National Safe Digging Week
We’re pleased to confirm that National Safe Digging Week is back for its seventh year, running from Monday 6th to Sunday 12th July 2026, with this year’s theme focusing on “The Power of Collaboration.”
This important week remains a key moment in the industry calendar, dedicated to promoting excavation safety and preventing damage to underground infrastructure. The core message continues to stand strong: never dig blind, always search before you dig. This simple but vital principle has been at the heart of the campaign since day one and is more important than ever.
The Power of Collaboration
This year’s theme highlights that the safe digging community has no borders. From utilities and contractors to local authorities and infrastructure providers, safe digging relies on a connected network of people, systems, and shared responsibility.
The Power of Collaboration is about breaking down barriers, strengthening partnerships, and working together to create safer outcomes for everyone. By sharing knowledge, improving communication, and aligning our efforts across regions and sectors, we can make safe digging second nature, everywhere.
When we collaborate, we don’t just reduce risk, we build a stronger, safer industry for all.
How to get involved
Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing daily digital content across our channels, along with a range of customisable digital templates that organisations can download and personalise with their own branding and safe digging messages. These resources will be available via the button below, very soon.
If you or your organisation would like to get involved in future campaigns, please contact marketing@lsbud.co.uk to find out how you can support this vital, industry-wide initiative.
As the safe digging community continues to grow, it is more important than ever that everyone, from industry professionals, through to members of the public, farmers, fencers, and small scale builders, understand how to operate safely around the UK’s underground network of pipes and cables.
Our latest research into safe digging practices shows that there are almost 1,000 people a month panic searching on Google after hitting an underground asset. Not only does this show that people are not searching before putting a spade in the ground, but they also don’t know what to do once the accident has happened. That means approximately 12,000 people each year are putting themselves in danger via unsafe digging practices, and they are accentuating this risk by having no idea what to do next. Certainly a major worry.
- “I’ve hit a pipe, who pays?’
- “hit a gas pipe in my garden”
- “what to do if you hit a gas pipe”
- “hit power line while digging”
- “help, I’ve gone through a cable”
Remember…
Safe digging is for everyone, so whatever the digging the job, whether you’re carrying out home improvements, just planting a tree or extending your home, always search before you dig.
Still relevant today, watch Cadent’s video from 2024 below; it’s to remind contractors (and all of us) to always report any type of damage done during their work to gas pipes or gas assets. No matter how big or small.
