RIICCM202E Identify, locate and protect
underground services
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Welcome
• Welcome to RIICCM202E Identify, locate and protect
underground services
• Information provided may help to ensure your safety
2
Housekeeping
• Emergency procedures:
– Exit
– Fire extinguishers
– Fire blanket
– Muster area
• Facilities:
– Kitchen
– Amenities
• Phone Etiquette
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House Keeping Policy
Smoking policy:
Site specific - designated smoke areas
Alcohol policy:
•Site specific – 0.00 %BAC
Drug policy:
•Site Specific – as per Australian Standards
•Over the counter medications could affect your
ability to perform the task safely
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Assessing Learning
1. Individual theory assessment
2. Individual practical assessments – must
demonstrate on two occasions
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Certification
Once assessed as competent, you
will be issued with:
Statement of Attainment
This may take 30 days to come to you in the mail
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Description
• This unit describes the skills and knowledge required
to identify, locate and protect underground services
in civil construction.
• It applies to those working in operational roles and
overseeing construction work. They generally work
under supervision and hold some responsibility for
identifying, locating and protecting underground
services.
• No licensing, legislative or certification requirements
apply to this unit at the time of publication.
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This unit
Electives covered in this unit are:
1. Prepare to identify, locate and protect underground
services
2. Identify and locate underground services
3. Protect underground services
4. Conduct housekeeping activities
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WHS Law
Legislation is law passed by Parliament.
It governs many areas, including health and safety at work.
It can be national, or relevant to individual states and
territories.
You need to know the WHS legislation that covers your job
and workplace.
You are required by law to comply with them.
You need to understand how WHS Acts, regulations, codes
and standards affect your work, job and workplace.
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Acts & Regulations
• Acts - Are law. They describe how to provide health and safety in
the workplace
The Work Health and Safety Act
2011 Qld and NSW / 2004 –Victoria
(the Act) is the cornerstone of legislative
and administrative measures to improve
occupational health and safety
• Regulations - are made under the Act. They set out the practical
steps to follow to comply with the Act
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Codes of practice & Australian Standard
Codes of practice - Give practical guidance on how to legally
comply with regulations and Acts
Australian Standards - Developed to provide minimum levels of
performance or quality. Cover hazards, work processes and
products
The safest way to carry out the work activity is to read,
understand and follow your
• Safe work method statements
• Codes of practice
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Work instructions
Obtain or confirm your daily work instructions
with your Supervisor at start/handover meeting
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Meeting Quality standards
• Permit to work
• Dial before you dig
• Site surveys
• Job Safety Analysis
• Utility drawings
• Utility plans
• Safety plans
• Hazard and Risk assessment
• Safe Work Method Statement
• Worksite/company procedures
• Spotting task to be undertaken
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5ps of safe excavation
• Plan
• Prepare
• Pothole
• Protect
• Proceed
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Risk leading to manual handling injury
Risk factor
•A Load that is heavy, bulky or difficult to grasp
Reduce the risk
•Reduce the weight of the load if possible
•Multiple person lift
•Use good posture and lifting technique
•Reduce the distance travelled with a load
•Reduce the need for twisting or bending
Risk factor
•Limited space work environment e.g., working in trench
Reduce the risk
•Plan regular breaks and rotate jobs
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Information types
Obtain, read and apply information to ensure
works are compliant
•Work Health and Safety Regulations
•Occupational Health and Safety Act
•Occupational Health & Safety Regulations
•Australian Standards
•Industry Codes of Practice
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Work within a road reserve
Gain consent to work within a road reserve
•Contact road authority responsible
•Contact planning authority (usually local council)
•Provide evidence or written consent to DBYD
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Australian Standard paint colour
to the relevant utility
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Hazard vs Risk
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Hazards
Everybody on site is responsible for identifying
hazards/risks on the work site
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Safe work method statement
A Safe Work Method Statement is a document that details the
job steps required to carry out a task as well as how specific
hazards and risks related to a task will be controlled.
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Stop work
If utilities near a proposed excavation cannot be
visually located, excavation work must not
proceed until the services are de-energised.
