Emergency Procedures and Contacts
At LSBUD an emergency is defined as a potentially life-threatening situation and may include the following:
- Leaking gas or fuel pipe
- Exposed and live electricity cable in a public area
- Downed overhead electricity lines
- Major telecommunications cable and cabinets
- Burst water ejecting water under pressure.
- Open sewer causing contamination.
- Sinkholes & voids caused by sewer or water pipe leaks.
- Any other situation with risk to life or property.
Safely evacuate all workers and public
Where there is risk to life or property you must first where possible safely evacuate all workers and public from the site of the incident and to a safe distance call the emergency services first on 999 to report the location and incident.
Follow up immediately with a call to the asset owner whose details you can find below. Asset owners with utility equipment in your area of excavation can be found on original LSBUD enquiry confirmation sheet.
Have ready the following information:
- Type of damaged asset
- The details of damage and situation. i.e. exposed live cables
- If there are any casualties
- The exact location
- Any access requirements or details. i.e. on commercial premises and how to gain entry
- Any other risks on the site that the responding crew should be aware of.
Contact details for asset owners listed below are members of the LSBUD service and may not represent all owners of utility infrastructure in or around the location of damage.
National Utility Emergency Numbers
These will work regardless of the location you are digging in
To report a gas emergency, or if a pipeline is struck (even if no gas leak has occurred) call 0800 111 999 – 24 hours a day. If you smell gas, call the gas emergency number on 0800 111 999.
If you have an electrical emergency to report, please call as soon as possible on 105 – free to call from a landline or a mobile phone.
For all other utilities where there is no risk to life or property you should contact them directly by using the emergency numbers as listed on the LSBUD enquiry confirmation sheet.
If Damages Happen
Irrespective of size, any work site has the potential to damage assets located around the excavation area, leading to service interruptions, delays to the project, costly repairs and in the worst-case scenario, injury, or death.
In order to avoid these incidents, it is essential to recognise your Duty to Protect and take careful note of the following statements and if they apply to the type of asset damaged and scenario.
- If the damage is threatening to life or property evacuate the site immediately and contact the emergency services.
- If you are in a vehicle or mobile plant such as a digger and it come into contact with live electricity lines or cables DO NOT leave the vehicle unless your life is at risk from fire or similar. If you must exit the vehicle then jump as far as possible and never touch the vehicle and ground at the same time. Only leave when instructed as safe by emergency services or asset owner.
- No other workers should approach the digger/vehicle.
- Do not attempt to move any downed power lines, they may still be live.
- If you have damaged a gas pipe switch off all sources of ignition and evacuate the area immediately and leave the pipe to vent and stay upwind. Move at least 20 metres clear for a distribution pipe and 100 metres for a high pressure or transmission pipe.
- Do not attempt to start any vehicles to remove away from gas leak, this may ignite the gas.
- Do not attempt to extinguish any ignited gas leaks.
- Do not cover any damaged pipes with soil, other materials, or digger buckets.
- Do not attempt to stop the escape by clamping or folding back the pipe.
- Do not attempt to self-repair.
- Do not inhale any escaping fumes.
- Do not attempt to look into any fibre optic as laser light may damage eyesight.
- Do not handle damaged fibre optic, as glass may cause injury.
- Immediately leave excavation trench where water or waste is damaged, it may cause the trench to collapse if not shored up.
- Beware of contamination from damaged wastewater/sewer.
- Always report any damage however minor to the asset owner.