BCCGA is not a training provider. That said, we work with our members to ensure that education around safe digging practices is available and meets minimum requirements.
The training and certification requirements to perform work in BC depends on who you are performing work for. Generally, WorkSafeBC requires that the utility owner rules are followed, and those vary by owner in BC. You must check with the company/organization you are doing work for to determine what their requirements are.
BCCGA’s damage prevention program provides community education and awareness in various ways to help communities in BC avoid harm to subsurface infrastructure and ensures the safety of community members and anyone that undertakes an excavation. In British Columbia we have hundreds of thousands of kilometers of pipelines and other facilities that run underneath roads, homes and businesses, providing essential services to run all aspects of life from oil and natural gas pipelines, electrical power lines, water systems, telecommunication lines, cable television systems, and more. Over 1,000 damages to underground infrastructure are reported each year, and 80% of those damages cause service disruption.
DigSafe Contractor Breakfast – These sessions are large in-person events (50+ attendees) that provide comprehensive education on how to work safely around underground infrastructure in BC.
DigSafe Seminar – These full-day sessions focus on ground disturbance and include regulatory updates, BC 1 Call requirements, excavation safety and a locate demonstration. They are led by Global Training and include presentations by BC 1 Call, Canadian Energy Regulator, BC Energy Regulator, WorkSafeBC, BC Hydro, and other underground utility owners depending on the location of the Seminar.
Safety Speaker Series – The Speaker Series is led by the Executive Director and it is made up of a number of dedicated safety and damage prevention presentations targeted to groups, organizations and associations. These sessions are delivered virtually and in-person.
Bring Your Lunch & Learn Safety Series – This is a monthly virtual safety and education series open to anyone interested in the subject matter. The speakers are volunteers and are safety and damage prevention advocates drawn from industry and acidemia. The sessions are designed to be approximately an hour and are typically facilitated by an Executive or staff member. The sessions hosted for free by member organizations.
Ground Disturbance Safety Training 101 and 201 – This Ground Disturbance training program is fully endorsed to the BCCGA Ground Disturbance 101 and 201 Standards (BC). The training is designed for anyone working around underground infrastructure in BC. The program is delivered by screened and trained providers and ensures that personnel are familiar with, and fully understand, all best practices and regulations involved when a ground disturbance takes place. This course was built in two logical modules:
- Ground Disturbance Level I ® – 2 hour basic introduction
- Ground Disturbance Level II ® – 6 hour supervisor level training
Utility Locator Training and Certification – This course was developed and is overseen by the BCCGA and is designed for individuals who work with or around underground utilities. Students use locating tools used by their municipality or employer, and at the completion of this three-day course, have an in-depth knowledge of underground utility hazards and fully understand the principles and practices to follow when locating underground hazards.
These education and awareness opportunities range from basic awareness to certification. The bottom line is that our annual damage prevention program is incredibly successful and helps foster damage prevention and safety awareness that make BC communities safer.