Safe Digging – Listening to the Voice of the Industry

The Consultation was completed by over 500 respondents from across the full range of asset owners, contractors and individuals. By comparison, the Government Consultation carried out by the Government in 2022 as part of the NUAR Project received just 160 responses.

Several very clear messages came out from this latest consultation. These include some key points that align to our Members’ views:

• Accurate and up to date safe digging information is paramount before any excavation work is commenced.
• Access to all is fundamental, as is access control.
• There are high levels of concern regarding safe digging if NUAR is mandated in its current form, which does not take account of the specific requirements of each asset owner.
• The respondents indicated very clearly (74%) that the best, safest and most cost-effective solution would be one which integrates existing safe digging services with NUAR. This common-sense approach protects the existing processes built over 2 decades that ensure protection of our critical assets and those who work on and around them for over 600 million interactions every year- over 1.6 million a day.

READ THE CONSULTATION SUMMARY HERE

Working with the NUAR Team

As the leading safe digging service in the UK, LSBUD has been taking a proactive position in leading the industry to develop a satisfactory solution when NUAR is implemented. There has been some progress in that there is definite recognition by the NUAR project team that an integrated solution would be a benefit to asset owners, users and UK Plc at large, providing greater access and maintaining the high level of safety and efficiency through specific functionality for the very high volumes of safe digging enjoyed in the UK.

As such, it is great to see the latest update from the NUAR team following the conclusion of the most recent Discovery Project. This project aims to unlock the full potential of the NUAR project and is now looking to explore making NUAR data available via third-party intermediaries, with specific mention of safe digging users.  This is hopefully a positive step forwards in the world of safe digging and something that we will be following very closely.

Link to recent announcement : Unlocking NUAR’s full potential: opportunities ahead  – Geospatial Insights

What needs to be done

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is looking to commence wider industry engagement as it moves into its next phase – the NUAR enhancements testing phase. During this phase the project team will further test the feasibility for closer working with third party intermediaries, such as us here at LSBUD.

Whilst there is positive movement in the right direction, all safe digging industry service providers, asset owners and major users must work together to make it clear to the NUAR Project the benefits of an integrated solution. LSBUD is ready and able to work with you, it’s Members and Users, to make this happen.

For more information, please contact us at marketing@lsbud.co.uk