dangers

THE DANGERS BELOW

THE MAGAZINE OF BELOW-GROUND

DAMAGE PREVENTION. UNDERGROUND UNDERSTOOD.

Locating Unlimited

Thank you to the People and Companies who assisted getting this project published.

Otre Moussa

Managing Director

Otrem Engineering Pty Ltd 0419 291 100

Daniel Beech Director

Subsurface Consulting Pty Ltd 0466 816 499

Laurie Radcliffe

Managing Director

Drone Operations 0428 428 130

Bill Henningham

Corridor Protection Lead APA Gas 0409 119 252

Sean Morris

Operations Manager

Pacific Pipe & Cable Locating +679 9 096 955

Shelley Astill

Brand & Marketing Coordinator

McMullen Nolan Group Pty Ltd 08 6436 1593

Dr Jan Francke

Managing Director Geolitix – Ground Radar https://www.geolitix.com/

Hagar Alnajjar

Our wonderfully Talented Graphic Artist

Please direct all enquiries to –thedangersbelow@locatingunlimited.com.au

The Dangers Below is published every 2 months and distributed electronically free of charge to industry professionals.

THE DANGERS BELOW

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editorial

The Value of Training

What is Vacuum Excavation

Using Drones for Aerial Views of the Located Area

Caveat Emptor

The Legal Angle

Reading Plans

Locating in Paradise – Bula from Fiji

Concrete Corner

Plan Access

Underground Gas Pipelines 101

FEATURE – Focus on MNG

Why is Tracer Wire Important

EM Locating Tips and Tricks

SPECIAL TRAINING EVENT – Introducing Dr Jan Francke

THE DANGERS BELOW Editorial.

Amazing how time flies. Here we are at the second edition of The Dangers Below, and it feels like I have just put the final touches on the first. I am so pleased with the response from our first offering, literally dozens of congratulatory emails received, THANK YOU so much.

Because of the responses received, you will note that this edition has increased in size. Added to our usual stories:

➚ Concrete Scanning.

➚ Drones.

➚ Legal Angle.

➚ And our feature company

We have added the following sections:

➚ How utilities are put in the ground – Understanding the Network.

➚ Locating in Paradise – this Edition – Fiji.

➚ Reading Plans.

➚ EM Locating – Hints and Tips.

One bit of industry news that has hit many hard is the demise of the VAC GROUP (Vac-U-Digga, Earth Radar, Staking U). Known for years as industry leaders, the Vac Group went into receivership just before Christmas owing a reported $40 million dollars. Sad to see the assets of the once mighty, lined up at Ritchie Brothers Auctions for disposal. I feel deeply for many of the staff who worked tirelessly for the Company.

Locating Unlimited is pleased to announce that we have been able to grab the very talented trainer Gabby Johnson from Staking U and look forward to her delivering courses soon.

For the next edition, we want to start a regular” Have Your Say” section, an open forum where you can voice your opinion on any topic. Tell us about your experience with the industry; what cheeses you off, what you like, what needs improving, all comments can be anonymous if you choose.

This year is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Locating Unlimited, we have several projects underway which have been slowly progressing, but are very close to being ready to launch, watch this space, for further details.

As always, we love to hear you feedback (both positive and negative) we pride ourselves on continual improvement and can only get better by being guided by feedback. Emails can be sent to:

thedangersbelow@locatingunlimited.com.au

Stay safe, work safe.

Jeff Moore

Jeff Moore

The Value of Training

Not only does training, and the potential it creates for internal promotion, enhance self-worth, it also allows employees to see ahead, to plan a career path in terms of their own personal growth, crucially, within the company they have joined.

According to an IBM Survey conducted by Kenexa, top performing companies not only recognize the importance of their people but also the need to provide the right skills to enable their people to perform. 71% of CEOs cited human capital, ahead of products, customer relationships and brands as the leading source of sustained economic value, “People Skills” ranked in the top 4 of external forces that impact a business. The survey went on to indicate that 84% of employees in the best performing companies are receiving the training they need compared with only 16% in the worst performing companies.

As they say, the numbers don’t lie.

Today’s economy dictates that business needs to do everything possible to drive performance; people and skills are a strategic part of this performance. Staff who have been trained correctly and given the skills necessary to complete the task safely and efficiently,

are known to be more content and job enjoyment, and are satisfied in their roles. Training builds self-esteem, self-worth, and a sense of belonging. They feel that the business values them and is willing to invest in their future.

An emerging problem, possibly driven by economic needs, or simply by changes in worker attitudes is the

employee “round-about”. Employees who think the grass is greener elsewhere, or worse, other companies poaching staff. Good companies invest heavily in staff training, often sinking 10’s of thousands of dollars into employees to develop the skills required. Obviously, this training benefits the company paying for the training, in the form of having skilled staff, but it also benefits the employee because they have been transformed into a well-trained, highly employable person.

