‘Best Practice’ Location of Subsurface Utilities …Development of an Associated Training Course Introduction Historically… • Buried non-metallic services were unable to be readily located by practical surface-based technologies • ‘As-built’ records were not accurate enough to permit their sole use in verifying utility position prior to excavation • The economic consequences of accidental damage to utilities were less significant 1
Introduction •Compounding this scenario, the Industry was largely unregulated and followed no established work or training procedures •Predictably, the risk of accidental damage to buried infrastructure was unduly elevated. Introduction Major collateral damage was imposed regularly… 2
Introduction …to the detriment of the integrity and long-term viability of the affected assets…. Introduction …the heath & safety of workers on site… 3
Introduction …and general inconvenience and cost to the asset owner, the contractors, & stakeholders. Background o …Major issue, better practice needed!! o Something had to be done!! o 2004: LORD Civil publishes paper: ‘Implementing a New Level of Industry ‘Best Practice’ in Regard to Underground Service Detection’. 4
Background o Paper called for: • Agreed min. Code of Practice • Defined levels of quality • Implementation by policy • Asset owners & stakeholders to prepare & implement jointly • Prepare Training, Certification & Qualification Procedures o Receives wide acclaim & support for its timely initiative. o Subsequent uptake disappointing o Vision took 10 more years to implement! Bursting into Print (to no avail) !! 2005: (July) ……”given ‘suitable will’ a widespread Article “Network Failures ‘avoidable’ implementation of the LORD Civil proposals is says Chch Engineering firm” possible by the end of the year, with formal published by LORD Civil in training qualifications, training providers, and draft systems being on standby for that “NZ Local Government” magazine eventuality” 5
‘Best Practice’ Documented in a Patent o 2005 (Nov): Patent applied for by LORD Civil.. ‘Method for a Quality of Outcome-based approach to the location, mapping, and management of sub-surface utilities’ o Remains pending o Key points: • Survey approach & mark-out guided by “quality of outcome” practices • Mutliple geophysical tools & indications overlaid • Pre-excavation QA mark-out & GIS component too • Training of operators vital part of IP! Towards a Formal Implementation o Major 3 yr. project tried to rollout IP across all of East Australia o Roading NZ supportive… o 2007: LORD Civil approaches InfraTrain and NZIHT CEOs… • Briefs on LORD Civil IP & associated pending training needs of the Industry to receive competency and on-going competency re- assessment (part of LORD IP) • Enthusiastic response BUT… • Agreement by all parties that the timing was ahead of the wider Industry interest • LORD to liaise with, & motivate, the Industry to embrace the concepts proposed. 6
The Problem An almost unique absence by international standards of an adequate and robust enough legislative and supporting regulatory framework surrounding utility location issues!! o Contractors often chose to forego location & self manage the risk! o At best many simply used a basic ‘cable avoidance’ system Return Risk of consequential o Health & Safety & asset damage over-ridden by cost considerations from job dam age The Problem • The criticality and true cost of damage to buried assets became acute • Minimal tolerance by asset owners and stakeholders to asset damage • Technology offered a range of practical solutions • International trend toward enhanced levels of location best practice 7
The Problem In NZ… o Little real commitment on behalf of civil industry or local authorities to address this until last few years! o Regional exceptions o Few (nom. 6-8) ‘professional location providers’ in NZ to service all needs until that time. o Early innovations & ideas, including training, had to be parked up BUT, all (finally) did change, and fast, recently… The Problem 8
Moving Forward at Last! o Simultaneous Stimulus.. • Chch earthquake sub-surface assessment & rebuild • UFB rollout (Australia & NZ) • Appetite at last for strike penalties • Tightening OSH legislation 2014 o Wider Industry found itself unprepared to respond o No formal guidelines or training in place o Many new entrants ‘having a go’ with ad hoc training o Increasing pressure to formulate a response … What to do & how to deliver? Moving Forward at Last! o 2012: SCIRT, LORD Civil and CBLG work on AS5488 o 2013: LORD works with SCIRT to develop a formal ‘best practice’ location procedure based on LORD Civil IP • Quality level approach • Includes location tolerances for each • Training is cited as part of process • Informally delivered initially 9
Moving Forward at Last! In 2013 things continued to move quickly: o NZTA CEO convenes ‘Safety Leadership Forum’ • Significantly, involved all stakeholders (incl. contractors, NZUAG, SCIRT, Roading NZ, Contractors Federation) • Very much lead by safety & work processes • Looking for early implementation o SCIRT proposes NZTA adopts ‘Best Practice’ document nationally…well received o LORD Civil works to formalise associated competency- assessed training to IP… LORD Civil Training Solution o 2014…NZ Industry finally demands a training solution! o LORD Civil launches a competency-assessed training course. o Based on LORD Civil IP o No known peer o NZ-wide delivery o Yet to sit on NZQA framework 10
LORD Civil Training Solution The 2 day course caters to nominally 4 students. It involves: o an overview of relevant theory (3 hrs) o a practical field training session (8 hrs) o a written exam (20 mins.) o a practical assessment (20 mins. ea.) Total contact time 16 hours . LORD Civil Training Solution THEORY (Follows SCIRT / NZTA structure) • Scope, general information and definitions (0.7 hrs). • Subsurface utility location application (0.3 hrs). • Site processes, plant and equipment (1.5 hours). • Health and safety (0.1 hrs). • Environmental matters (0.1 hrs). • Abbreviations, mark out, and colour coding (0.1 hrs) • Quality levels (0.2 hrs) 11
LORD Civil Training Solution Formally prepared Tutor Guides • Detail of delivery • Detail of assessment processes • Precise timings LORD Civil Training Solution Formally prepared Course Questionnaire (multi-choice) • Tutor chooses from list of questions • Pass 15/16 • Option to have questions read • Two chance concept 12
LORD Civil Training Solution Formally prepared Course Notes • Practical • Detailed • Procedural • Aimed at a good understanding of processes • Examples & tips LORD Civil Training Solution A Certificate of Competency is issued to all competent attendees after an exam and practical assessment by the trainer. 13
LORD Civil Training Solution The Certificate details on the rear the topics examined in and the competency achieved LORD Civil Training Solution The class photo to wrap it up! 14
‘Best practice’ implementation at last? Well-equipped, well-trained contractors ‘Best practice’ implementation at last? Minimal incidents 15
Summary & Observation o An Industry response has been achieved in NZ for ‘best practice’ utility location o A 17 year vision & effort but credit to NZTA CEO o An associated competency-assessed training course in place o A NZ-wide roll out is nigh. o A major contribution to safety & infrastructure management o Australian contractors will likely follow the NZ model soon Committed to improving the ‘best practice’ in subsurface location www.lordcivil.com 16
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