Page 44 - CCGA Best Practices Version English

3-8: Excavation Site Conditions

Practice Statement: Facilities are adequately identified for conditions.

Practice Description: Facility locators match markings to the existing and
expected surface conditions. Markings may include one or any combination
of the following: paint, chalk, flags, stakes, brushes or offsets. Paint marks
will be a length of 30 cm to 90 cm and approximately 3 cm wide. Proper
training for all facility locators includes properly identifying the varying
surface and environmental conditions that exist in the field and what marking
methods should be used.

Conditions that can affect markings are rain, snow, vegetation, high traffic,
construction, etc.

Field marks should be placed at a minimum of 3 m intervals and at any
directional changes. When placing marks in the field, the centreline of the
facility is to be marked. Facility structures greater than 40 cm/16 inches
should have the edges of the facility marked denoting the width of the plant
or structure in addition to the centreline. See examples below:

Greater Than 40cm/16” Greater Than 40cm/16”
40cm/16” or less 40cm/16” or less

GM GM BT BT

3-9: Locate Status

Practice Statement: Positive response is provided to facility locate
requests.

Practice Description: All facility locate requests result in a positive
response from the owner to the excavator. A positive response, agreeable to
all parties, may include one or more of the following:
Markings or documentation left at the job site, call back, email, fax or
automated response system or other electronic media transmission.
A positive response allows the excavator to know whether all facility
owners have marked the requested area prior to the beginning of the
excavation.

3-10: Multiple Facilities in “Joint Use” Trench

Practice Statement: Multiple facilities in a “joint-use” trench are marked
individually and with corridor markers.

Practice Description: In general, the number of facilities marked on the
surface equal the number of facilities buried below. All facilities within the

Canadian Common Ground Alliance
Best Practices Version 3.0 – October 2018
39