LSBUD Whitepaper Report

DIGGING UP BRITAIN 2023

The industry’s annual review by LSBUD

FOREWORD

Following the uncertainty of the past two years, 2022 heralded a ‘digging boom’.

The country returned to some form of normality and the Government put significant resource behind large scale infrastructure investment in a bid to kick-start the UK’s economy. These are substantial, positive steps given where we were even 12 months ago.

Reassuringly we have also seen a safe digging community, with best practice at its core, rise throughout the UK. As a result, record numbers of people, ranging from construction and utility workers, through to farmers and consumers, are searching for pipes and cables before they put a digger bucket or spade in the ground.

In 2021, we witnessed the rise of safe digging among UK consumers, and in 2022 this movement gathered further pace. Growth in types of users increased across the board with an overall annual increase of 14 percent, with people digging at home creating a significant area of growth for the safe digging community. Whether they are looking to do some renovations, putting in a fence or even digging in a trampoline, homeowners are increasingly aware of the need to search before they dig.

It wasn’t just search growth that we experienced in 2022, but also new members coming on board, sharing their asset information with the LSBUD Users. Northern Gas Networks joined our collaborative portal, meaning we now have complete coverage of the UK’s major gas distribution networks. Fibre providers also became increasingly aware of the benefits of protecting their networks and jumped on the safe digging drive, with Voneus, Ogi, Wildanet and Toob joining the likes of key telecoms sector players Gigaclear, Gamma, Neos Networks and Zayo, in recognising the importance of having their asset data shared via a central portal. Whilst water companies remain slower movers regarding sharing network information this way, we remain hopeful that this will change in 2023 and beyond.

In short, the data highlights 2022 as being the most successful year to date. Pipes and cables were better protected through LSBUD than ever before, and those working near them were safer. Of course, there is room for improvement, and that is what we will continue to push for.

Remember, it is good practice, safe, and essential to always search before you dig.

The data highlights 2022 as being the most successful year to date

Richard Broome Managing Director LSBUD

About LSBUD

LSBUD is a free to use online safe digging service, providing the location of underground assets and infrastructure across the UK. Any individual or organisation can use the collaborative portal to check their works against more than 120 asset owners’ utility networks. These assets include over one million kilometres of underground and overhead pipes and cables in the electricity, gas, high pressure fuel, water and fibre optic networks. The service processes over 3.75 million enquiries per annum - that’s more than one every eight seconds – with 98 percent of requests responded to in less than 3 minutes. (Those that took longer only did so due to needing a further manual risk assessment process by the asset owner to further help keep those working near the assets safe).

For those construction companies, contractors and UK consumers doing the digging (Users), the service quickly and effectively provides information about LSBUD’s Members’ assets, allowing excavation works to be carried out safely together with greater opportunity for improved planning and co-ordination of works, thus reducing disruption and reducing costs.

For asset owners (Members), the collaborative portal helps protect underground infrastructure by increasing third party knowledge of where assets are. This encourages safer working

environments and reduces asset strikes, increasing the resilience of networks and improving customer service.

Members registered with the service range from leading utility operators such as UK Power Networks, National Grid, SP Energy Networks, National Gas, Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, Wales and West Utilities, Electricity North West and SGN to fuel suppliers like BP, Valero, Esso and Shell and telecoms providers including Zayo, Neos Networks, EU Networks and Gigaclear.

LSBUD’s goal is clear: encourage all UK asset owners to make their asset information available via its collaborative service, keeping assets and people safe in the process.

Methodology

This report draws on data from a number of sources, the main one being LSBUD’s own records of the 3.75 million searches conducted through its portal between January and December 2022.

In addition to this, LSBUD alongside The Countryside Alliance, also conducted research into safe digging practices amongst UK farmers in 2022 for its Farmers Guardian campaign. This data is utilised within the report.

It also references data provided by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), based on an information request for the number of underground electrical cable or gas pipeline strikes reported in 2022.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2022, the UK performed more than 3.75 million search enquiries - 384,072 searches more than in 2021, making it a record year.

Search enquiries were widespread across the country, with the South, and in particular the South East, experiencing the most search activity. 2022 also saw more new people searching than ever before, which highlights a rapid growth for the safe digging community and a desire by an increasing number to be stay safe.

What’s also clear is that asset owners are increasingly wanting to be part of the safe digging community. 120 Members now share their asset information, including 100 percent of major gas distribution networks, 92 percent of electricity distribution networks and 99 percent of fuel/oil pipeline operators.

