Page 60 - CCGA Best Practices Version English

The owner is required to 1) mark its underground facilities with stakes,
paint or flags or 2) notify the excavator that the owner has no underground
facilities in the area of excavation. This process allows the excavator to begin
work on time or in a timely manner.

The excavator should maintain written records of all locates requested and
received.

4-10: Owner Failure to Respond

Practice Statement: If the owner fails to respond to the excavator’s
timely request for a locate (e.g. within the time specified by provincial
requirements) or if the owner notifies the excavator that the underground
facility cannot be marked within the time frame and a mutually agreeable
date for marking cannot be arrived at, the excavator re-calls the notification
service. The notification service contacts the owner to ascertain the nature
of the delay and heightens the locate status to an overdue locate. Where
practicable, the facility owner will respond with the locate and supporting
documentation within 2 hours.

Practice Description: It is determined that the owner and the excavator
will partner together to ensure facilities are marked in an acceptable time
frame to allow for underground facility protection.

4-11: Locate Verification

Practice Statement: Prior to excavation, excavators verify the limits of the
locate markings correspond with the limits of the proposed excavation. The
excavator, to the best of their ability, checks for readily visible, unmarked
facilities. If a locate is found to be incomplete, inaccurate, or any other
discrepancies are found, the excavator may call the locator directly. If the
locate is not corrected within 4 hours, the excavator can escalate the locate
to the notification service as an overdue locate.

Practice Description: Upon arrival at the excavation site prior to beginning
the excavation, the excavator ensures that the limits of the locate are
clearly identified on the locate. The excavator verifies that all facilities have
been marked, reviewing colour codes if in doubt. The excavator checks
for readily visible signs of underground facilities, such as pedestals, risers,
meters, new trench lines and service feeds from buildings and homes. Where
readily visible evidence of unmarked facilities exists, the excavator contacts
the project owner to get them located. Use of a pre-excavation checklist
is recommended by insurers and practiced by responsible excavating
contractors.

4-12: Work Site Review with Company Personnel

Practice Statement: Prior to starting work, the excavator reviews
the location of underground facilities with site personnel. Any locate
documentation is kept on the project site.

Canadian Common Ground Alliance
Best Practices Version 3.0 – October 2018
54