YEDL- Dispute over damage to electrical cable

Ginger-Dumpling

Update, thanks to the advice of JC Derby and a nice letter to YEDL(not) they are not pursuing the claim with myself. Therefore hit the top line and not the bottom line (where i would have paid)

Happy as.................

JC_Derby

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Not really..i have experience of utilities and it is common practice both for utilities to charge eachother,to charge contractors/fencers/road layer or anyone else who excavates and damages and it is also common practice to directly bill householders where either they or someone working on their behalf,damages a utility.
#
Here is a link to the type of equipment used by those in the business for survey work prior to exacavation.

http://www.radiodetection.com/menu_map_level_3.asp?sec_id=2690

Damaging utilities can be very expensive apart from the danger of injury/death

i work in this industry and its not common practice to bill homeowners digging with a shovel in their own backgarden for damaging equipment.
It is common practice to bill those using a minidigger or other means of mechanical excavation as they are assumed to have more than reasonable knowledge.

jalexa

Ginger-Dumpling wrote: »

Update, thanks to the advice of JC Derby and a nice letter to YEDL(not) they are not pursuing the claim

Good news.

In your OP you said "albeit that the cable was at the correct level".


As a matter of interest what is the correct burial depth in garden ground?

JC_Derby

jalexa wrote: »

Good news.

In your OP you said "albeit that the cable was at the correct level".


As a matter of interest what is the correct burial depth in garden ground?

There isnt one... there are guidelines and recommended depths. However gardens get altered over a period of time, ground can be added or more importantly taken away. Cable can rise into the property as well ie near the wall where the cut out is.
an ideal depth would be more than the depth of the blade of a shovel....around 450mm?

jalexa

JC_Derby wrote: »

There isnt one...

Thanks for that. In guess I should have asked the OP what depth the cable was found buried at.

snaggkiller

JC_Derby wrote: »

utter rubbish mababejive.

ginger can you answer my question....or pm me and ill give what advice i can

HI i WONDER IF YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME ADVICE i have a similar problem hit a hv cable for entire estate 30cm below ground no tape or capping just inside boundary of householder garden no digger involved just hand tools but got a bill for just under £1900 did not use cat scan never have for fencing :eek:

C_Mababejive

JC_Derby wrote: »

i work in this industry and its not common practice to bill homeowners digging with a shovel in their own backgarden for damaging equipment.
It is common practice to bill those using a minidigger or other means of mechanical excavation as they are assumed to have more than reasonable knowledge.

I too work in the industry and have done so for 32 years and i can assure you that utilities charge eachother and also routinely bill any other person be it a business,an individual a diy'er or a householder for damage to their utilities.

In this instance,the OP got off lucky both with the bill and personal injury.

C_Mababejive

snaggkiller wrote: »

HI i WONDER IF YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME ADVICE i have a similar problem hit a hv cable for entire estate 30cm below ground no tape or capping just inside boundary of householder garden no digger involved just hand tools but got a bill for just under £1900 did not use cat scan never have for fencing :eek:

I guess your in the same boat as the OP. If your in a trade which involves excavation,you would do well to invest in some radiodetection (tm) equipment. Also if you excavate in the public highway (footpath/road) then you will need to have a NRSWA certification and comply with the appropriate legislation.

JC_Derby

snaggkiller wrote: »

HI i WONDER IF YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME ADVICE i have a similar problem hit a hv cable for entire estate 30cm below ground no tape or capping just inside boundary of householder garden no digger involved just hand tools but got a bill for just under £1900 did not use cat scan never have for fencing :eek:

Have you got plans? where do they show the cable?
Whos garden is it yours? or were you employed to do the work?
Again tape and capping/ducts marker tiles etc are not a requirement.
if your in a business doing fencing a bit of cable location kit would be a necessity, would it reduce insurance premiums?
your situation sounds quite differnt to ginger dumplings but ill try and help as best as i can.

JC_Derby

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I too work in the industry and have done so for 32 years and i can assure you that utilities charge eachother and also routinely bill any other person be it a business,an individual a diy'er or a householder for damage to their utilities.

In this instance,the OP got off lucky both with the bill and personal injury.

as i stated its not common practice to bill home owners digging in their own garden with hand tools.
However i agree, NRSWA undertakers and other utilities, then yes its common practice to bill those.
as for working in the industry, i specifically dealt with damages for a long time also.