Digging safely near our pipes and equipment

We want anyone working near our pipes to be safe. Hitting or damaging a pipe can have severe consequences.

If you’re thinking about digging near our pipes or equipment you must let us know before you start. This is so we can help you dig safely.

You must not start any work until we confirm it is safe to do so.
 

Get started

Here are the steps that we will take you through to help you dig safely. Don't worry, we’ll stay in touch along the way to make sure it's going smoothly and you’re happy with everything.
  • Customer submits an enquiry

  • We assess the enquiry

  • Outcome of enquiry

  • Guidance given

  • Site visit if applicable


What we’ll need to know

It’s very important that you give us as much information as possible when you let us know about your plans to dig. We need this to be able to keep you safe.

  • What you’re doing
  • Where you’re going to be digging, including the grid reference and postcode
  • The direction and depth
  • Your planned start date
  • How long it will last
  • Site location plan that's clearly marked out


Before you dig

Before you start digging you must:

  • have confirmation from us that it is safe to dig
  • have full colour plans, generated within the last 28 days of where our gas pipes are
  • have our supervision to:
    • clearly mark out the pipes on the land
    • dig trial holes to find the exact position of the pipes using recognised and agreed safe hand digging techniques.

The online portal at LinesearchbeforeUdig can guide you through parts of this. You must not start any work until we confirm it's safe to do so.



When you dig

When you start digging you must:

  • have read and understood the guidelines we sent you when we confirmed it was safe to dig
  • follow the relevant guidance at all times
  • keep all Cadent correspondence on site at all times
  • not remove concrete blocks near gas pipes
  • not use a mechanical excavator within
  • 0.5 metres of a low/medium pressure gas pipe
  • 3 metres of an intermediate/high pressure gas pipe 
  • not carry out hand digging within 3 metres of a high pressure gas pipe 

make sure gas pipes are supported

  • avoid trench collapse
  • use PPE
  • not use an exposed gas pipe as a hand hold or step
  • report all damage no matter how slight

Additional Guidance

Specification for Safe Working in the Vicinity of Cadent Assets*
Dial Before You Dig: Your at a Glance Guide*
Tree Planting Guidance
Plant Protection Charging Statement
Wind Turbine Guidance
 

*Please note these documents are updated frequently and any downloaded versions may quickly become out of date. Please check the version control code at the bottom of the document to see if you have the latest version.

Enquire online

We want to hear from you and work with you.

LinesearchbeforeUdig allows you to submit your enquiry online, quickly and easily. We'll respond to your enquiry online within 24 hours.

Submit enquiry



 



For support or further information feel free to call us on 0800 688 588 or email us.