The costs of repairing damage caused by excavation works can be considerable, and it is the guilty party’s responsibility to pay them. In addition to financial losses, the contractors involved in the project can also be taken to court for causing an injury or serious danger.

Most of these kinds of incidents can be avoided with careful planning, by studying maps of cable routes, by using cable location services and by marking the terrain. Cable location services are usually free of charge during normal working hours.

Underground cables must be factored into excavation plans

It is the principal contractor’s responsibility to find out whether there are any underground cables in the project area before excavation works can begin. Underground cables can be property of electricity distribution or telecommunication network operators or private landowners.

The landowner must always be consulted before excavation works are carried out on private land in order to find out the locations of any private cables. Electricity distribution or telecommunication

network operators can also have underground cables on private land. Maps of network operators’ cables must be factored into excavation plans.

Cable location and terrain marking services

It is the responsibility of the principal contractor of a construction project (or, in the absence of a principal contractor, the developer) to get in contact with local network operators in order to determine the locations of any cables and pipelines in the project area. Electricity distribution network operators provide maps of their cables and instructions for interpreting the maps. Cable location services can only be provided once cable maps are available.

Electricity distribution network operators stipulate that the foreman of the site where cable location services are required, or someone appointed by them, is present when the location service provider performs their job. It is the contractor’s responsibility to keep the location information and the labels marking the locations of underground cables for as long as is necessary. If the markings can no longer be seen when excavation works are due to begin, the location service provider must be called back.

In the event of a cable strike

Electrical cables

If an electrical cable or copper grounding (copper conductors are usually used) breaks, the area around the break must be cleared immediately and the network operator contacted and their instructions followed.

It is important to remember that a cable strike can cause intermittent power cuts with the power coming back on automatically. This can happen several times in a row, which is why the damaged cable should not be approached until the network operator has given the all-clear.

Dangerously high voltages can occur between the torn ends of a broken copper conductor. Any damaged copper grounding must always be repaired. A broken copper grounding wire can only be spliced by a qualified electrician.

It is impossible to ensure that power is cut off in the event of a fault, which is why the location of the fault must be guarded until the network operator’s staff arrive at the scene.

Telecommunication cables

The light inside fibre optic cables is produced by a laser or similar. Under no circumstances must a laser beam be allowed to hit a person’s eye. Direct eye contact with the fibre ends should also be avoided.

It is important not to touch the broken fibres. The light may not be noticeable, and tiny fragments from the broken fibres can easily penetrate skin.

The network operator’s representatives provide more detailed safety instructions when the fault is reported.