Complacency causes 6% increase in pipeline incidents

Data from the 2024 Linewatch Infringement Report shows a 6% increase in the overall number of infringements reported last year, a significant rise following a 15% decrease in 2023.

More than half (55%) of these incidents occurred even though the person responsible for digging knew of the pipeline’s existence. This highlights a concerning trend of complacency amongst those working near high-pressure underground pipelines.

Diving deeper, the data shows that 24% of all reports recorded in 2024 were due to excavation for service, including full fibre broadband or water services. Fencing (22%) and the construction of new structures (11%) posed the next greatest threats to pipeline integrity.

Over a quarter of incidents recorded took place on farm land, with landowners and their contractors posing the greatest risk to pipeline integrity. In fact, there was a 30% increase in all contractor-related infringements in 2024 – totalling 40% of all incidents.

When it comes to the timings of infringements, there is a clear pattern, with incidents much higher in Q1 and Q3. March sees the highest peak in incidents across the year with 39 infringements, and October the lowest with 11. This directly correlates with seasonal work and businesses increasing  workload to use up budgets before the start of the new financial year.

Murray Peat, manager at Linewatch, comments: “Our latest Infringement Report paints a concerning picture. Whilst in 2023 we saw a decrease in infringements, 2024 seems to have proven that this is not necessarily representative of changing attitudes to safe digging.

“What’s even more concerning is that over half of all pipeline infringements in 2024 occurred despite the person digging knowing a pipeline was present, highlighting a worrying trend of complacency around pipeline safety. A pipeline infringement is not just a danger to the asset, but lives too. We urge everyone working near pipelines to search for pipelines using LSBUD before carrying out any work and to be vigilant for pipeline markers.”

Ground and road patrols remain the most effective method for identifying infringements, such as fencing and the installation of structures, which are challenging to detect and interpret through aerial patrols alone. In 2024, these patrols identified over 67% of infringements. High risk incidents continue to be recorded by ground or walked patrols, a trend Linewatch has been seeing since 2013.

As well as tracking infringements and producing the Infringement Report, Linewatch advises thousands on safe digging practises each year across the UK. In 2024, Linewatch delivered 112 free Safety Awareness Briefings to organisations across the UK to over 1,700 people.

Visit the Linewatch website to download the full 2024 Infringement Report.