There are estimated to be anywhere between 1.5 million kilometers and 2.5 million kilometers of underground services in the UK, depending on whose figures you believe. Whichever figure is correct, it is a lot of buried assets, and they can be found anywhere, even in the most unlikely places.
In order to maintain and/or repair this huge amount of services, the utilities and Local Authorities between them carry out an estimated 3.5 million street works every year. Obviously, it is essential to take every precaution to avoid striking any underground services when carrying out any excavation work, partly because damaging the services can be costly and interrupt business, but also to avoid the danger of injury to workers carrying out the digging, along with any passers-by. Nonetheless, there are some 60,000 cable strikes in the UK each year which result in approximately a dozen fatalities, and a considerable amount of serious injuries.
Part of the problem is that local authorities and utility services may well keep drawings and plans – STATS – of the location of their buried services, but these may not always be up to date, nor are they always accurate. In some instances, there may be no STATS available at all.
Furthermore, the utilities and local authorities hold their data in different formats, some on microfiche, some vector-based, and some on paper drawings, which means that sharing the information is challenging, costly, and bureaucratic. In addition, there is no central repository of data for buried services and underground apparatus.
This is why, in April 2017, the Institution of Civil Engineers, in collaboration with the British Standards Institute, and Infrastructure UK, which is a division of HM Treasury, published PAS256 which is a national common code of practice which can be implemented across the UK.
Improving the availability of information on these buried services, together with more effective and collaborative planning and co-ordination, will lead to road works being planned better which will result in some major cost savings. It should also lead to more effective reinstatement practices, and, hopefully, longer life of pavements and road surfaces. At present, it is not unusual for one utility to carry out works in a street and repair the road or pavement surface, and then a couple of weeks later another utility, or the local authority, comes along and carries out further works in the same spot.
At Sygma Solutions we provide a PAS256 course as part of our training for operatives who are required to carry out surveys of underground services with the object of avoiding them when carrying out any excavation work.
GPS Course & Total Station Introduction
This is a 2 day dedicated GPS course with an introduction to Total Station
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
Please contact enquires@sygma-solutions.com for future dates and a booking form
Open Days
Please contact us about open days
PAS128 Utility Mapping Training Modules mapped to CICES competencies
– 2 days
Module 1 – Pas 128 Level D &C training to include level 3 assessment – CICES GEUS01 A-D
– 3 Days
Module 2 – PAS128 Level B Training – can include Level 4 assessment – CICES GUES01 E-I
Please contact enquires@sygma-solutions.com for future dates and a booking form
2 Day Advanced EM Course (RD8100 & VIVAX)
In depth course covering electromagnetic locators, theory and intensive practical on our real world training site.
Cost: £295 per person
Location: Wigan
Dates:
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1 Day Mala GPR Module 1 – Theory & Practical
Cost: FOC
Location: Wigan
Dates:
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1 Day Mala GPR Module 2 – Post processing
Cost: FOC
Location: Wigan
Dates:
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2 Day GPR – All Manufacturers
Location: Wigan
Dates:
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5 Day TSA & ICES Approved 5 Day Utility Mapping Course
Location: Wigan
Dates:
Location: Worcester
Dates:
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1 Day Public Genny & CAT course – Can Include Proqual Level 2 Qual as an option
Cost: £175 plus VAT
Location: Wigan
Dates:
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Level 3 Utility Mapping Qualification – All Online
Cost: £275 PLUS REG FEE
Location: Online
Dates: To suit
Level 5 Diploma Utility Mapping Qualification – Online workbooks – followed by assessment
Cost £1100 PLUS REG FEE
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre or your site
Dates: To suit
Open level 5 assessment dates at Sygma Solutions, Wigan
Level 5 Diploma Utility Mapping Qualification – in 5 days
Cost – contact us
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Dates:
5th – 9th February 2024
26th February – 1st March 2024
Sygma PAS 128 Utility Surveyor Training Including Proqual Level 3 Utility Mapping and Surveying
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre , Wigan
22nd – 26th January 2024 Limited spaces available
12th – 16th February 2024
4th – 8th March 2024
Please contact:
enquiries@sygma-solutions.com for current availability and booking form