April is Safe Digging Month

Apr 2, 2024, 18:02 PM

April is Safe Digging Month and we’d like to remind Albertans to be safe before you start to dig, construct, farm, haul or landscape. If you plan to dig, you must locate any buried facilities such as utilities and pipelines by requesting a locate. Locators will mark where you need to be careful.

The locate process is easier and faster than ever. Utility Safety Partners (formerly One Call/Click Before You Dig) has streamlined the online process and most people submit requests that are quickly turned around. Of course, the phone still works, but without the online request process, which includes exact details and generates a map, the manual process takes a bit longer. 

May is the busiest digging month and we recommend that you allow several days before you need to start the job. The rest of the season, allowing three days for a locate is the minimum.

Each ticket is unique to the job with digging and safety instructions specific to that site. Never assume that the same instructions apply to the next job – re-submit requests for each job. Visit the USP website if you need help reading the instructions or have questions.

Where’s the Line? is the new working mantra of the USP and it refers to both underground utilities and overhead power lines. Before starting a dig job, look up for power lines. If you need to get closer than seven (7) metres to those lines, contact the utility.

Contact with buried facilities or overhead power lines can be serious and cause injury or death. FortisAlberta is among Alberta’s buried utility service providers with a mission to keep Albertans safe.