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The UK is criss-crossed by a buried network of cables and pipes, carrying private or public services like
electricity, gas, oil, water, telephone lines and sewage. It is obviously vital that you identify if and where
these occur at an early stage of project planning because:
(i) they can pose a significant threat to health and safety,
(ii) damage to service infrastructure can be costly and cause considerable inconvenience, and
(iii) early information means that pond designs can be adapted to any constraints they impose.
The service operators should be able to provide you with details of services on the land you are working on. There may be a charge for providing this information.
There are some on-line tools for checking your site: contact Linesearch at www.linesearch.org or 0870 403 6484, and Linewatch at www.linewatch.co.uk or 02380 883150.
For high risk services (e.g. gas pipes operating at a pressure of 2 bar or above), there may be constraints on the working practices adopted when digging ponds and you may need to contact the pipeline operator before beginning work.
The exact line of service cables and pipes may not be marked accurately on site maps. Always leave amargin of error if service lines are known. If there are particular risks, it is advisable to identify the exact line using a locating device.
Above ground services
If the site, or its access route, has overhead power lines this can constrain the maximum height of
machinery that can be used on site. Direct contact with the lines is not the only danger, as electricity
can flashover when equipment gets close. The risks of contact or flashover can be greatly reduced by using machinery that will not reach more than 4m from the ground.
Precautions you can take:
Consult the local electricity company and/or the National Grid Company for lines on steel towers operating at 275 and 400 kV (operating voltage will be displayed on the tower). They will provide free advice and information about precautions and safe working procedures.
Find out the maximum height and maximum vertical reach of all machines that will be on site.
Mark the location of all power lines on the site plan, together with information on the maximum working heights permitted under each span of overhead line.
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