One big area of change is the industry moving away from the previously estimated 4m excavation projects per year. Whilst this calculation is still being used by some people

within the industry, it is several years’ old and with the increase in infrastructure spending, it is sensible to assume the figure is now much higher.

Telecoms remain the most active industry when it comes to searching before digging, followed by water companies. Private individuals continued to build on the momentum started in 2021 thanks to an uptick in home improvements, hybrid working and EV charging points.

Agricultural workers are an increasingly proactive group, with search enquiries surging for another year. This is a necessity given two thirds of them know someone that has struck an underground pipe or cable whilst digging.

With regards to the marketplace as a whole, we have seen improvements in the reporting into the HSE, keeping the community safe, now and in the future. With better reporting comes an increase in incidents being reported, which has been true for 2022.

If everyone in the safe digging industry follows the basic rules of ‘subscribe, share and search’, we will continue to grow on the already incredibly promising numbers. Remember, safe digging is for all, not just those that do it day in, day out.

I. THE UK’S SAFE DIGGING COMMUNITY

Breaking Records

The UK’s safe digging community performed over 3.75 million search enquiries on LSBUD’s portal for underground pipes and cables in 2022. This equates to an extra 384,072 searches being made; a 12 percent increase on the previous year which itself was a record year.

To put it into context, there were more searches in 2022 passing through LSBUD’s collaborative portal than the number of steps the average human takes each year.

This searching is being done by an everexpanding number of organisations and people. Over the past two years the

number of people wanting to understand what might be beneath them before they put a spade or digger bucket into the ground has increased by 22 percent. As you go back further, the numbers become more and more significant – 66 percent up on just five years ago, and 210 percent growth since 2013. Not only does this highlight strong growth, but also continued improvement and increasing awareness of the benefits of safe digging.

All of this proves the strength of the UK’s safe digging community, and highlights the industry’s ambitions to achieve best practice, as well as its continued need for and reliance on LSBUD in achieving this target

3,750,000

The UK’s safe digging community performed over 3.75 million search enquiries on LSBUD’s portal in 2022

Widespread coverage: By analysing this data, Digging up Britain 2023 is able to identify the areas of the country responsible for the search activity taking place. The South, and in particular South East, carries the main bulk of the enquiries, but when you account for populations and population densities, the coverage is widespread across Great Britain.

The level of information that UK asset owners are supplying through the central platform, which is available to all users, undoubtedly encourages and reinforces the safe digging community. More utility operators sharing their data creates an even safer environment for everyone, and a more complete picture of what is likely to lie beneath the ground. This generates trust in the platform and the LSBUD ‘community’, ensuring people are able to dig freely more often and safely - after a less than 3 minute check.

At the end of 2022, there were 120 Members signed up to LSBUD. This includes 100 percent of major gas distribution networks, 92 percent of electricity distribution networks and 99 percent of fuel/oil pipeline operators. When you consider that the portal provides access to details of over one million kilometres of the UK’s pipes and cable networks, it is clear to see just how much information the system draws upon every time a User performs a search.

Safe Digging Community Continues to Grow

2022 saw a large influx of new people and organisations searching before digging, with 43,190 new registrations on LSBUD’s

2022 saw a large influx of new people and organisations searching before digging, with 43,190 new registrations on LSBUD’s central portal

Rising search numbers

Growth areas of activity

From improved analytics it is now possible to show where these new Users are searching to understand the ‘growth areas’ of activity. In line with the general trends referred to earlier in the report, there is good coverage across the UK, with hotspots across the South of the country, specifically in built up areas where there is greater population density.

central portal. This represents a 14 percent increase compared to 2021 and is 35 percent up on 2020. What this shows is that the safe digging community is growing and doing so rapidly.

In fact, in March 2022, a record 4,120 new Users joined LSBUD, which equates to 133 new people per day. And, it is not just contractors and professionals joining, it is farmers and the general public making sure they are clear to carry out digging work at their property. The safe digging community continues to grow.

Change to Industry Numbers

The utility industry has historically estimated that there are approximately 4 million excavation projects taking place each. If this number is assumed to still be correct, over 94 percent of all excavation projects were preceded by a safe digging search in 2022.

This would obviously be fantastic news for asset owners and those workers operating near pipes and cables, however this estimate is now several years’ old and with the increase in infrastructure spending, particularly in the light of the growth in the fibre optic industry, it would be reasonable to assume that this figure is now higher. This makes safe digging and education around industry best practices more important than ever.

