One free phone call can reduce the likelihood of potentially dangerous incidents.
The BC Common Ground Alliance (BCCGA) has once again found that the majority of reported damage to underground infrastructure could be prevented with a free telephone call.
The 2014 BC Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report for the Year 2013 is the third report on damage and near-miss events involving underground infrastructure in British Columbia. Of the reported events for 2013, 74% occurred when excavators did not notify BC One Call (73% in 2012 and 72% in 2011). This is true even though the number of One Call tickets being processed has increased significantly from 119,845 tickets in 2012 to 127,275 in 2013.
BC One Call is a service that connects anyone planning to dig with utility owners who might own underground utilities on the dig site. Knowing the location of underground utilities can prevent dangerous unplanned hits leading to property damage, worker injury, loss of service, electrocution, or, in extreme cases, explosion or fire. BC One Call can be reached toll-free by calling 1-800-474-6886 or you can request an e-Ticket online.
The 2014 BC DIRT Report for the Year 2013 again reveals that a large portion of events were caused by insufficient excavation practices. This includes failure to use safe digging procedures or selecting the wrong tools for the project. The BCCGA, with the aid of industry stakeholders, publishes an excavation Best Practices manual that is available at no cost at www.commongroundbc.ca.
The BCCGA is a stakeholder-run non-profit organization leading development of consistent practices and coordination of activities to ensure the highest possible standards of worker safety, public and damage prevention in connection with underground infrastructure. The DIRT Report is one of many BCCGA efforts to understand and prevent unsafe excavation practices.