Ground Disturbance Training

Companies offering training according to the Ground Disturbance Training Standard are noted below. We are encouraged that more providers are working through the audit process and an increasing number of utility owners are requiring GD201 Certified training to work on their rights of way.

The Standard between BC and AB is similar except where regulations are different (for example BC Oil and Gas Commission, WorkSafeBC) and where practice is different (for example AB utility owners are required to locate, BC sends drawings).

Note that it is not required for utility owners to be members of BC One Call.

Please check with the company/organization you are doing work for to determine what their requirements are.

Ground Disturbance 101 is New!

The Ground Disturbance 101 Standard is intended to provide the necessary information for workers who participate in ground disturbance activities under supervision. This Standard’s content places an emphasis on content that a non-supervisory level worker needs to know, is non-jurisdictional and focuses on Best Practices.

The following training providers are currently endorsed by Utility Safety Partners as meeting the Ground Disturbance 101 Standard.

ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMS

INSTRUCTOR-LED TRAINING PROGRAMS

The Ground Disturbance 201 Standard (BC)

The Ground Disturbance 201 Standard (British Columbia) was originally developed by the Alberta Common Ground Alliance Training Standards Committee. The BC Standard was co-created with stakeholders in the ground disturbance and buried facility damage prevention communities in British Columbia through the BCCGA. The Standard defines the minimum content and student evaluation requirements for classroom and online training programs suitable for those that wish to ultimately become ground disturbance supervisors.

The Standard includes regulatory requirements, ground disturbance/buried facility damage prevention best practices and industry guidelines to provide students with the best information currently available. The Standard does not address the geotechnical aspects of safe excavation and trenching. The Standard is British Columbia specific.

The following training providers have submitted their training programs for assessment and their programs are currently endorsed by the BCCGA as meeting the Ground Disturbance 201 Standard (British Columbia).

ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMS

INSTRUCTOR-LED TRAINING PROGRAMS

For all endorsed programs – click here.

APPLICATION TO ACCESS THE STANDARD

We are pleased to announce that we are accepting applications to access our Ground Disturbance 201 Standard (British Columbia). Training providers in British Columbia who are looking for endorsement to the new BCCGA Ground Disturbance 201 Standard can find the process here.

Utility Safety Partners (formerly Alberta CGA) manages the application and certification process on behalf of BCCGA.

Access to the Ground Disturbance 201 Standard (British Columbia) will be granted to bona fide training organizations on submission of the application form and approval by the Utility Safety Partners. Approval of the Application to Access the Ground Disturbance 201 Standard will include an invoice for the Standard access fee in the amount set out in the current Schedule of Fees.  On payment of the Standard access fee, the Applicant will receive a downloadable copy of the Standard.

PROCESS

Approved training providers will go through three stages of assessment before receiving endorsement to the BCCGA Ground Disturbance 201 Standard. You can download an overview of the standards, the schedule of fees and the conditions of endorsement policy from the USP Training Standards Committee webpage.