Page 53 - CCGA Best Practices Version English

of a locate. Markings such as paint and or special flags warning that new
facilities have been installed should be placed as soon as the construction is
completed. This practice increases the chances of the Excavator or Locator
being made aware of the installation which can reduce the chances of the
facilities being damaged.

3-21: Requirements for a Valid Locate

Practice Statement: A valid locate requires that the marks on the ground
are sufficient for the purpose required; there is a completed locate report by
an authorized party; the conditions of the locate have not changed; and the
locate has not expired.

Practice Description: The primary components of a locate, except
in the case of a clearance or alternate locate agreement (ALA), are the
marks on the ground and the corresponding locate report that together
correctly identify the position of underground infrastructure. For a locate
to be valid the marks must be preserved and be sufficiently observable for
their intended purpose. Since it is the owner’s responsibility to mark its
underground infrastructure and issue appropriate instructions, warnings
and limitations to the excavating party, a locate is not considered to be
valid unless it has been issued by the owner or a party authorized to act on
the owner’s behalf. For each portion of area to be excavated, the marking
process must be complete and the located area defined and documented
in the form of a locate report for that portion of the locate to be considered
valid. If circumstances occur that cause a change after the locate report has
been issued, such as the introduction of new underground infrastructure
within the located area, or if a surface feature used for offset measurements
is altered, those portions of the located area affected by the change are
no longer considered valid. The validity of the locate expires as stated on
the locate report. A locate report must contain sufficient information and
instructions so that parties relying on it will be able to correctly interpret the
marks in the field and identify the limits of the located area. Locate reports
are usually generated by using templates or pre-printed forms and it may
not always be possible or appropriate to complete every part of these forms.
However, except in the case of a clearance or ALA, the following minimum
information is necessary for the locate to be considered valid:
• Name of the party who requested the locate
• Address or coordinates of the excavation site
• Request number or unique identifier of the locate
• Limits of the located area
• Underground infrastructure marked or cleared
• Method of marking
• Locate sketch

• Date that the locate report is issued

Canadian Common Ground Alliance
Best Practices Version 3.0 – October 2018
48