Striking a live electric cable during excavation, drilling or groundworks isn’t just costly, it’s a genuine safety risk to anyone on site. Our electric cable surveys accurately identify the position, depth and direction of buried electrical cabling before work begins, so you can plan around it with confidence rather than finding out the hard way.

Unlike some other utility strikes, damaging a live electric cable carries a direct risk of electric shock to anyone nearby, alongside the disruption and cost of repairing the damage and the power outage it can cause for the surrounding area. Even a near-miss with heavy machinery close to a live cable is a serious safety incident waiting to happen, and the consequences don’t stop at the site boundary, a cable strike can knock out power to nearby homes and businesses that had nothing to do with the project. An electric cable survey removes this risk from the equation before excavation begins, rather than relying on assumption or incomplete site records that may not reflect what’s actually there.

Our surveyors use specialist electromagnetic tracing equipment to detect the signal given off by live cables below ground, tracing the route as it runs and accurately marking its position, depth and direction directly on site. This process is fast, non-intrusive and gives your team an immediate, physical reference to work from, rather than a plan that still needs interpreting once the digger arrives. Where a site has a more complex mix of buried infrastructure, or where non-metallic services may also be present, we can extend this into a fuller combined survey using GPR alongside electromagnetic detection, giving a more complete picture beyond electric cables alone. For sites where telecoms cabling runs close to power infrastructure, our Buried Electric Cable Survey covers both, since the two are frequently installed in the same trench or duct.

Once cable positions are confirmed, your team can plan excavation, trenching or foundation work to avoid them entirely, or apply the correct safe working practices, such as hand-digging trial holes, where a cable genuinely can’t be avoided. This turns a potential unknown into a manageable, planned part of the project, rather than a risk that only becomes apparent once machinery is already in the ground.

Subvision Surveys is SSIP and ISO accredited, with a team of over 25 surveying professionals delivering electric cable surveys for contractors, developers and private individuals across London, the South East and nationwide. We’re Essex-based but work across the UK, using specialised techniques and cutting-edge equipment to deliver accurate results at competitive rates for Tier 1 contractors, developers, planners and private individuals alike.

Contact Subvision Surveys today to discuss your electric cable survey requirements, or speak to one of our experts on 0333 920 942.