Fall Projects Safety

Fall Projects Safety – Being in a Hurry Can Cost You

Summer is quickly fading and with the cooler weather comes the panic of every homeowner who suddenly realizes they are almost out of time to complete that summer project. Still don’t have that new deck in? Is the neighbour’s dog still coming into your yard where that fence should be? Time is running out. Snow is on the way! Jack Frost is just around the corner!

But Wait! Take a moment and think about what you need to do BEFORE you begin your long-awaited project. Ensure your safety, your neighbour’s safety and the integrity of the buried network that supports your community. Some buried facilities are mere centimetres below the surface of your yard, so Click or Call Before You Dig and wait until those lines are clearly marked out for you.

Every year homeowners in Alberta damage buried utility lines on their property, resulting in costly repairs, injuries and even fatalities. Follow these simple steps to make sure you are digging safely.

Submit your locate request online or by phone.

Visit AlbertaOneCall.com or call 1.800.242.3447 to request that your buried facilities be marked. Try to give as much notice as possible – a minimum of three days before you plan to start the work.

Wait for the locate to be completed.

Within two working days, the utility owners or their authorized locator will contact you or will locate and mark the buried lines on your property. You do not have to be home for the locator to mark the lines. They will leave a document in your mailbox or door that will have a detailed description of the markings and instructions on how to proceed.

Identify any customer-owned utility lines.

Customer-owned lines, such as water and sewer service lines, sprinkler systems and any lines connecting buildings on a property, are not registered with Alberta One-Call. The utility owners do not know the location of these lines, so it is your responsibility to identify them. Contact a private locator to mark any customer-owned utilities in your dig area. Visit AlbertaOneCall.com for a list of private contract locators in Alberta.

Dig with care.

Locate markings identify the approximate location of buried utilities. If you’re digging within one metre on either side of the markings (five metres from high-pressure pipelines), carefully expose the line with hand tools to determine its exact location. If you have questions about digging close to a utility, contact the utility owner.

During the fall season, it may take longer than the minimum 2 business days for locates to be completed due to the high volume of requests.  You are not the only homeowner who waited until fall to get that project done!

If the locators have not been in contact with you after three days, you can contact Alberta One-Call by phone or by email at info@AlbertaOneCall.com to let us know. We will follow up with the facility owners for you. In the City of Edmonton, you can report any issues getting your markings completed to the ELC Support line at 780-508-1010 or at elclocatesupport@telus.com.

Although fall volumes may lead to delays in getting your locates, it is important that you wait until all facilities have been located before you dig. Your safety depends on having that information. You wouldn’t drive your car without being able to see the hazards on the road in front of you, so you shouldn’t put a shovel in the ground until you can see the hazards below you! Dig Safely.

For more information about digging safety, visit AlbertaOneCall.com