WHAT IS LINESEARCHBEFOREUDIG?
LinesearchbeforeUdig (LSBUD) is a free to use service that any individual (“User”) can use to check their works against over 75 asset owners’ (“Members”) utility assets. These assets include hundreds of thousands of kilometres of underground and overhead pipes and cables in the electricity, gas, high pressure fuel, water and fibre optic networks. The service processes over 2.5 million enquiries per annum- that’s more than one every 10 seconds.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The service can be broken down into three easy steps-
- You provide a few details of your works and submit a free online enquiry
- You receive an instant response showing which of our registered asset owners (‘Members’) have assets near your site
- Our registered members send you the plans of their assets relevant for your area, in accordance with their processes.
LSBUD Members respond in a variety of different ways; some will respond automatically while others may request further information.
Please note that not all asset owners are LSBUD Members and it is your responsibility to identify and contact all asset owners within your search area.
WHO SHOULD USE THE SERVICE?
The service is designed to be used by anyone that needs to know where utility assets (pipes and cables) are in order to work safely. This includes:
- Contractors
- Utilities
- Local Authorities
- Excavators
- Fencing installers
- Private Individuals
- Farmers
- Conveyancers
…and many more. Enquiries can be for simply checking what is there for future requirements or for immediate use, i.e. for an urgent excavation. Works can be of any scale from a highway scheme to simply replacing a garden fence.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO USE LINESEARCHBEFOREUDIG?
- SAFETY
- a) Avoiding the harm to you and your teams caused by striking utility assets
- b) Avoiding the disruption to the general public and asset owners from disrupting supplies.
- FINANCIAL BENEFITS
- a) Free to use
b) Efficiency of getting multiple responses from a single search
c) Instant responses given saving you time
d) Avoiding costly damages.
- INDUSTRY BENEFITS
- a) Helping ensure all stakeholders work more efficiently
b) Saving delays and disruption to works and assets respectively.
- LEGISLATION
- a) Compliance with necessary requirements to ensure safe working.
