and use cable tracing equipment when working close to underground electricity cables.
- Cables or pipes may be embedded in concrete. Before breaking concrete, you must contact us (03457 643 643) so we can make the cables ‘dead’ or find another safe way of working.
- Some cables can be easily identified as they are protected by concrete, polythene or earthenware tiles or a marker tape. There are also many cables that have no clear physical indicator of their presence on site.
For more information and resources, you should make yourself familiar with the Health and Safety Guidance on underground services: HSG47.
Electricity can be fatal. Stop and think – are you sure it’s safe?