BUT WAIT. There is a simple solution. Make a simple amendment to your staff employment contract to read something like:

We pay for and provide you with all available training to ensure that your skills are developed to a very high standard, however if you choose to leave our employ within 6 months of any training provided, we reserve the right to recoup any training cost expended during this period.

Make the above point known to the new employee, and perhaps even have them initial the paragraph and as acknowledgement of their understanding. Problem solved.

The return on investment makes training worthwhile for all business’s big or small. When choosing RTO’s to meet your training needs please don’t just look at the price, proper training isn’t cheap, nor should it be. If all you want is a “piece of paper” then go “bargain hunting”, but if you want training that delivers an outcome that up-skills you team, do your due diligence – choose on reputation and quality outcomes.

What is Vacuum Excavation?

Need to expose a buried utility to positively identify it? Or to meet your Duty of Care to the Asset owner? Or maybe you just want to dig a hole or trench and be 100% certain of not damaging the precious infrastructure that lies beneath, then Vacuum Excavation is the answer that you are looking for.

Also known as Vac X, Hydro Excavation, NDD or non-Destructive Digging, it is the process of using high-pressure water (pressure should be limited to no more than 2,000psi or as specified by the asset owner) to break up the soil and a high-capacity vacuum extraction system for the removal of the spoil.

Vacuum excavation is a process with a much longer history than many might imagine. It’s believed that during 1850, miners in California worked to remove land masses and gold by using steam pumps to target pressurised water. Move forward a century and miners in cold climates, such as North America, looked for

an alternative to standard digging. Standard digging was impossible for many working locations that were often tundra. In this case, hydro excavation was an effective solution with the use of heated water. As the hydro excavation process became more refined, it increasingly became a go-to solution for many excavation projects across Australia and everywhere else.

What is a vacuum truck?

More commonly known as a Vac Truck, the process of vacuum excavation serves many purposes with the most common centred on digging and collecting dirt around an underground utility or cable, without using traditional digging tools or machines. This process

has become popular in recent decades as it alleviates the risks commonly associated with conventional digging via excavator and shovel. Using non-destructive digging techniques like vacuum excavation has proven to significantly mitigate the risk of line strikes

▶ mergency repairs to damaged pipes or cables

▶ Clearing blocked drains

▶ Safely digging trenches

▶ And of course, the exposure of buried pipes and cables so that they can be positively identified

and utility damage, while also decreasing project time.

Super versatile, Vac trucks can also be used for a variety of tasks including but not limited to:

▶ Clearing of confined spaces

▶ Clearing around tree root

▶ Used extensively for cleaning up after recent northern NSW and Queensland floods

Vac trucks come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are flexible enough to do almost any job, anywhere. Ranging in size from small 1,000lt trailer mounted units all the way through to massive 10 or 12,000lt semi-trailer units. System comprises the following major components, water storage, high pressure water blaster (regulated to 2,000psi) and connected to a water lance fitted with a specialised digging nozzle. The vacuum source is provided in one of two ways: either through a positive displacement blower or a fan system. The fan system is easier to use. It effectively moves huge amounts of air; this means it delivers faster excavations and is usually both lighter and less expensive than the alternative displacement blower systems. The material “Vacuumed” up is stored in a container mounted on the truck to be disposed of later.

What are the benefits of vacuum excavation?

The main benefit of using a Vac Truck is that there will be minimum damage to existing and underground fixtures of pipework, cabling, and power or other lines. Because the work carried out is more precise and accurate there is less need for backfilling. Vacuum excavation is far more advanced and safer than usual methods of digging around pipes and cables because the process is much more controlled. A cleaner workspace is delivered because of this precision and the removal of the spoil into the on-board storage vessel.

The bottom line.

Vacuum Excavation is the safe and efficient method of excavating around buried utilities. It should be considered for any task where there is a possibility of damaging the infrastructure that utility owners have put in the ground. Eliminate the cost, the stress and the potential of personal injury caused by asset strikes.

Using Drones for aerial views of the “Located Area”

Could you imagine providing your client with an actual current picture of the area that was surveyed (located) along with the information of underground services.

This can now be carried out commercially without an RePL (Drone License) by flying in the Excluded Category.

A course is now available that can be used by “Underground Service Locating Personal” and the course is Nationally Accredited (Issued Certificate).

AVIY0028 – Operate remotely piloted aircraft in the excluded category sub-2kg operations

Or you could provide further aerials surveys for your clients of an area that has been located.

Further Information about “Drone Surveys”

Drones are powerful tools to help in the underground locating, mapping and surveying industry. They can effectively perform work for 3D mapping, land surveys, photogrammetry, and topographic surveying by flying above the ground.

