Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 14 replies
  • Subscribers 32 subscribers
  • Views 1774 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

Advice please on depth of wiring trench

Former Community Member
Former Community Member

Good afternoon,

I have an ongoing conflict with my local council over the depth of cabling.

A new footpath has been laid with street lighting, over a soft green open space.  When the cabling was being laid, I took measurements of the depth of trench and this varied from about 250mm to about 450mm.  Having looked at many documents, I have read that the covering depth of the cabling should be 450mm, with 75mm of sand below the cabling, 75mm above the cabling then the yellow/orange marking tape 250mm above the top layer of sand. This would then be back filled to surface level.  The councils own 'Design & Specifications' clearly state these figures.

As you can see from the pictures, this is not the case.

I reported the issue to the Health and Safety Executive, and guess what, they requested the council to investigate.  Lo and behold, the council returned stating that the depths of the trench was correct, particularly after landscaping.  The trench in the pictures are 300mm and 320mm deep, with NO sand below, and so to get to the 450mm covering, the trench would need to be 615mm deep.  In this instance, its at least 295mm short.  Even with the landscaping, there is NO way the council have added a foot (300mm) of soil on top!

The HSE came back with the reasoning that the Electrical Regs, (NJUG) The Energy Networks Association (ENA) and the IEE 7671 are for guidance, advisory and can therefore be interpreted by whoever is carrying out the work.  I informed the HSE that The New Roads and Street Act, The Transport Act and The Traffic Management Act is what they say they are - Acts of parliament and therefore LAW, whereas the NJUG she quoted, is indeed a guidance document.

So, what can I do about it now?  What is the next level that I can go to to get this put right and hold the council to task?  

I have had many a fight with my local council over the lies, untruths and deceipt.  They are carrying out these works in many places in the town, and I have personally been told, 'Its OUR land and we will do as we please!'

Any advice would be so welcome.

Thank you

GG

Parents Reply Children
  • 0 in reply to mapj1

    Indeed. We have a local park where the grassed area is used for car boot sales and an annual circus. I once advised the local council that the electrical supply to the circus caravans was unsuitable as it was P.M.E. I believe that it converted that supply to TT afterwards.

    It is not necessarily only any  danger with the buried cables detailed above, but the cost and inconvenience of a repair and disruption if they are damaged by a driven stake.

    Also, the warning tape should be positioned above the ducting not running along side it or in contact with it.

    Z.

  • 0 in reply to Zoomup
    Zoomup said:
    We have a local park where the grassed area is used for car boot sales and an annual circus. I once advised the local council that the electrical supply to the circus caravans was unsuitable as it was P.M.E.

    And hopefully the cables are at a depth commensurate with Section 708 or Section 705 (0.6 m) as these would be required to protect against penetration (such as pitching tents) or accidental excavation by livestock.

    (Section 705 also has minimum depth of 1,0 m for safety in cultivated ground).

Join us to get the best from IET EngX.

Joining EngX lets you personalise your experience so you stay up to date on the topics that interest you, plus you’ll be able to make connections who are looking to collaborate, exchange ideas and more.

Join us Not now

Community Rules & Guidelines