EZiDIG World's First Excavator Mounted Buried Service Avoidance System Available from Scanlaser January 2008

EZiDIG, the world´s first excavator mounted buried service avoidance tool, cuts the amount of damage caused to buried services by excavators, reduces risk to excavator operators, decreases project downtime and enhances productivity. Developed by Cable Detection and available through Scanlaser in the UK, EZiDIG sets the standard for avoiding buried services during excavation.

The new EZiDIG, aimed at construction and utility contractors, detects buried services while the excavator is being used. The EZiDIG Sensor unit is attached to the excavator dipper arm and communicates in real time with the excavator driver when it locates electromagnetic signals emitted by buried metallic services, thus avoiding costly and dangerous cable strikes. This is made possible by the special set up: the sensor, attached to the excavator with a high-strength magnet assembly, is connected to the power supply box and the display screen situated in the driver´s cab.

Increased safety, reduced strikes, enhanced productivity
EZiDIG aims to add an additional, crucial level of safety to the excavation process. Traditionally hand held locators are used to scan an area before excavation begins. Best practice recommends a repeat scan frequently as the trench is dug. Errors due to human failure result in damaged services, machinery and injured site workers. EZiDIG brings a huge benefit to any excavation project as it scans the area continuously during excavation, significantly reducing the risk to excavator operators and leaving them in control of their own environment. By installing the EZiDIG on their machines, companies are demonstrating a greater duty of care, investing in asset management and most importantly showing their employees that safety always comes first on their sites

Taking detection technology one step further
As the underground becomes more congested, increased numbers of excavators are digging up buried services. In designing the EZiDIG, Cable Detection have answered the market need for a tool of this type. Cable Detection have become known in the market for producing cable avoidance tools tailored specifically for the needs of the end user, ones that are easy to use, reduce training times and most importantly, accurately pinpoint cables prior to excavation. The EZiDIG a sister product to the Cable Detection EZiSYSTEM also available from Scanlaser, takes location technology one step further into an area where no other products exist, it truly is a world first and is soon to become a necessary addition to any excavator.