Page 23 - BCCGA Best Practices Version 3.0

22 British Columbia Common Ground Alliance
Project Design Initiation – All parties define the scope of the project, including
the start time for construction.
Detailed Design – Defining the exact details of the project and having the
construction documents ready for tender.
Current Year Program – Approval and financing of the current year program for
program construction.
Construction – Responding to any circumstances and situations during the
construction period, e.g. where design alternations need to be made.
1-7-3 GENERAL
The benefits associated with good project communications between project
owners and facility owners/operators cannot be overstated. Regular
communication improves the level of information among the stakeholders,
facilitates the early identification and resolution of issues/concerns, and
contributes to good overall project management. A number of public bodies
have recognized the importance of good communications, and developed
guidelines/standards in this area.
1-8 UNDERGROUND FACILITIES SHOULD BE LOCATABLE
PRACTICE STATEMENT: The presence and type of underground facilities
should be readily locatable. Using devices such as tone-able pipes, cables,
tracer wires, locator balls, as well as permanent above and below ground
markers, should easily identify the facilities.
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: No underground facilities should be installed that
cannot be readily found at a later date. Geophysical methods and permanent
locator ball systems are just some of the existing means for locating utilities.
Additionally, using above and below ground markers in combination of one
another can help to identify and locate underground facilities.
Above ground markers can identify facilities but are not to circumvent the need
to locate facilities prior to excavation. These markers should be developed
during the design phase of a project and should include the company's name,
type of facility, and emergency contact numbers. The construction plans should