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The LSBUD (Line Search Before You Dig) organisation, which offers an online asset search facility to UK civil engineering firms for underground pipes and cables, has said that Northern Ireland’s underground pipes and cables will be “safer than ever before” after Virgin Media (O2) and Mutual Energy joined their platform.
The operators both just became the first members of LSBUD’s platform in Northern Ireland, which is said to be “helping to protect UK infrastructure, workers, and the public from avoidable utility strikes” (i.e. damage to infrastructure, not union activity). At present more than 12,000 kilometres of underground assets are registered on LSBUD across NI.
By registering, these founding Members can now provide detailed asset maps to anyone looking to take on an excavation project, which should help to protect both their own networks and those doing the digging.
Richard Broome, Managing Director of LSBUD, said:
“We’re so pleased to be welcoming the first Members in Northern Ireland to our growing network. With existing Members and Users pushing for us to expand our services into Northern Ireland, following the success our service has had in the UK, the move marks a major milestone for the safe digging community.
We would like to thank our founding Members Mutual Energy and VMO2 for being so proactive in their pursuit of safety. The impact of a strike can have serious ramifications, from expensive repairs and disrupted services through to reputational damage and risk to life. By joining our established service, not only are they protecting their assets from costly damage, but also keeping those people digging around them safe. Safe digging is for all.”
But this approach does appear to compete a bit with the UK Government’s ongoing development of a National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) for England, Northern Ireland and Wales, which represents a new digital map of underground pipes and cables (broadband, power, water etc.) – also intended to help reduce accidental damage.