Wales & West Utilities Says ‘no’ To Hacksaws

The product has been designed by Steve Vick International for use in dead inserting gas services from outside the premises. It is customary to chamfer the leading edge of the PE pipe to aid speedy insertion and this is traditionally carried out using a knife or hacksaw, leading to the risk of injury.

The Service Taper Tool provides a safe and simple way of slicing a section off the PE allowing it to be pushed easily around even a tight bend into the building where it can be pulled through. Lengths in excess of two metres can be chamfered in a matter of seconds.

Since the introduction of the Service Taper Tool, Wales & West Utilities is the first company to place a bulk order, ensuring that every gang across the Alliance has a Taper Tool as part of their equipment. It will become mandatory to for technicians to use The Service Taper Tool  when chamfering the leading edge of PE when dead inserting.

The lightweight tool, designed for handling 20mm PE, comprises an aluminium metal shell with an internal blade which cuts the PE pipe at an angle. Replacement blades are available giving this robust tool a long life.

The PE pipe is inserted into base of the Service Taper Tool and the length required to be chamfered is pulled through. Once the correct length is inserted, the PE pipe is located against the internal blade and the pipe is pulled back through the Taper Tool. The result is a clean length of chamfered PE service ready to insert.

Neil Murphy, Wales & West Utilities Project Officer said “We are always looking to improve tooling from a Health and Safety perspective and the Service Taper Tool will remove the high risk that comes with using hacksaws and knives. The Service Taper Tool will not only make the chamfering procedure far safer but also save time for our operatives and it is incredibly easy to use. The blades are replaceable which makes the tool a lasting investment”