Hitting Underground Services
reg 304 · reg 157
Why it matters
Under the ground is a web of power, gas, water, and comms, and none of it is where the old plans say it is. Striking a live cable or a gas main is one of the fastest ways to kill or seriously injure someone on an excavation. Dial Before You Dig is the start, not the whole answer: the ground still has to be proven by hand.
Hazards
- ⚠ Striking live electrical cables while digging
- ⚠ Rupturing a gas main and igniting it
- ⚠ Breaking water or sewer lines and flooding the trench
- ⚠ Relying on old or missing service plans
- ⚠ Machine digging before services are located
Controls and safe practices
- ✓ Manage the excavation risks under reg 304: locate services before you dig.
- ✓ Submit Dial Before You Dig and use a cable locator to mark services on the ground.
- ✓ Pothole by hand or with non-destructive digging to expose services before the machine goes in.
- ✓ Treat any located electrical service as live under reg 157 and keep clear.
- ✓ Dig carefully near marked services and stop if you find something unexpected.
- ✓ Have emergency contacts ready for a strike on power, gas, or water.
Crew discussion questions
- Have we got current Dial Before You Dig plans for this site?
- Where have we potholed, and where have we not?
- What do we do the second we hit something unmarked?
- Who do we call if we strike power or gas?
Applicable WHS citations
reg 304, reg 157
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