In general, surveying is the science of determining the distances and positions between two points, whether in a 2D or 3D space. This information is used to help make critical decisions about the upkeep of infrastructure, construction site planning, and delineating property boundaries. When you want to complete a drone survey, you take those basic principles but use a drone to gather the information. The drone will fly above the points and record all that information for you.

As the drone flies above the ground, it uses downward-facing sensors with a standard drone camera or for better results you could use a multispectral and RGB camera to capture images. Along with that, many drones feature LiDAR payloads to help collect information. When the drone surveys the lands, it will use the RGB camera to photograph the ground at different angles. Each angle is tagged with the exact coordinates.

Drones collect data from the Geographic Information Systems (GSI). They used this information to visualize and map out locations. The GIS is the primary source for collecting data, but other collection tools can be equipped on the drone. In the past, drones were used to capture but not transmit data. All that information had to be retrieved by the operator. With new technology, drones can interrupt data in real-time. You can turn all that raw data into actionable information through GIS technology while the drone is still in the air.

There are many reasons why drones are more beneficial. Drones can acquire data at vantage points that are not accessible to humans, especially those areas with challenging terrains. There is no need for human operators to measure points in hazardous locations physically. However, those traditional methods do require pre-planning before reaching the site. When a drone flies over an area, it can capture the same amount of data in a shorter time frame. Drone surveying allows the surveyor to collect data more safely and quickly than those traditional methods. If you are looking for a more efficient way to survey those areas, it might be time to consider using a drone survey.

Drones are incredibly accurate, in many cases, you can expect drone surveys to come within two centimeters of the actual location. Most drones are even more accurate than those measurements. When you work with a professional drone surveying company, you can expect these types of results. Remember that they have access to better equipment and that always leads to more accurate outcomes. Plus, the kind of drone, quality of the camera, flight height, and ground cover can all influence the survey results.

If you wish to find out more about the course that can be used by “Underground Service Locating Personal” please click on the link below. The certificate issued is AVIY0028 – Operate remotely piloted aircraft in the excluded category sub-2kg operations. The certificate is issued by “Locating Unlimited” RTO: 45518 and delivered by Drone Operations.

https://www.drone-operations.com.au/aviy0028-locating

Itmay come as no surprise that an often-misunderstood technology which has a long history of being oversold, hyped, or just plain lied about. A century after its invention and five decades since its commercialisation, there still remains the sentiment in the utilities industry that it is a “black-box” tool that sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t. Spurred by manufacturers’ claims of ease-of-use, the last 20 years has also seen a shift from users being predominantly geophysicists, to an everyday tool used by those with little technical background. Concurrently, the utilities detection GPR market has exploded, as has the number of manufacturers vying within a competitive space. New users have little basis to judge inflated performance claims using zeitgeist terms such as “AI”.

There are two principal architectures for a GPR system – either an impulse or a stepped/swept frequency (SFCW). There are further refinements with an impulse system which could yield higher performance (e.g. noise modulation), and which do yield higher performance (e.g. real-time sample). Regardless of the architecture, most modern utility detection radars, when compared side-by-side, perform remarkably similar.

There is nothing new about SFCW radars which were developed during WWII. Although the common misunderstanding is that they produce incredibly wide bandwidth (claims of 40 MHz – 6 GHz are prevalent), what is rarely admitted is that the antenna limits their bandwidth anyway to essentially that of any other radar. Examining the actual data from

SFCW radar shows that it is very similar to that of an impulse system.

There is also nothing particularly new about noise modulation schemes, although they can increase penetration in some scenarios. Real-time sampling with impulse systems has only been possible in recent years due to the availability of low-cost, fast, analogue-to-digital converters, and now nearly all radar manufacturers use such technology, marketed under different names.

The term “AI” for hyperbola recognition is the new technobabble in the industry. AI is a misnomer in this case, as what is really happening is a computer vision (CV) algorithm to match a database of known hyperbolas with those seen on the screen. This concept works nearly perfectly in a sandbox, but in the real world, even the best CV schemes miss a large number of subtle targets and only pick those which the human eye could have easily seen anyway.

GPR has a long history of being oversold, which continues to this day. Those new to the industry as well as seasoned veterans are well advised to research beyond the slick sales talk and enticing promises to appreciate that any improvements to GPR technology are now incremental at best, and that their purchase decisions should be made on more important factors such as overall ruggedness, fit for purpose, controller ruggedness, acquisition and processing software, aftersales repair support, etc. Caveat Emptor!

The Balanced Approach

Ahealthy, functioning and growing society relies on the continuous upgrade and development of its infrastructure.

It is inevitable that during the forward movement of progress (to infrastructure) that existing services will be impacted.

This impact must be counteracted in such a way that it has a balanced approach, with fairness built into the solution between the impactor and the asset owner.