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Hierarchy of risk controls
Hierarchy of risk controls is the best way to control hazards
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Safe handling methods
When identifying safe handling methods, including
the environmental and PPE requirements for
hazardous materials and substances, always refer to
•Safety data sheets
•Environmental management plan
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Warning signs
Place warning signs such as no-go zone and
exclusion zones
•Duty of care provided by asset owners
•Near underground services
•Near overhead power lines
•In places you need to control traffic
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Emergency procedures
Ensure a good understanding of emergency procedure
for the equipment and site you are operating on
•Read operator manual & familiarise with equipment
•Attend site induction
•Learn site processes and procedures for emergency
situations
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Fire, accident & emergency
To be prepared for fire, accidents & emergencies:
•Locate and check or test fire suppression device
•Keep first aid training up to date
•Learn site emergency procedures
•Learn the locations of first aid
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New enquiry
If the scope of your work changes or the validity
date of plan expires, a new Dial Before You Dig
enquiry must be submitted.
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Traffic management plan
A traffic management plan will identify
requirements to control and isolate traffic with
the use of signage in and around the work site
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Control and isolate traffic
Control and isolate traffic in and around a worksite.
•Use flashing lights
•Put up barriers or place witches’ hats
•Use a traffic control person
•Put up warning signs
•Set up detours
•Close roads or lanes
•Close footpaths
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Select equipment
When selecting appropriate tools and equipment, first
consider:
•Task requirement
•Capabilities and limitations of tools and equipment
•Potential risk to others
•Calibration of equipment to manufacturer specifications
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Manual tools
To excavate near underground pipes or cables
you must use
Non-conductive
•Spades
•Shovels
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Personal Protective Equipment
Types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
required for a worksite.
•Safety helmet
•Safety boots
•High vis clothing
•Eye protection
•Gloves
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Equipment faults
Inspect tools and equipment for faults
•Wear and tear
•Cracks
•Loose nuts and bolts
•Out of service tags
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Calibrate air sampling equipment
Air sampling equipment must be calibrated as
per manufacturer’s instructions
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Defects or faults
If you identify equipment defects or faults
•Do not use
•Tag out of service or isolate
•Report to supervisor
•Record in maintenance log
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Environmental
If any clearing of native vegetation is anticipated,
the Department of Environmental Regulation
must be contacted to determine if a clearing
permit is required
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Erosion and sediment control
Control erosion and sediment on a worksite
•Silt fence
•Silt bags or socks
•Fibre rolls & sediment logs
•Erosion matting
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Dial before you dig
You can obtain service and utility location details
prior to contacting the service or utility owners
directly by contacting Dial before you dig
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Specific requirements
Always identify any specific requirements of service and
utility owners including emergency details and contact
numbers. This can be done from plans and information
provided by service and utility owners as a result of
lodging an enquiry with dial before you dig
May include
•Underground asset plans
•Cable plans
•Water plan
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Types of service, utility or
provider
• Telecommunication
• Electricity
• Gas
• Water
• Rail line underground signals
• Communications and Internet lines
• Drains, including storm water drains
• Sewer lines
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Confined space access
Types of hazards or environmental issues associated
with confined space access
•Gas, fumes or vapour
•Fall from height (Pit)
•Entrapment
•Level of oxygen
•Fire or explosion
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Assess risks prior to working
You should assess risks prior to working through
•Job safety analyses (JSA)
•Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
•Read Safety Data Sheets
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Control measures
Control measures must be applied and or
confirmed to work safely in or around a trench
•Shoring (Specific to depth)
•Barricading and signage
•Fences
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Location, alignment, level and grade
Always determine the location, alignment direction,
level and grade of underground services and utilities
•From underground asset plans provided by the
service provider
•Service marker, plaques or tags
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Plans from registered asset owners
Plans from registered asset owners provide
information about the presence of assets
infrastructure only and do not indicate or pin
point the exact locations.
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Inaccurate plans
Plans to locate underground services may be inaccurate.