Industry Coming Together

During the year the safe digging community has continued to be very active in ensuring further improvement. Whilst the numbers are looking

In March 2022, a record 4,120 new Users joined LSBUD, which equates to 133 new people per day

incredibly positive from a sharing of data perspective, there has also been a rise in collaboration and support for safe digging.

In 2022, National Safe Digging Week, an industry-led initiative designed to show people how to work more safely around pipes, cables and fibre, witnessed a significant positive shift in how businesses, industry workers and the general public interacted. There was greater support on social media, keen interest within regional and consumer media titles and businesses were using the week as an opportunity to showcase their own safe digging credentials and educate their staff and followers on best practice. With the Week now a firm addition in many people’s calendars, we look forward to continuing to grow participation and awareness in this important initiative.

Further to National Safe Digging Week, the industry also saw the National Damage Prevention Day take place in mid-June. 2022 was the first time since 2019 that the event could be held in person, encouraging discussion around all things

safe digging from a broad representation of the industry. As well as facilitating conversation and debate, the Day also saw HS2, Portsmouth Water, Sopra Steria and The Original ‘Stig’ take to the stage to offer their thoughts on safety.

Type of Activity

To continue to improve and better protect the UK’s underground networks and keep workers safe, it is important to start identifying patterns and industry changes. Trends will be a common theme as you go through the report, kicking off with the types of activities people are searching for.

74 percent of all search enquiries (2,780,997) in 2022 were for ‘Planned Works’, one percent up on last year. This highlights a stability across the country, however with the increase in fibre rollout across the country, other areas of work must be falling. It also signifies a healthier UK economy than many would have predicted, with excavation work indicating solid investment in the growth, upgrading and maintaining the UK’s infrastructure.

The number of searches surrounding

Across the year Users still made 252,598 emergency searches

“We share our asset data to make digging safer for all. A central, collaborative portal is a brilliant additional way for us to protect our gas pipes and eliminate the risk of workers hitting a gas pipe, which as we all know can have tragic consequences. We are proud to be doing our part.”

Iain Foster, Chief Engineer Northern Gas Networks

‘Initial Enquiries’ dipped by less than one percent compared to 2021. This shows that the industry is back at its normal level after a slight surge in 2020 and 2019, at a time when projects were being postponed and construction companies, contractors and consumers were restricted on works that could take place.

Perhaps most interesting to see is that the number of searches for ‘Emergency Works’ remained static at seven percent. Whilst pleasing to not see it rise, Members, regulators, DfT and local authorities would prefer to see this statistic dropping, especially when you consider that across the year Users still made 252,598 emergency searches. Whilst some emergencies will be inevitable, the industry would be in a better place with fewer emergency works taking place, so this remains a community goal for 2023 and beyond.

Government Initiatives

There has never been such a focus on the safe digging community, with Government initiatives and projects taking a particular interest in the sector, which any professional involved in the industry should welcome. On top of LSBUD and other collaborative platforms, there is:

• VAULT – a way to share and access information on the location of Scotland’s underground pipes and cables

• Street Manager - a digital service designed to transform the planning, management and communication of street works within England, minimising disruption and improving journeys for the public

• The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) – a conceptual project that proposes to allow certain users in England and Wales to view a combined map of some of the UK’s buried assets at requested sites.

Whilst Government attention and taxpayer money being spent on safe digging could improve the sector for everyone, these systems all have very specific areas of focus, meaning there will always be groups of people who miss out, pay more or simply don’t have access.

Taking Scotland as an example, VAULT has been a success, particularly amongst road authorities and undertakers, however across Scotland, LSBUD has continued to see significant growth in search numbers, new Users, and new Members too. Searches on the platform have increased from 177,979 to 265,008 over a four-year period. This equates to a 49 percent increase.

When you look at NUAR in more detail, there is certainly potential for it to have benefits specifically in the planning and co-ordination of some works for certain factions of the safe digging community. However, there remain serious unanswered concerns, including the platform being restricted to a narrow band of statutory undertakers, delivering uncertain functionality, having a negative impact on strike avoidance, likely enforcement through legislation and ultimately significant yet unknown costs that will have to be recouped from industry.

There is one thing that is not in doubt though, no matter which side of the NUAR debate you fall, and that is that its introduction has been valuable in raising awareness of safe digging and the challenges that come with it. More people than ever are talking about safe digging, improving understanding of the different methods of searching for underground assets, and appreciating the importance of adding ‘safe digging’ to any pre-project checklists. This is only a good thing for protecting our underground pipes and cables and for keeping people across the country safe.

