Just about every service we need – electricity, gas, telecoms, water, sewage pipes, and so on – runs underground. Back in the day – 60 or so years ago – telephone lines ran on telegraphs poles, but today even those are mostly underground. Out of sight, out of mind.
That’s all very well, but many of them are out of mind when it comes to digging into the soil for whatever reason. Constructing a new building, repairing an existing service, or whatever else you need to do, even if it is only digging some holes to put fence poles in, there is always the chance of striking some underground service if you are not careful. And let’s face it: there are a lot of underground services. 2.5 million kilometres of them at the latest count.
Not only that, but there are some 4 million excavation works carried out in the UK every year, and figures quoted for 2017 showed that only 2.25 million of those were preceded by a thorough search for underground services before digging began. That meant that a staggering 44% of such works were carried out without the workers, or anyone else, knowing if they might be liable to hit something.
Striking underground services can have a number of different effects. One of the most obvious is that the service will need to be repaired, so there is the cost of that to consider. But then there are a lot of associated costs because if, for instance, telecoms or fibreoptic cables go down, local businesses will come to a halt. It has been calculated that the true cost of damage to services is 28 times the cost of repair. So, if the repair cost was, say, £4,000, the actual cost would be over £100,000.
But that is the least of our worries. Of far more concern is the likelihood of injury to workers or passers-by. Striking an electricity cable can cause arcing current leading to life-changing injuries. Striking a gas pipe can lead to fire and explosion. We have seen only recently an incident where gas piping was leaking in London and a young child was killed when the house blew up. On average, there are around a dozen deaths every year as a result of striking underground services.
This is why a thorough survey using the CAT and Genny is critical before ever putting a spade in the ground.
But it is necessary to fully understand how to use these tools and this is why we run CAT and Genny training courses at Sygma Solutions. Our CAT And Genny course teaches operatives not just how to use the tools in all modes, but most importantly, the fact that they have certain limitations.
This is vital knowledge which we teach on our CAT and Genny training because if an operative fails to understand those limitations, then he / she could believe that there is no service there when, in fact, there is!
Today, our CAT and Genny Course can be undertaken both in the classroom and online. This is followed by practical work on site, which is essential in order to be able to put the knowledge gained into practice.
If the course you are looking for has no dates or you would like a course built for your company please contact
enquiries@sygma-solutions.com for current availability and 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 (RD8100/8200 & VIVAX)
In depth course covering electromagnetic locators, theory and intensive practical on our real world training site.
Cost: £295 per person
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
30th – 31st May 2024
23rd – 24th July 2024
5th – 6th September 2024
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
1 Day Mala GPR Module 1 – Theory & Practical
Cost: FOC
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Dates: Contact Us
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
1 Day Mala GPR Module 2 – Post processing
Cost: FOC
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Dates: Contact Us
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
2 Day GPR – All Manufacturers
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Dates: Contact Us
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
5 Day TSA & ICES Approved 5 Day Utility Mapping Course
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Dates: Contact Us
Location: Worcester
Dates: Contact Us
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
1 Day Public Genny & CAT Course – Can include ProQual Level 2 Qualification as an option
Cost: £175 plus VAT
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
Dates:
Please contact us for future dates and a booking form
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:
3rd – 7th June 2024
1st – 5th July 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
15th – 19th April 2024 Limited spaces available
20th – 24th May 2024
10th – 14th June 2024
8th – 12th July 2024
Level 3 Utility Mapping and Surveying Public Course
24th – 25th June 2024
1st – 2nd July 2024
24th – 25th September 2024
Location: Sygma Solutions training centre, Wigan
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
Please contact:
enquiries@sygma-solutions.com for current availability and booking form