•Boundary changes
•Services may have shifted because of ground movement
•Service connector may not be marked
•Underground services may not be laid in straight runs
•Excess cable lengths may have been coiled
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Identify specific requirements
Identify any specific requirements from service providers
that must be complied with
•No Go Zones for powered excavation
•Clearances
•Works that must be carried out under the supervision of
asset owner
•Reinstatement requirements e.g., back fill type and
methods
•Contacting the service provider if the service cannot be
located from plans
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Conduct a visual search
Conduct a visual search for on-site assets and
infrastructure
•By looking at the landscape for any signs of the
services
•Looking for service markers-plaques or tags on
posts or permanent structures
•Pit covers or meters
•Warning signs
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A physical search involves
• Exposure of an asset by carefully hand digging
to locate underground services
• Potholing or digging other holes in the ground
where you suspect a service may be located
• Potholing carried out prior to excavation
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Electromagnetic locators
Electromagnetic locators use and limitation
Used for
•Locating metallic pipes and or cables
Limitation
•Skill and knowledge of operator
•Investigation depth typically 2m with an accuracy of +/-20%
•Accuracy significantly reduces with depth
•Cannot detect non-metallic utilities such as concrete, clay and
plastic pipes; and fibre optic cables unless they have been laid with a
tracer wire or by inserting of a signal transmitter (sonde) into the pipe
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Ground penetrating radar (GPR)
Used for
•Metal
•Plastic
•PVC
•Concrete
•Natural materials
Limitation
•Skill and knowledge of operator
•High moisture content in scanning surface will cause the signal to bounce back
•Up to 30m deep depending on the type of soil or rock being surveyed
•As the signal penetrates deeper, it is less effective
•The moisture content of the scanning surface has a massive effect on the success
of a scan
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Locating near other works
Considerations when locating underground services near
other works in progress
•The chance that services or markings of services may be
removed moved or disturbed
•The need for consultation with the other works project
manager, principal contractor or foreman
•The need for photos of marked services in report
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Marking positions
Mark the positions of underground services once located
•Mark the ground with coloured marking paint when
tracing (following) the signal path of the buried service
•Use a uniform colour code and set of marking symbols
to clearly indicate if the asset is gas, water,
telecommunications, sewer etc
•Note the number and size of pipe work, including
orientation if available
•Note the direction and, where possible, the depth
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Underground service location report
A report of underground service location should
include
•An in-depth check list report including photos of
identified and marked services on the site location
•The report must ensure all Dial Before you Dig utilities
have been confirmed as located
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Advise protection requirements
You can advise a construction operator of
service and utility protection requirements by
•Providing SWMS/JSA
•Clearly marking or flagging assets
•Erecting protective barriers or supports
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Requirements
Requirements are necessary when excavation work is to be
undertaken near underground services
•All services must be visually located using safe digging
practices before power tools or mechanical equipment are
used for excavation
•Underground cables must be considered to be electrically
energised until proven otherwise
•If utilities near a proposed excavation cannot be visually
located, excavation work must not proceed until the services
are de-energised. If this is not reasonably practicable, the
risks and controls must be re-evaluated.
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Clearance distances
• Clearance distances are the minimum distance that
must be adhered to and may specify no-go zones
• Clearance distance will vary depending on the type of
service asset and whether the excavation is powered
or manual (using hand tools).
• Supervision from the service authority may be
required for excavations for example near high
pressure mains
• The asset owner may need to be contacted for specific
conditions that need to be met
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Clearance distances
Clearance distances for plant and equipment can be
observed and communicated in accordance with the No Go
Zones framework by
•Signs Barriers / exclusion zones
•Visual barriers laid out
•Establish barriers may be used as visual indicators for
clearance limits
•NGZ distances re-enforced
•Machinery placement
•Use of signage
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Move or relocate
Owners of the service can move or relocate
services or utilities
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Protect and support
Protect and support services and utilities during the
construction process
•Electrical cables must not be used as hand-holds or foot-
holds by anyone climbing into or out of excavations.
