On a jobsite, a utility-related incident does not only happen in extreme conditions. It can also occur during routine work when several factors add up: incomplete information, multiple contractors working at once, schedule pressure, a team change, or a situation where the site reality does not match what was expected. In these moments, the difference rarely comes down to a single gesture. It comes from the team’s ability to apply a shared method and make the right decisions at the right time.
That is exactly what serious training for working near utility networks is meant to build: shared reflexes, a consistent way to read risk, and reliable decision-making even when the job gets more complex.
What a useful training program must achieve on site
1) A shared safe system of work, not a list of reminders
One of the key contributions of major guides is the idea that safety around buried services relies on a structured safe system of work. The UK HSE guide HSG47 sets out a clear logic: plan the work, locate and identify services, then excavate safely.
A strong training program turns these principles into routines people actually use: preparation, briefing, verification steps, stop points, communication, and restart rules.
2) Control of the critical moments where incidents happen
When excavation approaches the estimated location of underground installations, OSHA requirements state that the exact location must be determined by “safe and acceptable means.” This is a turning point: the crew must slow down, increase controls, and adapt the method.
A trade-focused program does more than explain risk. It trains these critical phases specifically: approach, confirmation, progressive exposure, then securing the work area.
3) The ability to manage gaps between “what was planned” and “what is found”
Guides also highlight a practical link: measures that protect people typically reduce the likelihood of damaging services. The HSG47 PDF makes this connection explicit, emphasizing that safety precautions also help prevent damage to underground services.
That is why solid training builds early warning recognition and a simple, repeatable response: stop, make the area safe, escalate, then restart with an adapted method.
Who should be trained: wider than “the people who dig”
HSG47 states that its guidance applies to those who commission, plan, manage, and carry out excavation work near buried services.
In practice, a robust approach covers:
- site supervision, for preparation, trade-offs, and stop points
- field teams, for safe approach methods and response under uncertainty
- subcontractors and occasional contractors, to prevent knowledge gaps during handovers
What a professional training approach looks like
A reliable benchmark is to align training content with recognised, field-tested references.
- The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) publishes a Best Practices Guide developed by industry consensus, covering the full damage-prevention lifecycle for excavation near buried infrastructure.
- The HSE HSG47 guide provides operational recommendations and a structured safe system of work around buried services.
- OSHA 1926.651 sets key requirements for excavation safety, including how to handle work as you approach underground installations.
The idea is straightforward: a serious program uses recognised guidance, then translates it into jobsite decisions and routines.
To conclude
Training for working near utility networks is not about memorising rules. It is about building a shared method, practiced around the critical moments, and resilient to surprises. Major references converge on this logic: safe systems of work, strong locating practices, and controlled excavation.
And to help teams anchor these reflexes in a repeatable way on site, a new immersive training module dedicated to working near utility networks will be released soon in MIMBUS CONSTRUCT.
FAQ
What does “working near utility networks” mean on a jobsite?
It refers to excavation or groundworks carried out near buried services, where safety relies on a safe system of work that includes planning, locating/identifying services, and excavating safely.
Why is training essential even with experienced crews?
Because when you approach a zone where the exact utility location must be confirmed by safe and acceptable means, stop/restart decisions and method changes need to be consistent and well practiced.
What must be mastered before breaking ground?
A safe system of work: plan the work, locate and identify services, then excavate safely.
What does a major reference say about approaching underground installations?
OSHA states that when excavation approaches the estimated location of underground installations, the exact location must be determined by safe and acceptable means.
Who should be trained beyond operators?
HSG47 targets people who commission, plan, manage, and carry out excavation work near buried services.
Is there an industry guide that covers all phases of damage prevention?
Yes. The Common Ground Alliance publishes a Best Practices Guide built by consensus and covering the full prevention cycle for excavation near buried infrastructure.
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