Transport Minister Norman Baker has today launched an industry-led charter to improve the safety of street works. The Safe Dig Charter was launched with the utilities sectors and contractors to ensure the highest standards of safety and best practice when digging up our streets.

It’s aim is to cut down on the number of power cuts or floods that happen when workers dig through a pipe or cable and the disruption it causes. The charter is launched as the Government gears up for the Olympics with a big PR campaign to promote the cleaning up of the streets of London.

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) is backing the charter and its CEO David Smith said: “Delivering a safe working environment and protecting existing infrastructure are critical to successful street works. In an Olympic year and with ever increasing pressure on utilities to replace ageing infrastructure in crowded urban environments this is even more important.”

Some of the promises made in the charter include; planning all works, assessing all staff are properly trained to do the work and have cable detection equipment, making sure road workers have drawings and plans of where pipes and cables are and if damage occurs ensuring an investigation is launched and a report made of what went wrong.