Hitting an underground service is one of the most serious things that can happen on a worksite. A struck gas main, live cable or water main can cause injury, network outages, big repair bills and a stopped job. But what you do in the first few minutes makes all the difference. Here's the order to work through.
1. Stop and make the area safe
Stop work immediately and keep everyone clear of the strike. Don't try to move, bend or cover the service, and keep plant and machinery well back. If you can do so safely, isolate ignition sources near a suspected gas leak.
2. If anyone is in danger, call 000
Escaping gas, fire, injury or any electrical hazard means Triple Zero first, every time. Don't second-guess it — emergency services would rather attend a controlled scene than a worsening one.
3. Notify the asset owner
Contact the emergency line for the network you've struck — electricity, gas, water or telecommunications — so they can isolate the service at their end. The relevant contact details are listed on your Dial Before You Dig plans.
4. Get the service located and exposed
Once the immediate danger is controlled, you need to understand exactly what's there before anyone digs again. This is where cable and pipe location and hydro excavation come in — finding and safely exposing the asset so the damage can be assessed and the job finished without a second strike.
How to make sure it doesn't happen again
Almost every strike is avoidable. Locating and depth-marking services before you break ground — not just relying on plans — is the single most effective protection. If a strike has shown you the records weren't enough, that's the lesson worth acting on for every future dig.