Page 71 - BCCGA Best Practices Version 3.0

70 British Columbia Common Ground Alliance
REFERENCE: Existing practices among ground disturbers, utility companies,
and project owners.
4-7 SEPARATE LOCATE REQUESTS
PRACTICE STATEMENT: Every ground disturber on the job has a separate
one-call centre reference number and an appropriate locate form before
excavating.
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Several ground disturbers may be performing work
on a job site. At the same time, the construction schedule may involve various
types of excavation activities and may require specialty contractors to work
simultaneously. As such, all ground disturbers should obtain their own separate
locates before excavating. This practice ensures that affected underground
facility owners or operators have appropriately marked the specific areas.
If there are multiple users on the same project who rely on a single locate, the
ground disturber is responsible for ensuring the locate is appropriate for the
intended excavation. In doing so, the ground disturber must consider the
following conditions:
Ÿ Limits of the located area
Ÿ Depth of the excavation
Ÿ Ticket life, and
Ÿ Existence of any facilities installed since the locate was performed
REFERENCE: Existing provincial law and acts
4-8 ONE-CALL 24/7 ACCESS
PRACTICE STATEMENT: The ground disturber has access to the one-call
centre 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Utilities service the public needs 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. Similarly, utilities require coverage from the one-call centre for the
same amount of time. There are times and conditions, such as city and road
congestion, and off peak utility service hours that require ground disturbers to
work during off hours. Although most ground disturbers are on site during
regular work hours, having access to the centre at all hours to call in future
work locations allows for more flexible work schedules.