Every utility strike has consequences. It can delay projects, increase costs, disrupt essential services and damage reputations. Above all, it can place workers and the community at risk.
Despite ongoing improvements in safety practices, the building industry remains one of Australia's leading contributors to utility damage, accounting for 11.4% of all utility strikes nationally. Excavators are involved in almost half (48%) of these incidents, but hand excavation is not without risk either, with shovels (11%) and handheld tools (9%) also contributing to utility damage.
While safe work procedures, planning and locating underground infrastructure all play critical roles, investing in utility safety education is one of the most effective ways to prevent incidents and protect people, infrastructure and projects.
A well-informed workforce is better equipped to identify risks, understand responsibilities and make safer decisions before breaking ground.
Education today. Prevention tomorrow.
Building this capability across the industry is a key focus for Before You Dig Australia (BYDA). Through its national Utility Safety Education Program, BYDA provides practical learning opportunities designed to improve utility risk management and help reduce damage to Australia's essential infrastructure.
ndustry-funded and delivered free of charge by BYDA's Damage Prevention Team, the program offers tailored education sessions for organisations involved in planning, managing and undertaking ground-disturbing works. The sessions cover practical topics such as using the BYDA service, interpreting utility plans, safe excavation principles, legislative responsibilities and industry best practice, helping teams better understand the risks before work begins.
Recognising that learning needs to be flexible, BYDA also offers a suite of self-paced online courses that allow construction professionals to build their knowledge anytime, anywhere. The CPD-recognised courses explore topics including safe excavation, utility plan interpretation, AS 5488 and workplace health and safety obligations, with successful participants receiving a certificate that may be used to claim relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours.
Beyond formal training, the BYDA website provides a growing library of practical resources, including guides, videos, case studies and educational materials that support safer planning and excavation across projects of every size.
Preventing utility strikes is a shared responsibility. By continuing to invest in education and capability across the building industry, we can reduce incidents, protect workers and communities, and help ensure Australia's critical utility networks remain safe and reliable.
The safest excavation starts long before the first shovel enters the ground.
For more information about BYDA’s utility safety education program, self-paced courses and online resource library, please visit www.byda.com.au