LAS VEGAS, NV – Xwatch Safety Solutions, part of Hexagon AB and a recognized leader in excavator safety systems, has partnered with RodRadar, developer of the field-proven Live Dig Radar (LDR), to introduce what the companies describe as the industry’s first safety-grade system designed to prevent underground utility strikes.
The integrated solution will be demonstrated at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 (March 3–7, Las Vegas). The system is engineered to automatically stop excavator bucket movement the moment subsurface utilities are detected during active excavation — a capability aimed at turning RodRadar’s Zero-Strike vision into operational reality.
A Persistent and Costly Industry Problem
Underground utility strikes remain one of the most significant safety and financial risks in construction. Across the United States, one to two strikes occur every minute, with more than 400,000 incidents reported annually. These events cost the economy approximately $30 billion each year and have contributed to thousands of injuries and hundreds of fatalities over the past two decades.
Nearly half of all strikes occur because utilities were not located or were mislocated. Additionally, in 64 percent of reported incidents, buried infrastructure was more than two feet outside the marked area — highlighting the limitations of traditional locating methods and reliance on pre-project data.
As urban infrastructure becomes denser and excavation projects grow more complex, contractors face increasing exposure to both safety hazards and liability risks.
From Detection to Automatic Machine Intervention
RodRadar’s AI-driven Live Dig Radar system represents the first ground-penetrating radar (GPR) embedded directly inside an excavator bucket. Unlike conventional detection systems that operate prior to excavation, LDR scans continuously during digging and identifies underground utilities in real time — without relying on pre-existing maps or utility records.
Through the new RodRadar-Xwatch integration, once LDR detects buried infrastructure, the system triggers an automatic bucket stop via Xwatch’s safety-grade hydraulic control system. This prevents the excavator from striking the detected utility.
The companies describe the innovation as a shift from warning-based safety to active prevention. The concept mirrors the automotive industry’s transition from Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which alert drivers to potential hazards, to autonomous emergency braking systems that actively prevent collisions.
The integrated system delivers what RodRadar calls Stop-Before-Strike (SBS), while still allowing operators to retain override capability when necessary.
“RodRadar has solved the detection problem during excavation,” said Dan Leaney, Director of Sales at Xwatch Safety Solutions. “By integrating their Live Dig Radar technology directly into our safety-grade hydraulic control, we can physically stop the machine before a strike occurs. That’s the difference between warning about a risk and actually preventing it.”
“Xwatch’s proven track record in safety-grade hydraulic control makes them an ideal partner to bring our Zero-Strike vision to reality,” said Yuval Barnea, VP of Sales and Marketing at RodRadar. “The integration further closes the safety gap, transforming LDR detections into automatic strike prevention and delivering the industry’s first-ever SBS solution. We envision this to be recommended and mandated by leading industry stakeholders, project owners, and contractors.”
Backed by Safety-Grade Experience
Xwatch brings significant expertise in hydraulic-based excavator safety control to the partnership. With more than 6,500 systems installed worldwide, the company provides height control, slew restriction, rated capacity indicators, and avoidance systems using proportional hydraulic intervention.
Acquired by Hexagon AB in April 2024, Xwatch operates within Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division, alongside Leica Geosystems and IDS GeoRadar.
The company is also the only excavator safety solution provider holding Network Rail Product Acceptance certification, reinforcing its position in regulated and high-risk environments.
A Push Toward Zero-Strike Excavation
Construction safety remains a critical concern industry-wide. In 2023, 1,075 fatalities were recorded in U.S. construction — the highest figure since 2011. Struck-by incidents account for approximately 15.4 percent of those deaths.
Beyond worker injuries, utility strikes can disrupt gas lines, power grids, fiber networks, and water systems, often triggering evacuations, service outages, regulatory penalties, and major project delays.
The integrated Xwatch-RodRadar system aims to establish Zero-Strike Excavation as a new benchmark across infrastructure, utilities, rail, and commercial construction sectors. The companies suggest that, over time, such automated prevention systems could become mandated on job sites where underground utilities are present.
With excavation activity rising amid global infrastructure investment, safety technology that moves beyond alerts toward automatic intervention may represent a significant shift in risk management practices.
About Xwatch Safety Solutions
Xwatch Safety Solutions, a Hexagon company, is a global leader in safety-grade excavator systems with more than 6,500 installations worldwide. Its portfolio includes height limiters, slew restrictors, rated capacity indicators, and advanced avoidance systems designed to protect operators, workers, and infrastructure. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the company operates within Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division.
About RodRadar
RodRadar is the developer of the Live Dig Radar (LDR), a patented real-time ground-penetrating radar system integrated directly into excavator buckets. The company’s mission is to eliminate underground utility strikes and establish the industry’s first Zero-Strike Excavation platform.
Sources:
1. Black Hydrovac Industry Analysis
2. Common Ground Alliance (CGA), as reported by The Utility Expo
3. Common Ground Alliance (CGA), as reported by Bermex/ACRT Services
4. Common Ground Alliance Historical Data (2003-2023)
5. Common Ground Alliance 2023 DIRT Report
6. Association of General Contractors, 2024 Utility Infrastructure Division Survey
7. Xwatch Safety Solutions company data, February 2026 (6,000th installation milestone reported by Highways
Today, August 2025)
8. Construction Dive / Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024
9. BigRentz / OSHA Construction Safety Statistics 2023
Originally reported by Xwatch Safety Solutions.
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