•Cables exposed for more than 1 metre must be
supported
•Cables exposed within excavations must be protected
from damage by sharp objects or access by unauthorised
workers or members of the public
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Approved crossing points
Approved crossing points must be provided where heavy plant
equipment is required to cross services like gas pipelines.
•Crossing points should be kept to a minimum and should be clearly
marked
•Crossing points must be appropriately reinforced where the cover
provided by the existing roadway does not adequately protect the
pipeline
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Vacuum excavation
Vacuum excavation makes use of a high-pressure water
lance to safely excavate soil, dirt, and sand that is found
around underground utilities.
The benefits of using vacuum excavation for exposing
underground services are
•It can be used to perform work safely even for sensitive
installations
•Removes small particles as well as heavy debris
•Non - destructive excavation eliminates damage to
underground infrastructure
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Examples of safe digging practice
Safe digging practices (Manual excavation) near a pipe or cable
•Tools must have non-conductive handles e.g., shovel
•Dig alongside the service rather than above it
•Digging should be horizontal rather than vertical in direction
•Any presence of marker tape or tiles must be observed for
•Do not drive star pickets / hand tools forcefully into ground
•Do not use picks in soft clay or soils near underground services
•Do not use sharp pointed tools, picks or crowbars
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Temporary restorations
Requirements must be met for temporary
restorations in roads and footways
•Must be sufficient quality to ensure safety of
pedestrians and vehicles until the final restoration
is undertaken.
•Temporary restorations must be regularly
checked to ensure the integrity.
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Permanent reinstatements
Requirements should be met for permanent
reinstatements in a road reserve
•Excavations must be backfilled, compacted and re-
sealed to the appropriate Authority’s standard
•Reinstatements must be carried out as soon as
practicable following work in a road reserve as agreed
with the Road Authority or Public Transport authority
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Before restoration
Always follow procedures before any restoration process
commences
•Confirm reinstatement requirements with the service or
utility asset owners
•Reinstate all assets to their original condition
•Organise a final site inspection to ensure planned
reinstatements are complete and comply with standards
•Advise road authority when works are complete if
required
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Restoration backfilling
To ensure the restoration backfilling of a gas pipeline will provide the necessary
support
•The utility owner must be consulted
•Backfilling of the pipeline must be carried out in accordance with the utility
owner’s requirements.
Excavations can cause changes to the support provided by backfill of the pipeline,
the utility owner should be consulted and appropriate measures implemented to
divert it or to ensure its correct support.
No concrete or other hard material should be placed or left under or adjacent to
a gas pipe. Concrete backfill must only be used with the utility owner’s
permission. Where the uncovered gas pipe shows damage to its wrapping, the
owner must be notified. Gas pipeline repairs must not be carried out without the
utility owner’s approval.
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Damage to infrastructure assets
If any damage occurs to infrastructure asset during work
•Contact emergency number of the service provider
(asset owner)
•Stop work and isolate
•Report to site supervisor
•Follow site policy and procedures
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Report damage
Types of damage to underground services you are
required to report.
•Damage to tracer wires
•Maker tape or pipe coating
•Burying valves
•Rupturing pipe or cable
•Pipeline protections
•Manhole covers
•Removal of signage
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Complete works
After completing all the work in the area
• Clear up all tools and equipment
• Dispose and recycle materials to local council and
WHS regulations and site requirements
• Barricade and cover excavations appropriately to
ensure safety of pedestrians or vehicle users
• Cables exposed within excavations must be
protected from access by unauthorised persons or
members of the public
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Maintain tools and equipment
Keep tools and equipment in good working order
•Cleaning
•Checking for faults
•Maintaining equipment according to
manufacturer specifications
•Storing correctly
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Faults or defects
If faults or defects are found with tools or equipment
•Do not use
•Tag out of service or isolate
•Report to supervisor
•Record in maintenance log
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Managing and reporting hazards
Everybody on site is responsible for managing
and reporting hazards on a work site
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Record keeping
Types of record keeping required to be kept
according to OHS regulation
•Confined spaces / atmospheric monitoring
•Electricity
•Plant
•Hazardous substances / Asbestos
•Incident reports
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Questions
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