The fuel tanks were buried under old coal slag, and while the demolition company were aware of the tanks it had no knowledge of their location within the Wollongong site.

By using the AML the tanks were able to be detected and removed safely.

The locator was also used to find sewer lines and stormwater drains, which were then marked out for the excavation crew to prevent them from being damaged.

The AML can also locate PVC pipes, cables and other material that has an edge such as plastic, metal and wood without the use of an additional transmitter.

It can locate materials in a variety of ground types including clay, wet soil and snow or standing water.

When the edge of an object is detected the two lights on the AML illuminate and a laser beam will mark the object on the ground, alerting the operator that they are perpendicular to an underground object.

The operator is then able to follow the edge of a pipeline or other underground anomaly, which can then be outlined with line-marking paint.

The device, designed specifically for the utility, water, gas and cable industries, is now on offer as part of the range from Kennards Hire Test & Measure.

Kennards also supplied a locator for use on a harbour development project to detect an extensive network of PVC pipes, which were in the vicinity of the construction site but their exact location was unknown.

With 40 hours of battery life, the AML is lightweight and simple to use. It is capable of working on concrete surfaces without reinforcing steel up to two metres in depth, depending on the surface.

The new locator has been designed to prevent cutting or damaging pipelines and telecommunications cabling and/or injury to personnel while excavating and meets all industry standards.

The Kennards range also includes hydrostatic test pumps, anchor testers, non-invasive smoke machines and GPS locators used for surveying to an extensive array of hand-held devices.