One thing that is not in doubt though, no matter which side of the NUAR debate you fall, and that is that its introduction has been valuable in raising awareness of safe digging and the challenges that come with it

II. ANALYSING THE ENQUIRIES

Major Players

Telecoms

As has historically been the case, telecoms remained the most active industry when it comes to searching before digging. In 2022, the industry completed 1,724,998 searches, which is an increase of 520,014; a substantial 43 percent rise compared to 2021. In addition when looking at the total number of enquiries, telecoms share increased in 2022 to 46%, up from 44% in 2021.

When it comes to searches, the rollout of broadband continues to be pivotal in driving this surge. With increased hybrid working becoming the norm, coupled with the increasing demand for broadband to drive the way in which we communicate, socialise and manage our lives, the need for faster and more reliable connectivity at both work and home is a fundamental requirement. The protection of these networks is therefore a core need.

The Government’s ‘Project Gigabit’ has set very ambitious targets with the aim to extend networks capable of delivering 1,000 Mbps speeds to ‘at least’ 85 percent of UK premises by the end of 2025. The plan is then to go for ‘national’ coverage, to around 99 percent, by 2030. This has resulted in a huge increase in activity by both the 120 or so Altnet companies and Openreach. The scale of work left to do ensures that we are unlikely to see this

type of search activity slow down for at least the remainder of the decade.

Water

After a strong performance from the telecoms sector, you would assume that the same for the water sector, and you would be partly right. The number of searches climbed sharply in 2022, however the industry’s portion of the total searches has actually fallen.

In 2022, LSBUD’s search portal received 1,032,328 water-related searches. Compared to the previous year, this is a substantial increase of 117,442, which equates to a 13 percent rise. However, the sector accounted for 28 percent of all searches, down on the 33 percent attributed to the sector in 2021 as a result of growth in other areas, such as the boom in telecoms work and the safe digging message spreading across other channels.

2022 was another year where water industry performance has been scrutinised. There is absolutely no doubt that Ofwat’s PR19 has put the sector under pressure, as well as an intense media focus on leakage levels, however there are still huge parts of the UK’s water pipeline network that are not being properly protected from potential third party strikes and the resulting leakages and disruption to service.

Despite this, the water industry still made over a quarter of all searches. Due to the

Telecoms remained the most active industry when it comes to searches completing 1,724,998, which is an increase of 520,014

Rising numbers: Members directing private individuals to LSBUD

challenges it faces there will continue to the need for significant investment by the water industry in its infrastructure in the UK water market, and you can see room for growth and improvement in the resultant search activity.

Private Individuals

Awareness of LSBUD and the safe digging message it promotes is gaining momentum and doing so fast. Indeed, search activity from private individuals has witnessed a significant uptick over recent years, and 2022 is no exception. Over the past year, the number of searches made by private individuals increased by 39,172; a 24 percent leap. Further to this, the education around safe digging amongst the UK public is clear to see, with the most recent numbers coming in 85 percent higher than just five years ago, and 56 percent up on two years ago. This is a positive trend, and one the safe digging community need to nurture.

Further to this, LSBUD is seeing its Members actively directing private individuals to the platform, demonstrating the really clear benefit of having a central, collaborative system.

The continued rise in searches performed by private individuals can be linked to

a few key movements over the past 12 months. Firstly, as people emerged from the pandemic, they realised how important their homes are to them, and how differently they use them now. With more money available, due to a lack of travel and nervousness about being abroad, home improvements was a reasonable avenue to explore. Indeed, as hybrid working becomes more embedded in our day-to-day lives, our homes now need to be workspaces too, with the necessary connections, therefore network resilience to the home and the business carried out there is of even greater importance. This was certainly true at the start of 2022, with the number of private projects rising steeply. The increase in cost of living may result in a temporary slowdown in this area.

This is reflected in the searches. There was a strong start in 2022 but this slowed as the year progressed, reducing what could have otherwise been a more significant year of searches by the UK consumer.

Alongside home improvements, the Government targets for Net Zero and the resulting demand among UK consumers for electric vehicles is also pushing up levels of digging and therefore searches.

LSBUD’s search portal received 1,032,328 water-related searches

According to EY UK, the number of people looking to buy EVs is at a record high, with half of UK consumers (49 percent) stating they would choose an EV option. This represents a 21 percent jump from just two years ago.

Data from Zap Map suggests that at the end of February 2023, there were 38,982 public EV charging points across the UK, which is a 33 percent increase on the same period in 2022. It also estimates that more than 400,000 homes and workplaces have an EV charging point, highlighting the scale of the work needed to get to this point - not just in the installation of the chargers but critically the necessary network upgrades too. The government has set a target of the installation of 300,000 public EV charging points by 2030.