A fair and balanced solution is based on the seven pillars generated by a proposed project:

1. Importance

2. Existence

3. Protection

4. Engagement

5. Co-ordination

6. Standards

7. funding

In the unfortunate event of a damage strike, the focus on these seven pillars is what constitutes a successful investigation, to support a legal claim made by the damaged asset owner.

Each pillar plays a supporting role in the damage prevention space to help keep a balanced and fair environment around assets.

Investigations on recent major underground services, has uncovered the need for the construction design industry to consider a balanced and fair approach with respect to underground services. Designers and Engineers are indirectly causing services strikes through their unbalanced designs. Otrem Engineering will be holding a free online session in late March 2023 on this topic. Please visit website for more details. https://otrem.com.au/

Reading Plans

Before You Dig Australia offers a free service whereby you can order plans for your work area which are then provided to you free of charge by the Asset Owners that are members of the BYDA service in your work area.

What a wonderful service, but there are a couple of pit falls that you need to be aware of. Firstly, if there are assets in the ground from an organisation that is not registered with nor a member of BYDA, you will not receive any plans for that asset, but a bigger issue is that you will not be made aware of this situation and there may be no visual clues available that could help you identify an un-registered asset.

Secondly, plans only indicate the services that are on public property, in other words, any service that is on private property is not shown. This is left up to the skills of the locator to find and mark all services on private property.

And finally, you MUST be aware that plans are indicative only. This means that they will give you an indication of the presence of the asset, BUT they cannot be relied upon to be accurate. Most of the Asset Owners are now quoting that their plans are

drawn at Quality Level D according to AS5488. And a reminder that QL-D states:

The information may be compiled from existing records, cursory site inspection or anecdotal evidence. There is no requirement for a spatial tolerance, only a general indication of location.

Whilst there is other useful information that you receive from the Asset Owner through the BYDA process, the main items we are looking for (regarding Plan Reading) are the Utility Plans themselves and the accompanying legend.

Let’s start with the Legend. No, I’m not talking about myself (I know bad joke). The Legend is the key to unlocking the information that is provided in the Utility Plan. A legend is a graphic depiction of a physical item and is not intended to be a “photographic” reproduction of the item, but rather a “Symbol” that represents the item.

Often the Asset Owner will use different colours to represent different assets, the one that readily springs to mind is from the gas companies who use various colours to represent the different pressures their networks operate at. If you use hard copy printed plans, it is important to ensure that they are printed, along with the legend, in colour. It is also worthwhile having the plan printed in A3 size. This facilitates the reading of the plan, any smaller can create difficulty deciphering smaller print.

Another handy tip that I found useful while learning, was to have the plans and the legend on site and actually identify the physical items while reading the plan.

This reinforced the learnings and made the journey that much quicker.

I am sure that as long as you have the legend, you will be able to read any Asset Owners plan for any jurisdiction. It is just a matter of practice and experience. GOOD LUCK.

Available the beginning of April, Locating Unlimited will have available an on-line Asset Plan Reading course, that will fast track the learning process. Keep an eye here -

Locating In Paradise Bula from Fiji

My name is Sean, and I am the Operations Manager and Senior Cable Locator for Pacific Pipe and Cable Locating based in Fiji. I,ve been working in Fiji for about 7 years doing underground utility locating, using locators and Non Destructive Digging. We also complete other works utilising NDD, and hydro-jetting. Working in Fiji has definitely brought me back to the grassroots of locating utilities.

Key challenges that I face daily, working here in Fiji is the lack of utility maps such as those available through your Dial Before You Dig system. The majority of the time there is nothing available, even simple as-builts of utilities for existing commercial properties or local utilities are non-existent.

90% of my work is visual mapping and a quick walk around the site to pick out anything in the vicinity of the clients scope of work. I also tend to find a lot of underground utilities as shallow as 100mm. What’s more frightening is I am talking about some of the main services such as power, water and comms. This always gets me questioning if my equipment is calibrated, however after some quick NDD works we confirm the depths to be accurate.

These struggles however, come with great rewards. Our clients are beyond being satisfied, because we ensure that their workers are safe before work begins, all of their underground assets are located and that the job site is safe to proceed.

Major works that happen in Fiji are usually AID funded by either Australia, New Zealand, or the Asian Development Bank. As these are funded by outside organisations, there is the opportunity to bring them to a standard that Fiji needs to strive for in order to

protect not only the assets themselves, but the residents of the island and the thousands of visitors this island paradise attracts each year.

Overall, introducing our locating methods and work standards into Fiji has been a slow process, but a very necessary one. We have been able to create safer and more cost-efficient solutions for both businesses and asset owners. Fiji is the gateway to the small Pacific Islands and is usually looked upon by smaller nations as being the role model.

