The Government of Canada and the Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) are developing a new pilot project aimed at preventing damage to underground infrastructure.

#SupportS229  #DigSafe

This cornerstone event, the only one like it in Canada, puts the spotlight on front-line locators in the damage prevention industry, helping to promote the significance of their role in the excavating industry. At the Locate Rodeo, locators can come together and demonstrate their expertise and superior locating skills in a competitive and friendly environment.

See all event pictures here.

The Damage Prevention Technician, DPT® program provides instruction on the fundamentals of locating based on locating processes employed by specific industries. Click here for the brochure. 

Click here for the DPT course schedule.

This chart illustrates a breakdown of the root cause subcategories for locating practices not sufficient for the past three years. The most prevalent root cause subcategory is facility marking or location not sufficient.  

There was a significant increase across all categories in 2017.

The spotlight was brightly focused on excavator operators, as well. The Excavator Challenge event complements the Locate Rodeo with a skills competition for those from the other side of the shovel. This year, competitors were municipality employees, infrastructure owners and utility contractors.

See all event pictures here.

Be part of Canada''s unified damage prevention voice at this event, which attracts members from many Canadian organizations and associations who share the responsibility of damage prevention and public safety solutions. An excellent opportunity to network with peers across Canada and share knowledge and ideas.

Check out the CCGA 2018 Annual Symposium sessions listed here.

The ORCGA is now accepting papers for the 2019 ORCGA Damage Prevention Symposium, Feb. 13 to 15, 2019 at Sheraton on the Falls‎, Niagara Falls, ON.

The deadline for submissions is Nov. 30, 2018.

With nearly $1 billion of buried infrastructure, Guelph proposed an amalgamated locates system to provide economic efficiencies and reduce the risk of potential infrastructure damage due to the number of excavations performed each year.

Effective Aug. 16, 2018 Ontario One Call has released visibility of statuses to members notified on a locate request.

The Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) has launched a national monthly newsletter, Know What's Below. The newsletter is a way for regional partners — like the Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA) — to share news and updates with Common Ground Alliance members across Canada.

The Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) offers professionals working within the utility, pipeline engineering and surveying/geomatics communities the opportunity to network with others and shape the future of the industry by participating in technical activities, conferences and the development of internationally recognized standards. The ORCGA looks forward to working alongside UESI and the firms that provide utility engineering.

Source: The Guardian

As underground spaces are developed, many are wondering who really owns those spaces. How do we monitor and track everything from new transport excavations to mega-basements owned by billionaires? How do we map the structures beneath us?

Click here to download a PDF of the information.

In a city the size of Toronto, each time there’s an underground electrical cable strike, there’s a risk to public safety and potential for large-scale power outages that can affect residential customers, businesses and even public transit.

Find out what Toronto Hydro is doing differently to help reduce these incidents.

If you are looking to make contributions to the damage prevention industry through best practices, reporting and evaluation, or events and education, the ORCGA committees are looking for your input.

Education and Events Committee meetings: Sept. 12, Nov. 14

Reporting and Evaluation Committee meeting: Sept. 19

Best Practices Committee meeting: Sept. 26

Contact Jennifer by email or call 905.328.7063.