Network Rail Updates Standard for Working Safely Near Buried Services

March 20, 2026

The British Drilling Association (BDA) is reminding members and the wider drilling and ground investigation community that a revised Network Rail standard covering safe working near buried services will come into force this week.

Network Rail’s updated document, NR/L2/OHS/1030 Issue 2 – Working Safely in the Vicinity of Buried Services, replaces the previous standard NR/L2/INI/CP1030 and has a compliance date of 7 March 2026.

The updated standard strengthens alignment with PAS 128:2022, particularly in relation to the survey hierarchy that should be adopted when planning intrusive works on the railway.

The revised guidance outlines the recognised hierarchy of utility investigation:

• Type D – Desktop utility records search, representing the lowest level of survey.
• Type C – Site reconnaissance, involving visual inspection and correlation of record drawings with surface features.
• Type B – Detection, typically using geophysical techniques such as electromagnetic location (EML), with ground penetrating radar (GPR) recommended where greater accuracy and confidence are required.
• Type A – Verification, the highest level of investigation, where services are physically exposed through excavation or inspection chambers.

In addition to reinforcing survey expectations, the new standard expands and clarifies several roles involved in the planning and execution of intrusive works. These include the Responsible Manager, Planner, Person in Charge of Excavation (PICex), Buried Service Surveyor, and Worksite Survey Manager. A RACI matrix has also been introduced to clearly define responsibilities across the project team.

The BDA encourages members and organisations undertaking work for Network Rail to review the updated requirements carefully and ensure their procedures, competence arrangements and project planning processes are aligned with the revised standard.

Members involved in rail sector projects should review both the updated Network Rail document and the PAS 128 specification to ensure compliance ahead of the March 2026 implementation date.

Further details can be obtained by reviewing NR/L2/OHS/1030 Issue 2 – Working Safely in the Vicinity of Buried Services and the relevant guidance within PAS 128:2022.