However, there is still so much more

work to be done. In fact, research from Lloyds Bank suggests that only 56 percent of British homes can currently support electric charging points.

Local Authorities

As analysing huge swathes of data gets easier, new trends and patterns can be unearthed. New for 2022 is the rise of local authorities as a key player in the safe digging community. With 427,345 searches performed in 2022, local authorities account for 11 percent of total requests.

Kent County Council tops the list of proactive local authorities, with worker safety clearly high on its agenda. From highways and drainage projects through to planning and flood management, there is a desire to ensure workers are safeguarded, the environment protected,

“The growth we have seen in electric vehicle registration s is encouraging but, with many in the UK living in properties where installing a home charging port isn’t a viable option, having a reliable charging infrastructure is absolutely vital for the UK’s transition to net zero.

The government has made positive steps by ensuring new build homes are fully equipped to have charging facilities, but many will have to continue to rely on charging an electric vehicle somewhere other than at home. This means there remains a need for focused investment in public charging points in residential - and particularly rural

- areas. We’ll only make real progress in becoming a nation of sustainable drivers if we don’t leave anyone behind – no matter where they live in the country or their home set-up.”

Nick Williams, Transport Director at Lloyds Bank

New for 2022 is the rise of local authorities as a key player in the safe digging community

and community disruption minimised.

It is not just local government either. Central government agencies involved in transportation, planning, and the environment, have been taking advantage of the central portal.

Awareness within the sector has spread beyond asset searches, with three local authorities sharing their specific asset information through LSBUD, as Members. This means Westminster City, Gateshead, and Barking & Dagenham Councils are now benefiting from the ‘safety of the herd’ effect, proactively keeping their networks safe from third party damage.

Although the numbers from local authorities look really healthy, there is still work to be done. When you consider that there are 398 principal councils in the UK, each council is averaging just over 1,000 searches per year. In reality, once you remove the top echelon of councils who are regularly racking up thousands of searches a month, the number is bleaker. Educating the market, empowering consumers, and speaking directly to councils is going to continue building on the positive momentum that has been established, with local authorities able to take control and help ensure safety in their region.

Other

Another area of growth in 2022 was a group defined as ‘Other’ in terms of who the work was being done on behalf of. When using the LSBUD portal, besides the usual ‘Utility’ ‘Highways’ ‘Authorities’ options, there is a choice for ‘Other’, which encompasses anyone who does not fit within the usual segmentation, such as developers, landowners, commercial operators, etc..

Over the past 12 months, those within ‘Other’ put 338,068 searches through the collaborative portal, making up 9 percent of all searches. Not only that, but in 2022 this group made 58,566 more searches than they did the previous year. What this shows is that the safe digging message is getting through to the entire safe digging community, not just those that come under defined umbrella terms or work in certain sectors. The challenge is to continue growing this area, helping keep everyone safe for all projects.

The Most Popular Search Categories

By looking at the data at a more granular level, it is possible to identify the most popular search categories and the type of work taking place.

Utility Works

Given the telecoms and water sectors make up 71 percent of total searches in the UK, it is no surprise to find that utility-

‘Safety of the herd’ effect - the more companies sharing their asset data through a central system, the more searches every other Member’s assets appear on

related work is the most popular search category in 2022.

For the first time, this type of activity went past three million enquiries in a year, with LSBUD’s central portal receiving 3,067,754 searches. This accounts for 82 percent (up from 80 percent last year) of all searches placed and is a substantial 356,478 more than 2021.

Highways

Highways-related searches have fluctuated since the ‘return to work’ post-pandemic, and 2022 is no exception. The number of searches received actually fell by 9,038 compared to 2021, with 402,944 enquiries being placed. Whilst higher than 2020, it is almost 20,000 down on pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Highways projects were predicted to boom after COVID, especially given the Government’s focus on kick-starting the economy through large scale infrastructure projects. This is either not

happening, or people within the sector are not searching for underground pipes and cables as often. Neither option is what those within the highways contracting industry will want to hear.

Housing

Searches for planning applications surged by 30 percent in 2022, from 23,729 to 30,894. This jump was predicted to be more, but confidence in the UK housing market at the start of 2022 withered away throughout the year, due to the cost of living crisis and the increase in material prices. Indeed, half of homeowners halted their renovation plans in 2022, vowing to continue home improvement work but spend less by resorting to DIY.