If you are ever in the neighbourhood, don’t be a stranger, drop in and say Bula.

Sean Morris, Operations Manager

+679 9096955

seanmorris@ppclfj.com

T he Concrete Corner

GPR for Building Assessment

Concrete scanning using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology is becoming an increasingly popular technique in the field of building assessments. In this article, we discuss the benefits of using GPR for concrete scanning and explore how this technology can help identify potential problems and ensure the safety of buildings.

is a non-destructive testing method that uses electromagnetic waves to detect and locate subsurface anomalies in concrete structures. By analysing the reflected waves, GPR can create a 2D or 3D image of the subsurface, allowing for the detection of voids, post tension cables, rebar, and other features that may not be visible on the surface. Here are some of the key benefits of using GPR for concrete scanning:

traditional methods like core drilling or concrete removal, GPR does not damage the structure being tested. This means that the building can remain in use during the scanning process, and there is no need to repair or replace any of the tested areas. It is also silent, meaning less disturbance to other workers in the area.

2. Improved accuracy: GPR scanning provides highly accurate results, allowing building owners and engineers to identify potential problems early on. By detecting subsurface anomalies like voids or delamination, GPR can help prevent further damage to the building and avoid costly repairs down the road. Additionally, GPR can identify the depth and location of rebar and other features, making it easier to plan repairs or modifications to the structure.

1. Non-destructive testing: One of the biggest advantages of using GPR for concrete scanning is that it is a non-destructive testing method. Unlike

3. Time-efficient: GPR is a fast and efficient testing method that can provide real-time results. Depending on the size of the building and the complexity of the structure, GPR scanning can

take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. This is much faster than traditional testing methods, which can take weeks or even months to complete.

4. Cost-effective: Because GPR is non-destructive and time-efficient, it is also cost-effective. Traditional testing methods often require significant time and resources to complete, which can add up quickly. By using GPR, building owners and engineers can save money on testing and main-

walls, and foundations, as well as identify the location of utilities and other subsurface features. This makes GPR a valuable tool for building owners, engineers, and construction professionals alike.

Concrete scanning using GPR technology is a powerful tool for building assessments. By providing non-destructive, time-efficient, and cost-effective testing, GPR can help ensure the safety and structural integrity of buildings while identifying potential problems early on. As this technology continues to advance, it will become an essential tool in the field of building assessments.

Combine GPR with other technologies such as Laser Scanning, and we can produce complete 3D images of a building, as well as its internal structure and hidden utilities.

For more information regarding building assessments using GPR, contact Daniel Beech at Subsurface Consulting.

Website: https://subsurfaceconsulting.com.au/ Email: daniel@subsurfaceconsulting.com.au Mobile: 0466 816 499

tenance costs while still ensuring the safety and structural integrity of the building.

5. Versatility: GPR is a versatile testing method that can be used in a variety of building assessment applications. It can be used to test concrete slabs,

Plan Access

Just using Before You Dig doesn’t remove the risk for field crews.

In Australia, more than 70% of utility strikes occur when a Before You Dig request has not been submitted. Whether you are working in an excavation or as a utility locator, managing workloads, scheduling jobs and balancing resources are always a challenge. Factor in managing risk and things get more challenging, but we all know safety doesn’t take a holiday. A critical element to managing the risk of construction projects usually involves getting online to Before You Dig and requesting the plans.

Reducing the risk and duplication of effort.

Once done, these utility plans then turn up in your inbox and should make their way into the field once you’ve figured out which plans belong to your field projects. What happens if you get this bit wrong? What happens if you miss one of the Utility responses and go ahead with the work? Usually, the answer is to have someone in the organization ensuring that field crews have the plans and all the required documentation before they go onsite.

By integrating Before You Dig (BYDA) with your existing works management systems your projects become BYDA requests and the associated utility responses can all be dynamically linked to them. This means that the BYDA process can be embedded directly into your normal works management processes and ensures that this critical element cannot be missed.

Recently, one of Australia’s largest Water Utilities implemented a new works management solution. They also worked with PelicanCorp to integrate two components, OneCall API and PlanAccess API, to allow for projects created in the works manage-

ment solution to be submitted automatically as BYDA requests and to automatically collate and share the utility responses via an online portal and back to the works management solution.

What is OneCallAccess API?

OneCallAccess API is a web service that provides organizations with a simple and cost-effective way to integrate their business processes with their One Call service. The OneCallAccess API enables automation that is controlled by the organization and the system they integrate with, allowing for significant savings in time and resources. Essentially, OneCallAccess API allows businesses to easily and seamlessly integrate their workflow management systems with One Call services, making the process of requesting and obtaining utility plans more streamlined and efficient.

What is PlanAccess?

