LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging resource, has announced that this year’s National Safe Digging Week will move from its historical spot in September to start on Monday 4th July.
The week, designed to raise awareness of the health and safety, financial and brand implications that come from hitting an underground pipe or cable, has moved to July to reflect it being the UK’s busiest and most dangerous period for digging. Reasons for this include longer working hours, better weather, temporary workers covering for holidays, and consumers having more opportunity to do home improvements during British Summer Time (BST).
Further to this, the UK is experiencing a digging boom post-pandemic with the Government looking to kick start the economy through investment in large-scale infrastructure projects. This rise in digging activity must not overlook safe digging practices.
Richard Broome, MD at LSBUD comments: “We know that the summer, and July in particular, is a hot period for digging – all the data shows this to be the case. Indeed, it is common for industries like farming, construction, highways, telecoms, and utilities, to embark on significant infrastructure projects over the summer. Plus, the general public is making the most of good weather, lighter evenings and having time off work to get out in the garden and get their own digging projects moving.
“This is all very well and good, but everyone must dig safely, or else risk serious injuries, even fatalities, as well as the possibility of causing millions of pounds worth of damage.
“That’s why we’ve moved National Safe Digging Week to coincide with the UK’s busiest time for digging. The message is still the same – people must search for underground assets before they dig. This could be a farmer checking before replacing fence posts, or contractors keeping safe digging in mind when laying broadband cables under a road. The message is simple. Search before you dig.
“We will be announcing major plans for National Safe Digging Week 2022 over the coming weeks, but we want to let the industry know about the date change ahead of time so that it can be marked off in everyone’s calendars. People should start thinking now about how they might want to get involved with such a necessary cause.”
LSBUD now has over 100 Members signed up across industry, including two out of three of the UK’s utility operators, 90 percent of gas distribution networks, 92 percent of electricity distribution networks and 99 percent of fuel/oil pipeline operators. This has led to LSBUD hosting over 1 million kilometres of underground network on its portal.
For more information about LSBUD, visit http://www.lsbud.co.uk/