Further to this, searches for Domestic Works by UK consumers only increased by 4,774 over the year, whilst property conveyance enquiries actually fell by 1 percent. This suggests that the housing market did its best to navigate uncertain economic times, with pockets of growth, however struggled during 2022.

Agriculture

As has been the trend over the past few years, the agriculture sector witnessed a significant boom in searches over 2022. The total number increased from 6,067 to 8,387, which is a 38 percent rise. For a sector that historically been hard to reach and somewhat resistant to change, this is a major step forward for the safe digging community. You only have to go back five years to see the stark difference, with just 1,493 searches being placed in 2018. This means that over five years, agriculture sector searches have increased almost five-fold.

Utility-related work accounted for a record 3,067,754 searches in 2022

“The results from this survey show we could reduce the amount of digging accidents by undertaking a simple check of what underground assets are below. I know there are competing pressures and deadlines but taking five minutes to ensure we know what is below can ensure the safety of those working and minimise disruption for local communities.”

Sarah Lee Director of Policy Countryside Alliance

III. MORE OF A FOCUS ON FARMERS

The data paints agricultural workers as an increasingly proactive group that is now coming around to the need for searching, with the number of searches increasing rapidly.

A 38 percent increase in searches is more than significant, however, when you consider that there are over 300,000 agriculture workers in the UK (301,146) according to DEFRA, there remains much to be done in this sector, as highlighted by the HSE. Being generous and assuming that each search was performed by a different worker, 1 in 35 farmers conducted an underground pipe and cable search in 2022. In reality, this is not the case and proactive farmers will be conducting multiple searches.

Further to this, recent research amongst UK farmers by LSBUD reiterates this overview of the sector. Two thirds of UK agricultural workers know someone that has struck an underground pipe or cable whilst digging, with 11 percent of these incidents ending up in injury and 3 percent resulting in fatality.

With 57 percent of UK farmers stating that they do considerable excavation on their land at least once a month, 11 percent doing so daily, and a further 11 percent digging on a weekly basis, the scale of work taking place without the essential searches is clear.

To go with the volume, the depth of the excavation is also significant. Nearly two thirds (62 percent) of UK agriculture

workers are digging down three feet or more. Indeed, one quarter of all projects are reaching depths of more than six foot.

With modern farming machinery, the ability to break ground faster and deeper than ever increases the risk of putting any worker in danger each time a farming operation is carried out. Despite the risks, 25 percent of UK farmers admit that they do not check for the whereabouts of underground pipes and cables before digging. Furthermore, of those that do, 40 percent simply ask a colleague. While 36 percent of those who check do use an online portal, this amounts to just 8 percent of farmers overall.

Not only is this information worrying, but in 2022, we saw it happen live. In June, a viral video was watched by millions around the world depicting a fencing contractor from Derbyshire blowing himself off his feet when his post knocker when straight through a gas pipeline. Thankfully the contractor, known as Elliott, walked away from the incident unharmed, but since the explosion he has dedicated his time to educating others on the benefits of safe digging, urging others to learn from his mistake. He joined forces with two leading safe digging experts to create an Explosion Awareness video.

the Explosion Awareness video here

IV. HOW THE SECTORS PERFORM

With more than 120 network operators and asset owners in the UK on board as LSBUD Members, the LSBUD community’s 1 million kilometres of pipes and cables are better protected than ever before.

2022 saw major steps being taken towards more complete coverage across the UK, however there are still large areas of the country unprotected by LSBUD, and some industries showing limited signs of wanting to protect their assets through our central portal and subsequently the people operating around them. So, which networks are most vulnerable?

Gas

Northern Gas Networks, which is responsible for distributing gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses across Yorkshire, the North East and northern Cumbria, joined LSBUD in 2022. The central portal now protects its 37,000 kilometres of pipelines and those performing digging work near them, meaning that LSBUD’s users now have access to complete coverage of the UK’s major gas distribution networks (GDN)s.

Given the hazardous nature of gas, it is significant that every major GDN is now present when someone performs an underground asset search, no matter the location. The implications of hitting a gas pipeline are huge, with a real threat to life as we as a substantial environmental impact too.

Area at highest risk of strikes

Area protected through LSBUD

Electricity

The situation with the UK’s electricity infrastructure is positive, but static, with 92 percent of electricity distribution networks currently registered with LSBUD’s service. This is a significant amount, but has not increased over 2022, which means 8 percent of electricity cables are not present when someone diligently performs a search.

It is the network, public, contractors and assets in North East England which remain at the most serious risk.

