Time Out For Safety
Ground Disturbance
AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
November 2013
Ground Disturbance
What will be covered:
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Lessons Learned
AMEC Safety Rule and Procedures
Utility Locates, Technology and Limitations
Training
Emergency Response
Incident Reporting and Investigation
Common Ground Alliance
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2012 AMEC E&I Subcontractor Incidents
Incident Description
Location
CGA Root Cause
1.
Drilling subcontractor
damaged water utility during
investigation.
Excavator contractor
damaged telephone line
while assisting AMEC to
collect soil samples.
Drilling subcontractor
encountered utility
(abandoned traffic control
signals).
Excavator subcontractor
damaged a natural gas line.
Subcontractor damaged a TV
cable with hand auger.
ON
2.
1.
One-Call Notification
Practices Not Sufficient:
No notification made to
the One-Call Centre
1.
Miscellaneous Root
Causes: Abandoned
utility.
1.
Excavation practice not
sufficient: Failure to
maintain clearance (to
exposed gas line)
1.
Locating Practices not
sufficient: Utility was
not marked.
SK
VA
MI
FL
Locating Practices not
sufficient: Utility was
not marked (only
measurements)
Base map not provided
to private locator.
 No incident resulted in
‘recordable injuries’ and
damages were less than
$10,000.
 CGA means Common
Ground Alliance
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AMEC Safety Rule
 Ground disturbance involves a
manmade cut, cavity, trench, or
depression in the earth’s
surface.
 Every employee who is involved
in ground disturbance must:
 Review this presentation
 Review the Ground Disturbance
SOP
 Pass the online Quiz
 Complete any client-specific or
local regulatory required training.
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Ground Disturbance SOP Elements
Key Elements:
 SOP applies to all AEI operations involving personnel and subcontractors
 Notification (Property owners and 811 or 1 Call and other Utility
Owners/Representative)
 PM/QP Review locates for accuracy and limits.
 PM/QP Authorize work based on planned work methods.
Other Specified Elements:
 Work Within Limits of Locate
 Work In Proximity to Underground Utilities
 Utilities Within Concrete Slabs
 Vacuum, Air and Hydro Excavation
 Exposed Utilities Backfilling
 Utility Damage and Abandoned Utilities
 Work Near Overhead Power Lines
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Application of Ground Disturbance SOP
 Review the AEI Ground Disturbance SOP.
It applies to:
ANY disturbance of the ground surface to a depth and in a
manner capable of causing damage to a buried utility, pipeline or
other structure or reducing the cover above any buried object
requiring protection.
 Qualified Persons
(QP) such as Qualified Project Managers (PM) and
Qualified designees have responsibilities under this SOP.
AEI HASP Approval Policy
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“Qualified Person” for the purpose of this document is a registered professional
engineer (PE/P.Eng), professional geologist (PG), certified occupational health & safety
professional (CIH/ROH, CSP/CRSP), certified hazardous materials manager (CHMM),
occupational health and safety scientist, or other professional. All should be designated
by a Unit Manager.
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Ground Disturbance Responsibility
 The qualified PM or QP is responsible to ensure:
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The adherence to the local regulations; and
The minimum ground disturbance procedure requirements
have been met prior to authorizing the ground disturbance to
proceed.
 All current locates/permits must be completed, compiled into a
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package and made available at the work site at all times.
Review locates/permits with all personnel/subs. involved on-site.
Manage Any Change
This means that if the utility locates received identify additional
permits, authorization, day-lighting or special methods, these
must be incorporated into the project safety plan.
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Regional Procedures
 Specific requirements vary and sometimes
conflict, between municipal, provincial, state
and federal requirements, causing confusion.
 Regional Ground Disturbance Procedures are
recommended to be developed by local
professional practice groups/safety
committees and approved by the HSE
Department, in accordance with provincial or
state regulations and the AEI Ground
Disturbance SOP.
 Example – Alberta Ground Disturbance
Procedure
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One Call
 'One Call' is a generic name for organizations that coordinate utility
locating services. Across North America there are many service
organizations such as ‘811’, 'ON1Call', 'Miss Utility', 'Utility Notification
Center', etc.
 In some areas, not all of the utility companies have agreements with
the One Call service.
 Notification must be made with the property owner and owners of any
other buried utilities that are not Members of your local One Call
service organization to come out and mark their utilities.
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High Priority Facilities: Pipelines
 Pipelines: Rupturing a pipeline can
have severe consequences such as
environmental, legal, serious injury or
death.
 Look for pipeline markers located along the
pipeline route, at road and railroad crossings
and at all aboveground facilities.
