Underground and Overhead Services
Service information, locating and proving, safe digging, exclusion distances, isolation and emergency response.
How to prepare for the CITB MAP test
Build manager-level decisions around role, prevention, coordination, verification and learning rather than memorising isolated site rules.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Plans are starting information and must be supported by locating, marking, proving and safe excavation practice.
Exam cue: Gather current records and survey the actual work area before breaking ground.
Concept 2
Overhead-line control follows a hierarchy of avoidance, isolation or safe clearances with defined routes and limits.
Exam cue: Use trial holes or safe digging methods to prove position and depth.
Concept 3
A strike or suspected damage requires stopping, keeping people clear and following the service-specific emergency action.
Exam cue: Plan plant height, reach, routes and barriers around overhead lines.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Treating utility drawings as exact position and depth.
Guardrail: Do not solve a design, engineering or organisational failure only with a briefing, warning sign or PPE.
Using a locator without a competent interpretation and marking process.
Guardrail: Do not solve a design, engineering or organisational failure only with a briefing, warning sign or PPE.
Leaving a cab after overhead-line contact when remaining inside is safer unless another danger requires escape.
Guardrail: Do not solve a design, engineering or organisational failure only with a briefing, warning sign or PPE.
Memory anchors
Plans Are Clues
Service drawings need site locating, marking and proving.
Locate, Mark, Prove
Confirm line and depth with suitable equipment and safe excavation.
Dig Safely Near Services
Use appropriate tools, method and supervision as the service is exposed.
Avoid Overhead Lines
Reroute work or remove the hazard before relying on clearance controls.
Limit Height and Reach
Use barriers, goalposts, routes and plant controls where work near lines remains.
Strike Means Stop
Keep clear, warn others and contact the service owner and emergency response.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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