Damage to service supply cable

[Penance]

Hi all
I have a job that I'll be starting mid July. Currently the chap is digging foundation trenches for the extension.
Last night I had a call from him asking if I can repair a cable he hit with a spade. It is the service supply cable, service head is PME. He has cut through the outer sheath and severed a few strands of the armour.
I told him to contact the DNO as there is nothing I can do, explained that it is the DNO's property etc.

I left it with him but got the distinct impression he is not going to contact the DNO and will cover it over, I think it may even be under the footings so possibly will be cased in concrete.

What would you guys do, leave him to it as my only responsibility is inside the property or would you try to take it further?

 

[telectrix]

you should contact DNO. be a much bigger job if it fails under foundations .

 

[Penance]

Yep that's my thinking, though I have a gut feeling I may lose the job by doing that.

 

[telectrix]

then keep quiet. his problem, not yours.

 

[Penance]

Also, cable was around 750mm deep but no protection over it, do you think he'd have any leverage with that, as in he's not to blame so shouldn't cost him?

 

[1shortcircuit]

Last night I had a call from him asking if I can repair a cable he hit with a spade. It is the service supply cable, service head is PME. He has cut through the outer sheath and severed a few strands of the armour.
I told him to contact the DNO as there is nothing I can do, explained that it is the DNO's property etc.

I left it with him but got the distinct impression he is not going to contact the DNO and will cover it over, I think it may even be under the footings so possibly will be cased in concrete.

When I was working on a large Gas Pipeline we had to apply for a "Permit to dig" before even picking up a spade in an area where there was a live supply. Does the same thing apply to the Supply of electricity? I would have thought it would given the consequences???

 

[Penance]

then keep quiet. his problem, not yours.

I kind of feel that I should report it for his good if nothing else.
Maybe an idea if I go and do a visual tomorrow.

 

[Penance]

1shortcircuit, it's in his garden, can't see people having to get permits for digging gardens.

 

[nickblake]

you dont know if its damaged any where else , better safe than sorry also you can sleep at night

 

[Penance]

Good point nick.

 

[nickblake]

1shortcircuit, it's in his garden, can't see people having to get permits for digging gardens.

round here there are alot of supply cables in gardens couple of months ago a fault developed in a garden , nice lawn pond etc the fault was in a joint under the pond out came the fish and bye to the pond it was put back by a landscape gardener at no cost to the house holder trashed his lawn mind

 

[1shortcircuit]

1shortcircuit, it's in his garden, can't see people having to get permits for digging gardens.

You may be surprised?

I may be wrong? I'm just offering an example of what experience has taught me in the past

If there is risk of the supply being damaged then they may wish to know of work going on it that area.

If a spark can't pull a fuse then why wouldn't they want to know that their supply cable could be at risk of damage?

Either way, it would be nice to know for future reference.

 

[JD6400]

Chances are he will have to pay !
We had one about three weeks ago on a barn conversion we are doing .
We had a 70 m mole to do for a new sub main we needed , but i was not to keen on moiling the first 8 m as we were not sure of the incoming services , so we got his digger driver to trench it .
You guessed it , the fist pass and bang !
The thing is it was two and a half inches below his lawn , but they still billed !

 

[Penance]

You may be surprised?

I may be wrong? I'm just offering an example of what experience has taught me in the past

If there is risk of the supply being damaged then they may wish to know of work going on it that area.

If a spark can't pull a fuse then why wouldn't they want to know that their supply cable could be at risk of damage?

Either way, it would be nice to know for future reference.

Fully agree but I doubt it would happen.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I would be worried, that it's not armour that has been damaged, but could be either the neutral or the earth, as usually concentric cable is used.