Carney Consultancy has delivered a workshop for members of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association North East (CECA NE) at the Safe Digging Event, providing insight into its Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Buried Services course.
The company has also delivered an online Constructionline Accreditation workshop for CECA North East members, providing a general understanding of the Building Safety Act and associated compliance requirements.
The Safe Digging Event, held at Hexham Racecourse, brought together CECA North East members, civil engineering contractors, clients and colleges, with objectives centred on promoting safe digging practices and reducing service strikes, sharing best practice alongside technology, legal and behavioural insights and providing practical demonstrations of equipment and methodologies.
Martin Crammond, technical director at Carney Consultancy, delivered a workshop covering the company’s new IOSH Avoiding Buried Services training, which is a new offering to its client base. Martin spoke about the reasons for introducing the training and how it can benefit businesses through improved competency, support with frameworks and reduced litigation.
The workshop also explored how CECA North East members can benefit from operatives being trained to an accredited standard when identifying, locating and protecting underground services during daily activities.
Carney Consultancy provides quality, safety, health and environmental training and consultancy services to the construction and civil engineering sectors. Established in 2002, the business works with contractors and supply chain organisations to strengthen health and safety performance, improve compliance systems and support regulatory readiness across complex project environments.
CECA represents civil engineering contractors across the North East, supporting members through industry engagement, technical guidance and access to specialist expertise. The organisation plays a key role in helping businesses improve capability, maintain standards and adapt to evolving procurement and regulatory requirements across the sector.
Martin, said: “The industry is under increasing scrutiny to reduce service strikes and improve competency around underground works, so bringing contractors, utilities and safety specialists together through events such as CECA North East’s Safe Digging Event is incredibly valuable. The focus on practical approaches to underground services risk aligns closely with the operational and compliance challenges across the sector.
“Businesses are under growing pressure to demonstrate competence and compliance across complex supply chains. Our aim is to provide clear, practical support that helps organisations meet those requirements in a structured and achievable way.
“Many businesses already have strong internal processes but the challenge is aligning evidence and documentation with what clients, auditors and regulators now expect. It is imperative that this process is made clearer and more achievable.”
Alongside the event, Carney Consultancy has also delivered an online Constructionline Accreditation workshop for CECA members, advising on how to tackle the ongoing requirements and challenges of securing and maintaining their Constructionline accreditation. The session also provided a general understanding of the Building Safety Act, alongside assessment requirements and support for contractors in meeting compliance and evidence standards across the procurement process.
The consultancy has recently supported 15 construction and engineering businesses in achieving Constructionline Gold accreditation since launching its compliance support service at the end of 2025, reflecting increasing demand for structured compliance support across the sector.
Stuart Miller, director, CECA North East, said: “The Safe Digging Event was a strong success, bringing together contractors, clients and industry specialists to focus on the real challenges around underground services and safer excavation.
“I would like to thank Carney Consultancy for its practical input and ongoing support for our members. Partnering with such specialists is a priority for CECA North East as it ensures members benefit from real-world expertise that reflects the realities of the industry, helping to strengthen competency, improve safety standards and support compliance across the sector.”