PlanAccess is an online service that manages and collates utility responses from One Call services into individual Job Packs, providing significant cost and time savings by eliminating what has traditionally been a resource-intensive process. PlanAccess acts as a single interface for managing utility responses,

eliminating the need for requestors to track responses against confirmation sheets or sift through their inboxes to manage the utility responses they receive. Overall, PlanAccess simplifies the process of managing utility responses and reduces the time and resources required to complete projects.

Take action today and integrate Before You Dig with your existing works management systems using OneCallAccess API and PlanAccess API. Your field crews will thank you for it.

Contact information:

Michael Brennan

Michael.brennan@pelicancorp.com

Underground gas pipelines 101

Underground gas pipelines make up some of the buried assets we most often don’t see. Their continued safe operation is critical to enabling the community to function.

The APA Group owns and operates both transmission and distribution gas pipelines, delivering natural gas to homes, workplaces, industry, hospitals and more. APA owns and/or operates 15,000kms of transmission pipelines and 25,000kms of networks mains and distribution lines across Australia.

What is the difference between Transmission pipelines and distribution pipelines?

Gas transmission pipelines are a system of interconnected high pressure gas pipelines that transport large

volumes of natural gas from processing or storage facilities over long distances to consumer markets, for industrial use, residential supply networks, power generation and mining purposes. Gas Transmission Pipelines are steel pipelines ranging in diameter between 200 millimetres and 1 metre and operate under high pressure to maximise the amount of compressed natural gas that can be transported.

Gas Distribution Pipelines transport gas from transmission to end users. There are different to transmission in that they usually operate at less pressure, are buried more shallow and are made from different materials.

Below are some key facts about transmission and distribution pipelines:

Working safely around gas pipelines is critical to the safety of those performing the work and the community around them. We are fortunate that we have never had a fatality in Australia, thanks in part to the work of our asset protection teams, and the willingness of 3rd parties to work with us and let us assist in the planning and execution of work near our assets. However, there are examples of massive destruction and loss of life from unauthorised works near high pressure gas transmission pipelines in other countries.

The safety of people working around and living near Transmission and Distribution pipelines is a priority for APA. As gas pipelines are most often buried underground, can operate under high pressures, and are often situated in public areas (such as road reserves and parklands) they can become susceptible to unique threats from external interference, which can cause damage to the pipeline or its protective coatings. Striking or puncturing a pipeline can cause an explosion and fire which has the potential to lead to severe injuries and fatalities. There can be other consequences such as prosecutions, civil liability, and time delays if the right steps are not taking before undertaking works.

Signage is used to indicate the presence of a buried pipeline and when there is a change in direction of a pipeline. In conjected and inner-city areas, signs may be replaced with small offset markers along the route.

To help you to work in the vicinity of our assets, we have a dedicated team who will consult with you, provide you with the necessary authorisations and provide tailored advice to ensure the integrity of our assets, and keeping you and your teams safe.

To safely conduct works on or adjacent to the pipeline corridor please follow these simple steps:

◘ Lodge a free enquiry with Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) at https://www.byda.com.au/

◘ Once APA has received your BYDA enquiry, an assessment will be conducted to determine whether approval from APA will be required.

◘ Depending on your proposed works and the potential risk to the pipeline, further information may be required to complete an assessment of the works proposed.

◘ Depending on where you are working you may receive two responses from APA, one from Transmission and one from Networks.

◘ Once it has been confirmed that the proposed works can be carried out, a written authorisation will be issued that contains conditions for works that must be adhered to. This may include a requirement for APA to supervise the works.

◘ Due to the higher pressure in transmission pipelines and after assessment of any proposed third-party works, APA will locate these assets on behalf of a proponent. This is different to a distribution pipeline where a third party, in many cases, will be able to locate these assets.

Please contact us early in the process of designing your works. We are here to help you work safely near our assets, to prevent damage to the high-pressure gas network, and any associated risks, costs, disruption, and potential catastrophe associated with any unauthorised works.

In addition to the asset being struck, there are other activities which may cause damage to the pipeline network. This includes vibrating machinery, heavy vehicle crossing or blocking line of site in the pipeline easements.

Finally, please follow the QR code below for a safety video and quiz for working safely around the APA assets.

FOCUS ON

Established in 1989, MNG (McMullen Nolan Group) set out to revolutionise the surveying industry in Australia.

Through a combination of specialist experience and advanced technology, MNG provides accurate data and critical insights to empower their clients to make smarter decisions and extract maximum value from their investments and resources. Today, MNG offers a range of surveying, mapping, spatial, and utility location services to clients across Australia and a variety of industry sectors.

