Before you start digging the foundations for your new extension or decide on the spot for your new pond or water feature, take the time to be sure that you’re not going to cut any underground cables or pipes. Just one call is all that’s needed.
‘Dial Before You Dig’ is a community service organisation supported by major service providers that use underground infrastructure. On request, it will supply plans of where water, electricity, gas, and telecommunications pipes and cables are located so you can be sure of where it is safe to dig.
No Excuses!
“I didn’t know anything was there,” is not an excuse. In fact, if you do start digging before taking the time to investigate what cables are beneath the surface, you will, in all likelihood, be faced with a steep fine. The NSW Government has now made it law that you must now call Dial Before You Dig prior to commencing excavations of any sort to ensure that you, and any workers working for you, know the exact location of any underground cables, power lines, water pipes and the like.
There are other reasons besides complying with State Government legislation that make it a good idea to contact Dial Before You Dig. You could also face heavy financial penalties from utility companies who will be required to fix and/or replace any infrastructure that you damage. Most important of all are the health and safety aspects of knowing where all underground cables are.
Obtaining information from Dial Before You Dig is, in most cases, free, and it is a relatively simple process. Simply register with Dial Before You Dig by going to their website at www.1100.com.au, or calling their national call centre at 1100, or downloading their mobile app. You can then lodge an enquiry about the location that you are planning to dig on and Dial Before You Dig will supply you with a confirmation sheet of all cables and underground infrastructure on your site.
While it may seem harsh for people to be held responsible for underground infrastructure that they weren’t aware of, the simple fact is that each year millions of dollars worth of damage is unnecessarily caused by people digging without researching first. We all need to take responsibility for the works that we do and demonstrate due care in researching what lies in the ground beneath them.
The important thing is to take due care and use the resources provided by Dial Before You Dig as well as quality guidelines provided by Ausgrid, including ‘Working Near Ausgrid Cables’, ‘Reading Ausgrid Plans’ and the ‘Working Near Underground Assets’ guides.
Of course, occasionally, even with the best preparations, things can and do go wrong. Before commencing digging it would be a good idea to have all service provider phone numbers close at hand – just in case. In the event of an electrical emergency on Sydney’s Northern Beaches or North Shore, call us at Everest Electrical on 0410 229 139.