Water

While there is absolutely no doubt that Ofwat’s PR19 has put the water sector under pressure to improve, together with an intense media focus on leakage levels, more needs to be done to encourage those responsible for supplying water to work together and protect their assets.

Over the last couple of years, the water sector has been facing mounting pressure to change the way it manages and operates its

assets. Just 15 percent of water companies are registered to LSBUD’s central system, showing the scale of the problem. What this means is that up to 350,000 kilometres of water pipelines across the UK are currently unavailable at the point when a comprehensive enquiry is made via our portal.

Assumed due to fewer health and safety or environmental ramifications when a water pipe is hit, there has been less urgency by water companies to join the portal.

Area at highest risk of strikes

Area protected through LSBUD

Fibre

Over the last 12 months there has been a considerable increase in the number of fibre networks responding to the safe digging trend, with Voneus, Ogi, Wildanet and Toob recognising the importance of having their asset data shared on a central portal.

They will be joining the likes of Gigaclear, Gamma, Box Broadband and Zayo, in recognising the importance of having their asset data shared on a collaborative, central portal.

With working from home becoming

Other

It is not just gas, electricity, water and fibre networks that people need to pay attention to, but also:

• High pressure fuel pipelines

• District heating networks

Further to this, 99 percent of fuel/oil pipeline operators now share data via LSBUD’s system.

increasingly common and the UK witnessing a rise of the multi-generational household, it is clear to see why broadband is now the fourth utility. Indeed, 22 percent of people would least like to be without broadband for the day, coming in behind water and electricity, highlighting it’s importance to UK consumers.

So, the impact of a strike on fibre can have significant ramifications - expensive repairs, angry customers, reputational damage and significant delays on future projects whilst the repairs take place.

Other LSBUD networks protected

V. SEEING HOW IT WORKS IN PRACTICE

The data suggests a strong community that is growing year-on-year. As Members join, they experience immediate and long-term benefits, which are easier to showcase through a real-life example.

Pimlico District Heating Undertaking (PDHU), owned and managed by Westminster City Council, was established over 50 years ago to help combat London’s air pollution. The PDHU is a crucial source of clean, affordable energy in the city.

The PDHU originally used waste heat from Battersea Power Station to supply new housing without adding to London’s smog. The system was upgraded in 2006, with a £6.9m boiler plant being incorporated. The scheme provides heating and hot water services to 3,256 homes, 50 commercial premises and four schools.

With so many people relying on its service, the primary concern for Westminster City Council is third party damage from contractors putting in other gas, electricity, and telecoms networks.

Before joining LSBUD as a Member, a contractor installing a new electrical cable broke through a PDHU duct. This

The only way of keeping up to date was performing a ‘walk-by’ to see what work was being carried out

ultimately led to water ingress resulting in pipe failure due to corrosion and loss of heating services to residents. It was a similar story when a street lighting contractor drilled a hole through the duct, allowing water ingress onto the district heating pipes.

These instances happened because the contractors had no way to know that the PDHU ducts were running beneath them, and the Westminster team was not alerted to work being carried out within their area. In fact, the only way of keeping up to date was performing a ‘walk-by’ to see what work was being carried out by other utilities. This was time-intensive and ineffective.

The implications of a ‘strike’ for Westminster City Council were substantial:

Personal

PDHU serves social housing in Victoria, which includes a sheltered housing block, over 320 supported housing flats, and some of the most vulnerable residents of Westminster. A strike on the network means the heating and hot water provided to these residents will be affected, impacting their health and wellbeing.

Financial

The minimum repair cost to the duct is £5,000, but this can quickly escalate to £30,000+ depending on the issue. Further to this, ‘cost recovery’ is incredibly difficult, with it unlikely the third-party culprit is found, Westminster City Council will be left to foot the bill.

Politically

As a local authority, Westminster City Council is answerable to its community and residents will raise issues with local Councillors putting pressure on council officers to respond.

Reputational damage

Reputational damage to the council –even when it is not responsible – can have long lasting effects locally.

So, Westminster City Council signed up to LSBUD, to act as its ‘eyes on the ground’. The aim was to ensure that contractors looking to do any excavation work were made aware of the District Heating pipeline, with PDHU being immediately informed about all user requests that may affect the network.

When it comes to search numbers, Westminster went from 0 enquiries in

Westminster went from 0 enquires in 2017 to 62 enquiries per month in 2022

Photo courtesy of Tom Morris

“The move to LSBUD has been revolutionary. We now know who is digging near our pipes, what type of work they are doing, and when they are doing it. When you couple this with the fact that the person responsible for digging is more educated on where our pipes are located, there is greater protection on both sides.