As a thriving national business, MNG is committed to innovation and continuous improvement. They invest in cutting-edge surveying, laser scanning,

mapping, and visualisation technologies and have a team of highly skilled professionals who operate as a cohesive unit. MNG places great importance on offering enhanced GIS solutions for asset and facilities management systems. These solutions enable clients to manage, visualise and analyse data related to their physical or infrastructural assets. In addition, MNG provide personalised modelling solutions that incorporate both above ground and subsurface location data. These solutions are further enhanced by the development of advanced modelling solutions that can also integrate geophysical investigations and geotechnical data.

MNG Locate’s skilled technicians specialise in precise subsurface asset locating and visualisation, using cutting-edge systems to safely and discreetly capture assets above and below the ground. This results in the provision of accurate data and value-added insights that enable clients to proceed with projects confidently. MNG take great pride in maintaining the highest quality and safety standards. MNG Locate is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 accredited and operates within Australian Standards or the classification of Subsurface Utility Information AS5488. They are also approved by Before You Dig Australia (BYDA), Australian Pipelines Trust (APA), ATCO Approved HP Gas Locator, Telstra Communications, State Utility and service providers, and local transport and infrastructure authorities.

MNG invests continuously in developing the best talent and the most advanced survey, computing, and mapping technologies, resulting in a constantly evolving organisation and suite of capabilities that provide the business and their clients with a competitive advantage.

Why is Tracer Wire Important?

The most widely used form of locating underground utilities is EM or electromagnetic locating. The principles if EM locating involves the application of an Alternating Current, generated by the transmitter, and then tracing the electromagnetic field around the pipe or cable with a receiver.

The phenomenon of electromagnetism was discovered back in 1831 by Michael Faraday and is one of the Laws of Physics. For an Electro Magnetic field to be formed the Alternating Current needs to be applied to a metallic and conductive line.

Unfortunately, many utilities these days such as potable and waste waters, gas, fibre optics, are commonly made of materials that are not metallic and conductive. This means that the most used form of locating equipment is useless when trying to locate these services – well done Mr Asset Owner.

Just like any circuit that you are trying to trace, it MUST be a complete electrical circuit, by that I mean that both ends of the trace wire needs to be earthed. If not, the circuit is “open” and the signal is lost and thus becomes untraceable. The goal is for the signal to be carried all along the trace wire before it returns to the transmitter, through the soil (mother earth).

It has been identified that there are common reasons why you cannot locate a trace wire installation:

1. Dead Ends are not Grounded.

The dead end, also known as the far end, must be grounded properly. In order for signal to reach the target, it MUST have a stronger “ground” than anywhere else along the target line. If the tracer wire is not properly grounded, the signal will escape and return to the transmitter before reaching the target. It is important to remember that electrical signals are Pulled, not Pushed so for the signal to travel along to the target, the earth at the dead or far end has to be sufficient to Pull the signal down the line.

So, what happens when plastic pipes need to be located?

Hopefully, the asset owner has used some common sense and has had a Trace Wire installed with the utility. During installation, the tracer wire is buried along the length of the pipe. The wire is often taped to the outer edge of the utility at regular intervalss to keep it attached to the utility and protected from damage.

Then when the pipe needs to be located, the locate technician attaches one end of his conductive connection leads (usually the red end) to the trace wire, places the earth stake into the ground and connects the other lead to it (Black clip). The transmitter is then connected a frequency is selected (start low) and the trace begins.

2. Grounds are not Equal.

When there are “potential grounds along the path, they complete for the electrical signal, and we know

from our training that electricity will always follow the path of lease resistance, in which case the strongest earth will win. Unfortunately, if the strongest ground is not your target, you will lose your signal and not be able to locate your target line.

3. Bad Connections.

Any tracer wire system is only as good as its weakest link, in other words its poorest connection. The use of correctly graded connection hardware, for example being water and corrosion proof will protect vulnerable wire joints and connectors and ensure suitable continuity for the electrical current flow. Corrosion causes resistance to the flow and in worst cases, a complete breakdown of the system.

4. Tracer Wire not designed for Underground Installation.

Tracer wire should be insulated and be designed for underground usage. HDPE, which is high density polyethylene is the most common material used. Other materials, such as THHN, which is a nylon coating, deteriorates rapidly, and leaves the conductor exposed to the soil, water and potential corrosion, as well as creating another point for improper earthing to occur.

5. Poorly Made Tracer Wire

Multi-million dollar buried infrastructure deserves to have quality tracer wire capable of carrying a detectable signal. The signal does not have a chance on broken or corroded wire.

Correctly installed Tracer Wire Systems are our best defence in protecting non-metallic underground utilities.

One final word, it may seem obvious, but I have seen mistakes made in the past. When connected to a trace wire, you are NOT locating the service, you are locating and marking the position of the Tracer Wire. As always, potholing is the key to being 100% accurate and confirming the utilities’ location.

