Service Strike -- What To Do
Service Strike -- What To Do
Hit a buried cable, gas line or water pipe? What you do in the next minute matters. Three services, three responses -- and one rule that is the same for all of them: get clear.
Electricity cable
- Do not touch the cable, the machine, or anyone in contact with it
- Keep everyone back and treat it as live
- Call 10177 if anyone is hurt; call your municipal or Eskom electricity emergency line to report the damaged cable
Gas line
- No ignition sources -- no cellphones at the leak, no engines, no smoking
- Move people upwind and keep them back
- Call the gas supplier emergency line; call 10177 or 10111 if there is fire or injury
Water or sewer
- Stop work and make the area safe from flooding or collapse
- Call the municipal water department; isolate the supply only if you can do it safely
Before you dig -- every time
- Request service drawings from the municipality and the utility before excavating
- Scan and pothole to locate services by hand before using a machine
Reference only. A damaged service is an emergency -- life safety comes before the job. Report a damaged electricity or gas asset to the supplier immediately and keep the excavation closed off.
Sources: OHS Construction Regulations (excavation) · municipal and Eskom emergency lines · gas suppliers
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