Hsg47 what is it all about

HSG47 is a publication from the Health and Safety Executive aimed specifically at all those who are connected in any way with works or contracts that involve any excavation.

1. HSG47: WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
HSG47 is a publication from the Health and Safety Executive
aimed specifically at all those who are connected in any way
with works or contracts that involve any excavation.
The fact is that it is generally estimated, although there are no
definite figures since records are not kept, that there are over 4
million contracts involving excavation that take place across
Britain every year.

2. The problem is that there are anywhere from 1.5 million kilometres to
2.5 million kilometres of underground services of all types, depending
upon whose figures you believe. Now if your contract involves digging in
the high street or in a residential area it is fairly obvious that there are
going to be underground services there. There will be water, sewage
pipes, electricity, fibreoptics, and telecoms as a minimum, and there
may also be gas in many areas, plus other underground services such as
flammable liquids and gases, toxic liquids and gases, inert gases such as
nitrogen and argon, and fluids under pressure.

3. Electricity And Gas Will Always Be Serious
Striking an electricity cable is always going to be serious, as is
striking a gas pipe. Fire and explosion are definitely on the cards.
However, striking a gas pipe can cause damage which is not
immediately noticeable but may cause a leak later on. Flammable
gases can also enter cable-carrying ducts, especially if the duct has
been damaged. These gases can accumulate in manholes and
underground chambers presenting a risk to workers needing to
work there.

4. Unfortunately, records kept by local authorities and utilities are often
not available for a variety of reasons. If they are available, they may be
incorrect. There are no common rules and regulations for keeping
records, and they may have undergone transformation from drawings to
microfiches to computerised records, and errors may have crept in along
the way.
This is why it is essential to first obtain any available records, but not to
rely upon them as gospel. A thorough survey of the area to be excavated
must be carried out before any work is commenced.

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