Operating in the Public Sector, being able to prevent damage to our pipes saves money and reduces the risk of our services being damaged. This is invaluable. We are now visible, protected, and our residents receive an uninterrupted supply of heat.”

Gavin Mackenzie, Contracts Manager District Heating, Growth, Planning & Housing, Westminster City Council

2017 to 404 in 2018. That is an average of 34 enquiries per month, none of which it was receiving pre-LSBUD. The numbers have continued to climb, with 62 search requests on average being placed each month in 2022, with March receiving a substantial 83 enquiries.

As LSBUD provides a ‘Hosted Plan Response’ on behalf of PDHU, people requesting asset information receive full plans in less than 5 minutes, which means contractors and projects are not delayed, and its network is kept safe.

An additional benefit that PDHU has felt is the logging of requests by LSBUD. It has never been easier to review which contractor has been working in a particular area, and at what specific time. This allows for a trail of operations should an issue arise. With the squeeze on local authority budgets, prevention wherever possible is key.

After an initial period, Westminster City Council renewed its LSBUD membership, signing up for another five years in 2022.

VI. HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPLICATIONS

There is no higher priority than the health and safety of workers on site. Hitting underground pipes and cables can cause extreme life changing injuries, or in the most severe cases, death, so it must be treated with the respect it deserves.

This report utilises specifically requested data from the HSE to understand the number of people in the UK reporting injuries in 2022. While this data provides a good platform to understand the type of injuries being reported, it must be acknowledged that not every incident is reported to the HSE, meaning the figures should be used as indicators, rather than absolute figures.

During 2022, the HSE recorded 2,660 safety related electrical incidents (ESQCR incidents), which is an increase of 40 percent on the previous year. This is

a higher increase than many were expecting, however much of the rise can be put down to improved reporting to the HSE, which is a positive thing.

Of these safety-related incidents, just 38 were recorded as injuries, with none being fatal. This means that just 1 percent of incidents ended in injury. Whilst there is clearly work to be done, this data suggests that precautions are being taken to reduce injuries and that the messaging behind reporting incidents is getting through to companies.

For the past few iterations of the Digging

During 2022, the HSE recorded 2,660 safety related electrical incidents, which is an increase of 40 percent on the previous year 40%

Up Britain Report the HSE has not been able to provide data on gas related incidents. In 2022, it is not able to put an exact figure on it, but it has provided its annual statistics and offered advice as to which figures best suit the category.

Under RIDDOR, a gas related incident would be classified as a ‘dangerous occurrence’ (DO). In respect of incidents ‘involving pipeline strikes’ the most likely DO codes would be 21 (damage to or failure of a pipeline or ancillary equipment), 26 (escape of flammable liquids and gases - sudden, unintentional and uncontrolled release) and 27 (accidental release or escape of substances liable to cause harm).

When this is taken into account, it is fair to assume that in 2022, the UK experienced at least 900 gas related incidents. To break this down, the HSE registered 89 incidents surrounding ‘damage to or failure of a pipeline’, 194 incidents for ‘the sudden/ unintentional escape of flammable liquids and gases’ and 617 incidents for the ‘accidental release or escape of substances liable to cause harm’.

Whilst it is important to see data related to gas incidents, the lack of clarity on the cause still highlights that clearer, and more detailed, reporting is crucial. Without this information there is no benchmarking year-on-year. It means that as a community we are missing valuable information on where attention and focus is needed to help minimise accidents and protect the UK’s workers.

VII. CONCLUSION

The safe digging community continues to take positive steps, building on the momentum it has generated over previous years.

We witnessed a record-breaking number of searches from right across the country, more new registrations and more asset information being shared than we have ever seen. With more people searching and more businesses sharing network information we can drastically reduce the number of pipes and cables being hit. This allows the country to function as it should, and it keeps our people safe.

There are future challenges coming towards us that have the ability to disrupt the growth and stability the safe digging community is feeling at the moment, but by staying safe by always searching before digging will always be the essential first step.

Remember, it is safer digging for all.

DIGGING UP BRITAIN 2023

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LinesearchbeforeUdig

Eliot Park Innovation Centre

Barling Way

Nuneaton Warwickshire CV10 7RH

United Kingdom

T +44 845 437 7365

E: enquiries@lsbud.co.uk

LinesearchbeforeUdig (LSBUD) is a free to use online search service that any individual can use to check their works against over 120 asset owners’ utility assets.