Why is it important to check for underground gas pipes before digging?
There are a number of considerations that landowners, forestry operators, farmers and contractors etc, must take into account before completing groundworks, however the most important factor is that it is safe to do so.
Underneath our soils, connecting hospitals, schools, homes and businesses, are 14,725km of gas pipelines.
In 2023, there were nearly 500 instances of third-party damage on Gas Networks Ireland gas distribution network. This includes damage to gas mains and services in roads and gardens, mostly caused by mechanical excavation.
There were also 50 instances of unauthorised excavation near the high-pressure gas transmission network in the Republic of Ireland in 2023.
As gas is highly flammable, damaging these pipelines can result in major disruption, property damage, serious injury or even death.
To avoid any damage, and the possible consequences it could entail, you should always contact Gas Networks Ireland to ensure it is safe to dig where you had planned.
Check for underground gas pipes
Gas Networks Ireland runs a ‘Dial before you dig’ (DBYD) service, which aims to make it easy for people to check whether there are underground gas pipes on a site before digging.
It provides information, advice and maps on the pipeline network by phone, email, or online.
The online service, which was launched towards the end of 2019, now has nearly 8,000 registered users and deals with over 25,000 network enquiries a year.
Additionally, over 1,000 calls are made annually to the DBYD phoneline and over 3,700 emails are responded to.
Gas Networks Ireland, through the DBYD service, can provide maps of the gas networks.
If there is a high-pressure transmission pipeline near where you plan to work, you must contact Gas Networks Ireland so its team can advise on safety requirements.
Gas Networks Ireland sees a high number of incidents of unauthorised drainage works being carried out in proximity to gas transmission pipelines with many of these occurring during prolonged periods of wet weather.
If necessary, Gas Networks Ireland will mark out the location of the pipeline and for certain locations, provide an inspector to oversee the work.
This service is free and is designed to ensure your safety and that of those around you.
Gas Networks Ireland also offers downloadable documents on safety advice for working in the vicinity of natural gas pipes and safety steps for farmers and landowners.
“In its continued commitment to safety awareness, Gas Networks Ireland recently launched its new pre-evacuation safety campaign with the introduction of Keith, the badger.
“The campaign sees Keith, the new ‘ambadgador’ educated on the importance of checking for underground gas pipelines before evacuating by some savvy construction workers,” a spokesperson said.
The multimedia campaign stresses safety first, urging individuals to always check for gas pipelines before they breakground.
Gas Networks Ireland’s safety manager, Owen Wilson, emphasised the critical nature of pre-excavation safety checks:
“The pre-excavation safety campaign has been very successful to date, and we are hoping that the relaunched campaign will rejuvenate awareness about the importance of checking for underground pipelines,” he said.
The campaign is targeted at construction workers, farmers and others involved in groundworks and construction and airs on radio, press and video on demand channels, and online and on social media.
And remember; dial before you dig yourself into a hole – it could prevent accidents, delays, or much worse.
