SA022 – Safe Location and Avoidance

Who is SA022 - Safe Location and Avoidance training for?

This accreditation is aimed at those who need to safely locate and avoid underground services such as gas, electricity, mains water, sewage and telecommunications as part of their job.

What will I learn on a SA022 course?

The SA022 - Safe Location and Avoidance course provides learners with the knowledge and skills of planning, safely locating and avoiding underground services.

This includes training on physical identification methods of underground services (e.g. site visual surveys and interpreting any drawings) and also using cable avoidance tools and accessories to detect, trance and mark clearly where services have been found, preventing risk of harm to people on site and damage to the services.

This accreditation ensures that delegates are suitably trained and accredited to the National Occupational Standard (NOS) when locating and avoiding underground services.

Safe Location and Avoidance Learning Objectives:

• The purpose of safe location and avoidance
• Understand service drawings
• Plan for safe location and avoidance
• Identify, detect and mark out underground services
• Methods of safe excavation of underground services

Streetworks

Please be aware the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) requires at least one person on site to hold a Street Works card to work on the highway.

This Smart Awards accreditation is based on a pre-requisite that any work on the highway requires appropriate Street Works accreditation to be held by an individual working on site, and that this individual is qualified to check that the planned provision of footways, traffic lanes and safety zones determined by the site survey meets with the requirements of the site location and approved procedures and practices required by the NRSWA 1991.

Some companies’ policies may vary where more than one person on site is required to hold a valid Street Works card.

You will be assessed, via your theory and practical assessments, on the following criteria:

Understand the purpose of safe location and avoidance of underground services

Outline safe working practices and safe environment practices

Outline the range and use of PPE

Explain the reasons excavation takes place and state typical locations and depths of the usual range of underground supply apparatus

State the principles of operation and method of use of electronic detection equipment

Sate contractor responsibilities when working on or near underground services

Explain the different types of emergency situations that can occur

Outline the type of hazard associated with different supplies and actions to take in the case of damage to the supplies

Understand service drawings and plan for safe location and avoidance of underground services

Carry out risk assessment on location area

Interpret provided documents for different services

Record the position of buried apparatus and services on utility plans

Select and use the correct safety equipment and PPE

Inspect and prepare tools and equipment to complete the activity

Select and confirm calibration of the equipment

Be able to identify, detect and mark out underground services

Conduct systems checks in accordance with operation

Determine the content and sequence of tasks needed to complete work activity

Plan and carry out work in line with work procedures and safety regulations

Demonstrate methods of visually locating and identifying underground supply apparatus, including markers, signs and features, and the use of existing records

Use cable avoidance tools to locate buried apparatus and services in accordance with work instructions and equipment specifications

Use operational modes to carry out sweep searches of identified area using location equipment

Use operational modes to pinpoint service using location equipment

Use operational modes to trace service using location equipment

Mark out service location using measures appropriate to location

Confirm location results prior to excavation

Understand methods of safe excavation of underground services

Describe safety considerations when excavating

Explain methods of safe exposure of services when excavating

Describe methods of identifying exposed services and their limitations

Describe reporting procedures for location of unexpected services

Identify potential service indicators that may be found during excavation

On receiving payment for your SA022 - Safe Location and Avoidance training, an email with your ‘course joining instructions’ is sent to you.
This document includes the following details:

• Your chosen course date
• Course start time at your chosen venue
• Address of your chosen venue, including a map screenshot
• Details of what to do if you need any special requirements to complete the course

You need to bring photographic ID, such as a driving licence or passport with you.

Lunch is not included, so please provide your own.

Entry Requirements

This qualification is available to anyone over the age of 16 years old. Smart Awards will not restrict access on the grounds of prior academic attainment, age, employment, geographic location or any other grounds. There are no barriers that restrict access or progression, thereby promoting equality. It is expected however, that learners will have a level of literacy adequate to cope with both the theory and practical assessments.

Assessment

The course includes both practical and theory assessment.

• Practical Assessment - you will be assessed throughout the course by your trainer as you complete practical tasks
• A short theory test, which is composed of multiple-choice questions (you will need to achieve a pass mark of 80% to complete this course)

Certification

This Smart Awards certificate is valid for 3 years, you will then need to complete the course again or attend a refresher course if available, to renew your qualification.

Please download the course overview brochure below; easy to print and email if you need to share course information with a manager or colleague. If you would like a brochure sent to you, please fill out the form below.

Please download the course overview brochure below; easy to print and email if you need to share course information with a manager or colleague. If you would like a brochure sent to you, please fill out the form below.