Previously, to prevent damage to gas pipes due to other construction work not notified to Osaka Gas Network, route patrols were conducted by two staff members working as a team in a vehicle. At present, AI and a camera are used to reduce the labor required for route patrols.
Various business operators, including gas, waterworks, sewerage, electricity, and communication companies, have infrastructure equipment under roads. Excavation work is performed on roads for maintenance of such equipment (“other construction work”).When these business operators perform other construction work in proximity to gas pipes, they are requested to hold consultations with Osaka Gas Network in advance to avoid damage to gas pipes during the excavation work. In some cases, other construction work is performed without notification. For this reason, Osaka Gas Network conducts inspection patrols in vehicles on roads where high-pressure gas pipes are buried in order to prevent damage to gas pipes.
Patrols in vehicles require a large number of staff because two people (a driver and an inspector) must work as a team.
Labor saving has been achieved by automatically detecting construction work using in-vehicle AI and a camera.
