Contact BC One Call first; it makes a hole lot of sense.
When it comes to digging in your backyard, with anything from an excavator to a shovel, the BC Safety Authority (BCSA) suggests making one phone call to save time, money and potentially lives.
Why? Because there are many service lines that are buried in the ground in your backyard and surrounding areas.
According to Wayne Lock, the Safety Authority’s Gas Safety Manager, “Whatever ground-breaking activities you have planned, a safe approach means contacting BC One Call before you dig. Gas lines, electrical wires and a network of buried facilities are at risk of being damaged during any type of excavation.”
BC One Call is a free service where you can request the location of underground facilities. Anyone who plans to dig can reach BC One Call at: 1-800-474-6886 or dial *6886 from a cell phone.
Last year, two gas safety incidents involving homeowners created potentially hazardous situations. In one case, a homeowner was building a retaining wall and drove a piece of rebar straight through a gas line causing a fire. In another case, an individual tied a chain around some shrubs not knowing the roots had become entangled with a natural gas pipe system. In the process of ripping the shrubs from the ground, the gas lines ruptured and nearby residents had to be evacuated.
Luckily, only minimal property damage and no injuries were suffered in these incidents, but the homeowners had to pay the utilities to repair the damaged gas pipes.
Lock says, “Planning is the key. All excavators and homeowners should contact BC One Call before they dig. It’s free, it’s easy and knowing your underground environment can save you from potential danger.”
Lock explains that excavators are “not just the companies with the heavy equipment but also just about anyone planning to break ground.”
Compared to 2008, there was a 7% decrease in reported incidents causing damage to underground gas installations in 2009. At the same time, the volume of calls to BC One Call increased by nearly 9,000, from over 87,000 in 2008 to over 96,000 in 2009. This pattern indicates that more people are calling before starting underground work, which Lock calls “a step in the right direction.”
The Safety Authority is the regulatory organization responsible for overseeing gas safety in the province, in addition to other technical areas that impact public safety. The BCSA also provides public education programs to promote safe digging. If you would like more information about digging safely, visit the BCSA web site at: http://www.safetyauthority.ca/safety-information/homeowners/gas.
The British Columbia Safety Authority keeps people safe by mandating the safe installation and use of technical equipment. The BCSA also issues permits and licences, educates, and conducts onsite inspections in high-risk situations.
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