NPORS Cable Avoidance Tool Training (N304)

The cable avoidance tool is the hand held locator that detects signals radiating from buried services. The signal generator, universally called the Genny, applies a traceable signal to a service either by induction from the surface or by direct connection, so the locator can follow that particular asset along its route. Used together they find far more than the locator used on its own.

Not on its own. A plastic water or gas service with no tracer wire carries no signal to detect, and this is the limitation that catches people out most often. That is exactly why HSG47 treats plans, locating and safe digging practice as three parts of one process rather than three alternatives.

The NPORS test sheet gives a one day novice duration with six candidates and one instructor, and the same maximum of six on a refresher. We confirm the length when we quote.

Not on the NPORS test sheet we work from. N304 shows a novice course and a refresher, each with a maximum of six tests, and no experienced worker figure.

It depends on the client. Some utilities and their principal contractors specify their own scheme or their own accreditation for work on their network, rather than accepting a general cable avoidance card. Tell us who you work for at enquiry and we will be straight with you about whether the NPORS category is what they are asking for.

Yes, because locating on its own does not prevent strikes. Trial holes, hand digging near services, insulated tools, exposing and protecting services, and what to do if something is struck are all part of the day.

Yes, and it is better. Function checks, mode selection and accessories vary between models and generations, and people should be trained on the instrument that is in their van. Tell us the make and model at enquiry.

Everybody who digs, not just the person who owns the locator. Machine operators, breaker users, banksmen, groundworkers and the supervisor who signs the permit all benefit, and six places is usually enough for a whole gang.

NPORS courses are priced per course, not per person. What you are paying for is the instructor, the registered tester and the machine time, so the figure turns on four things: the category, which route your operators need (novice, experienced, conversion or refresher), how many people are coming, and whether we run it on your site or at one of ours. It is also why a squad works out considerably cheaper per head than sending operators out one at a time. Use the course builder on this page: tell it who is coming and it works out how many days the course takes and how many times it has to run, which is what the price is built from. Then ask us and you will get a figure for that exact group rather than a list price with conditions attached.

We run NPORS courses across the UK rather than out of one fixed centre, and for most categories the better answer is that we come to you: your operators are assessed on the machine they will be using anyway, nobody loses a day travelling, and for a group it costs less. If you would rather come to us, we have centres at Trent House in Stoke, Pride Park in Derby, Europa House in Manchester and Kingsway House in Liverpool. Tell us where the work is and we will say honestly which way round makes more sense.

There is no fixed timetable to wait for. NPORS courses here are run to order, which means the dates are built around your programme rather than ours, and a single operator or a full squad can normally be booked in within a couple of weeks. If you have a card about to expire or a start date to hit, say so when you enquire and we will work to it.