 National Energy Board of Canada requires
owners to authorize Ground disturbance on
the right of way and within 30 metres (100
feet) of the limits of the right of way of high
priority facilities (e.g. transmission pipelines,
associated infrastructure).
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Utility Marking System
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Locating Technology and Limitations
 Locators must be qualified
 Competent persons must be familiar with the various locating methods
and factors that affect locating.
 There are many factors affecting locating such as type and
composition, depth, soil type, pH, interference from saline ground,
multiple crossing or parallel lines, other metal objects, structures or
power lines that will limit the sensitivity and
accuracy of electronic locates.
 QPs Review: Canadian Association of Pipeline and
Utility Locating Contractors - Industry Recognized
Practices, LIRP No. 101
Locating Methods and Factors That Affect Locating
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Private Locators – Best Practices
 They provide due diligence by locating
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underground anomalies (e.g. private utilities
not located by “1-Call” or abandoned/ inactive
utilities) on both private and public property.
Determine with the locator which technology
(Active, Passive, GPR, Magnetic, etc) is most
appropriate for the project site, and consider
the limitations and level of uncertainty.
Meet the private locator on-site, whenever
possible, to avoid communication errors.
Share public locates and all available plans.
Obtain Access to the site, including indoor
areas, especially mechanical rooms.
Control site hazards while locating (i.e. traffic).
Dowsing is NOT an
acceptable method
for locating buried
utilities.
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Innovative locating solutions
 CCTV Camera inspection contractors
may be required since concrete,
asbestos-cement, plastic and fiberglass
lines with no tracer wires can’t be
located with magnetic scans
 Push and motorized equipment
transport cameras with built-in 512Hz
Sonde for locating camera position from
above ground - trace lines, inspect
condition and located laterals.
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Tolerance Zone – Hand Expose Zone
 The tolerance zone protects buried utilities.
The tolerance zone is the width of an
underground utility plus a specified tolerance
distance on both sides of that utility.
 The tolerance zone also protects you.
If you do NOT respect the tolerance zone, you
risk contacting buried utilities, resulting in
damages, product release, injury or death.
 The supervisor and AMEC may be liable for any
damages that occur.
To avoid damaging buried utilities, do NOT
power dig within the tolerance zone. Hand dig
or use vacuum technology instead.
 Hydro/Air Vacuum: Ensure non-destructive
technique avoids damage to utility coating,
approved by utility owner. Plan for soil disposal.
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Training
 At a minimum, Qualified persons authorizing work shall receive
training in the content and application of this SOP (this presentation),
including review of the Ground Disturbance SOP and successful
completion of AMEC Quiz.
 Ground disturbance training is available from third party providers,
where required both online and in-class (some jurisdictions):
 www.ecompliance.ca that meets the requirements of IRP #17 including
Level 1 (Worker) and Level 2 (Supervisor).
 http://www.danatec.com/shop/ground-disturbance-online-training/
 Confirm your regulatory and client training requirements.
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Emergency Response – Utility Damage
 In case of gas contact:
 If gas is escaping, shut down all ignition sources
 Barricade the area off, keep public and workers away
 Do not attempt to control escaping gas
 Notify the Fire Department, Police and Gas Company
 In case of electrical contact:
 Call 911 if an immediate threat to life or fire
 Call the electric company immediately to shut down the power.
 Warn co-workers to stay away.
 Do NOT touch the equipment and the ground at the same time.
 Stay on the equipment unless it's on fire.
 If you must exit the equipment, jump clear and land with your feet
together. Shuffle away with feet together and on the ground.
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Incident Reporting
 Notify the One-Call service and the utility owner.
 Report the incident to HSE Department and complete
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Incident Analysis Report (IAR) and,
Investigate and determine Root Causes using the
AMEC Ground Disturbance Incident Report (GDR).
Example Common Ground Alliance (CGA) causes:
 One-Call Processes Not Sufficient
 Locating Practice No Sufficient
 Excavation Practices Not Sufficient
 Misc. (Abandoned, deterioration, previous
damage, etc.)
 Never bury a damaged utility – always notify
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the utility owner prior to backfilling an
exposed utility and document in a backfilling report.
There's no such thing as minor damage to utilities.
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Common Ground Alliance (CGA)
 A leading organization in North
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America promoting effective
damage prevention strategies
through shared responsibility
among all stakeholders.
US CGA
 Best Practices 10.0 (LINK)
 Get involved: See events listing
Canadian CGA
 Best Practices published by:
– BC, SK, ON, QC
 Many ‘Regional CGA’
organizations, such as:.
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