Mains Cable

[kduck]

Working on a property at the moment and mains cable coming in from the road has been exposed. The builder has taken up the flags from the front garden and right underneath them was the mains cable. The front area of the property is going to be tarmacked in a few weeks so they will be digging deeper in a few weeks to put the hardcore in etc.

So we rang for the electrical company to come out and sort it out, We where told off them that the cable does not need to buried to a specific depth and they would not sort it out. The most he said he would do is dig a 10 cm channel and fill it in with mud? The cable has armor tape around it.

Is he right?

 

[Guest112]

I would recommend filling the channel with sand instead of mud myself lol

I'm probably wrong but I thought that there wasn't a specific depth to be buried aslong as it has the indication/warning tapes layered above as its buried?

and it also needs adequate protection which it has (armourings)

 

[telectrix]

we have to follow BS7671, lay cable at a specified depth. add warning tape. DNO do whatever they please.

 

[snowhead]

There is also no minimum for burying Gas service pipes, as I found when I hit one with a Mini digger JUST under the grass in a garden.

 

[londonlec]

There is also no minimum for burying Gas service pipes, as I found when I hit one with a Mini digger JUST under the grass in a garden.

I was also surprised on a commercial premises to find a large gas pipe about 4 inches from the surface :O

 

[kduck]

Gas pipe was also 5 cm from the surface as well but that was moved.

Just the DNO didn't want to get wet it was snowing and cold. All five of them got out of their vans with no sign of mud, dust or any sign they had done anything all day.

 

[Engineer54]

Working on a property at the moment and mains cable coming in from the road has been exposed. The builder has taken up the flags from the front garden and right underneath them was the mains cable. The front area of the property is going to be tarmacked in a few weeks so they will be digging deeper in a few weeks to put the hardcore in etc.

So we rang for the electrical company to come out and sort it out, We where told off them that the cable does not need to buried to a specific depth and they would not sort it out. The most he said he would do is dig a 10 cm channel and fill it in with mud? The cable has armor tape around it.

Is he right?

Your being told a pile of poo, The DNO's have to work to the rules they themselves publish, and in that publication is a minimum depth for cables of various voltage bands. None of them relates to a depth of a few inches. Contact the ombudsmen that look after the DNO's and see what they have to say about this clearly safety related issue!!