LOCATING TIPS AND TRICKS

INDUCTIVE SPILLAGE – WHAT A STUPID NAME.

No matter what you know it as, Inductive Spillage, Dropping the Box, Non-Metal-to-Metal, using the transmitter in the inductive mode without the use of the clamp, can in certain situations be the only method available to apply our signal.

Unfortunately, with this method you usually need to use a higher-than-normal frequency, which can cause bleed-over culminating in signal distortion, creating a non-round field, and thus an inaccurate locate.

There are several things available that will reduce and/or avoid bleed-over. Here are some tips that may assist, depending on the situation, some of these techniques may work better than others.

WORK SHORT DISTANCES.

Utilities that are running adjacent to your target line will, in most cases carry some signal, many times these adjacent running utilities will become the return paths from the target line to the transmitter. Remember there are only 3 things that we can say about locating that happens all the time:

▶ The electromagnetic field wants to leave the Target Line equally in all directions – in other words it wants to be round.

▶ The amount of signal that leaves the transmitter MUST return to the transmitter.

▶ Current will always follow the Path of Least Resistance. At first, the signal strength from the target line will be stronger, than that on the adjacent line. As you walk down the line the signal will weaken to the point that it becomes equal in strength with an adjacent conductor.

The solution is to mark the last known confident spot of the target line and then move the transmitter to that position, some people call this Leap Frogging. This will re-strengthen the signal on the target line and let you continue with a confident locate.

OFFSET THE TRANSMITTER.

Another handy tip is to offset the position of the Transmitter. In a lot of cases, you can simply move the transmitter slightly to the opposite side of an adjacent conductor. Because of the way that the signal transmits through the ground, a greater amount of the

signal will be on the Target Line, whilst less signal will get to the adjacent line. Whilst this will put a slightly weaker signal on the target line, there will be a significantly weaker signal on the adjacent conductor.

NULL OUT THE UNWANTED LINE.

When all else fails, try Nulling Out the Unwanted Line. This is a great tip that can be used when there are two lines causing confusion. You can place the transmitter on its side over the unwanted conductor. Because of the shape of the signal leaving the transmitting antennae, imagine the shape of a Sherrin AFL or NRL football, there is no signal leaving the transmitting antenna, at the two ends, again imagine the pointy ends of the football. This will put a signal on the target line and make the unwanted adjacent line nearly disappear.

Foot Note: For all you Radio Detection users out there. Have you ever wondered what the small fold out appendix is on the Transmitter. It is there so that the Transmitter will sit, squarely when you tip it on its side to “Null Out” an unwanted conductor.

Introducing Dr Jan Francke

Locating Unlimited, has been so fortunate to be able to present to Australian GPR Technicians the incredibly talented Dr Jan Francke at recent workshops in Sydney and Melbourne.

Dr Francke stunned attendees with his humility, talent, presentation style and breadth of knowledge. One would expect a certain level of expertise from someone who has spent 32 years in the industry and the experience of completing major GPR projects in 108 countries, but Jan managed to far exceed all these expectations.

Couple this with, studying Geophysics at the University of British Columbia – Vancouver, Engineering Geology, at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch New Zealand,

Geophysics at King’s College London, resulting in a PhD. With 32 published papers on GPR to mining and geotechnical problems, and conducted numerous workshops, teaching GPR.

principles and managing expectations on realistic GPR performance.

Jan has graciously agreed to take time out of his busy schedule, to again come downunder and present his unique GPR training, to improve GPR field activities, collection of data, processing that data and ways to present finished reports to clients.

If you missed out last time, do not make the same mistake again. I believe that these courses will fill fast.

Date City Event Venue

22nd May – 23rd May Perth GPR 2-day Workshop

C.R. Kennedy Balcatta

24th May Perth ½ Day over Coffee Myth Busting * TBA

25th May – 26th May

GPR 2-day Workshop C.R. Kennedy Port Melbourne

29th May – 30th May Sydney GPR 2-day Workshop C.R. Kennedy Mascot

31st May

1st June – 2nd June

Sydney ½ Day over Coffee Myth Busting * TBA

Brisbane GPR 2-day Workshop

C.R. Kennedy Fortitude Valley

Note: Workshop numbers are strictly limited to ensure that all attendees receive the best learning outcome possible – “first in best dressed”

The 2 over Coffee Myth Busting sessions are “Expressions of Interest” currently, I feel that these present an ideal opportunity for Business Managers, Project Managers and ALL office bound project staff to once and for all gain a complete understanding of the capabilities that this equipment has. Many have the very false impression that once you push the magical little box across the ground, “Magic” happens, and the operator can suddenly see everything that is under there. This is far from the t This is a rare opportunity to discuss, one-on-one with an industry expert, in an open forum the capabilities and limitations that the equipment poses.