Event description:
Independent 3rd Party specialist carries out initial marking. All teams have a hard copy of utility plans at work, including the Gas utility prints.
Utility plans showed a 3inch gas main running down the far side of the road in front of the houses; the plans do not show individual house services.
Surface marking on the road was in line with the gas inlet points as would be expected and in line with standard practice.
The excavation was carried out with an excavator and banksman. The team did not see any changes in ground conditions as they removed the surrounding ground. The banksman then noticed that a 22mm gas service PE pipe passed the trench at 45 degrees had been damaged as it was rising slightly at one end.
Gas service was over 3 metres away from the line of the gas tap on the footpath.
What would you have done to avoid this accident?