Whatever the size or nature of your site, safety should always come first. By prioritising safety, you’ll not only ensure compliance but protect workers and any site visitors from harm. In addition to using best practice to ensure the highest safety standards, providing your staff and contractors with access to the right equipment is an essential piece of the puzzle.

A CAT and Genny is one such piece of kit and, as the ultimate utility locating tools, could save your workers a lot of time and effort, as well as make detection procedures safer. In this blog post, we share all you need to know about the CAT and Genny.

What is a CAT and Genny?

While mentioned in the same breath, a CAT and Genny consists of two pieces of equipment that work together to serve a bigger purpose. CAT stands for Cable Avoidance Tool and, as the name suggests, identifies the location of underground utilities, such as cables and pipes. The Genny, or Signal Generator, works in unison with the CAT to aid the detection and tracing of underground utilities further.

How does a CAT and Genny work?

CATs use radio detection technology to ensure the highest level of precision when sourcing assets that have been buried underground.

Using this system, it’s able to identify the magnetic fields of power sources. With this, a CAT can locate a wide range of items, including those made out of differing materials, such as metallic conduits and non-conductive pipes. The Genny emits a traceable signal to alert the operator of the pipe or cable’s presence.

Where might you find a CAT and Genny?

CAT and Genny tools are widely used in construction and excavation making them common features across sites around the world. They are called upon by experts serving various fields, including utility service providers and engineers.

Why are CAT and Genny tools important?

Cable avoidance is of course vital when working on site, and the utilisation of CAT and Genny tools ensures the risk of cable strikes can be eliminated and site safety upheld. Cable strikes can have devastating consequences for all involved. They cause injuries and even fatalities as well as further disruptions and financial issues for surrounding homes and businesses if local power supplies become affected.

The use of a CAT and Genny provides an effective method for detecting and avoiding cables, pipes and other utilities.