Page 10 - BCCGA Best Practices Version 3.0

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INTRODUCTION
British Columbia has thousands of kilometres of pipelines, electrical and communication
lines, water, sewer, and other underground facilities buried beneath its surface. Whether
you are a ground disturber, contractor, facility owner/operator, or locator, everyone
needs to be responsible for preventing the damage to these facilities. However,
someone still needs to take the lead.
Established as a non-profit society in December 2005, the British Columbia Common
Ground Alliance (BCCGA) promotes efficient and effective damage prevention for BC's
vital underground infrastructure. Since January 2006, the BCCGA has been a regional
partner of the Common Ground Alliance parent group based in Virginia, USA. BCCGA
continues to grow, with more than 30 organizations participating as active members and
sponsors that represent a wide cross section of stakeholders.
Over the years, these stakeholders have joined forces under the watchful eye of the
BCCGA to actively promote the “Call or Click Before You Dig” campaign as well as other
damage prevention practices. It is through the commitment and consensus of these
members working together towards a safer province that the BCCGA has developed and
published its third version of best practices for preventing damage to underground
infrastructure in BC.
These best practices cover the type of activities that the BCCGA believes organizations
will follow at an optimum level in order to prevent damage to BC's underground
infrastructure. Although some stakeholders, but not all, are presently in a position to
adopt these practices, the BCCGA anticipates that over time all stakeholders will make
efforts toward following these practices. We must also remember these practices are
not without their limitations. With more learning and advanced technology, these
practices will evolve further.
The intent of the BCCGA is to make these best practices as easy to use as possible.
However, we cannot do it alone. We welcome and appreciate your comments and
suggestions on improving the content and format of this version. Industry stakeholders
may also join in the Best Practices Committee meetings, and should know participation
at this level is not restricted to BCCGA members.
Best Practices Version 3.0