Contractor's Handbook

WHETHER YOU ARE PLOWING CABLE OR DIGGING A FOUNDATION, YOU COULD DAMAGE A BURIED UTILITY LINE, WHICH COULD COST YOU MONEY OR YOUR LIFE.

Every year, contractors in Alberta damage buried utility lines on their jobsites, resulting in costly repairs, lawsuits, injuries and even fatalities. Follow this guide to make sure you, your crew and your business are protected and digging safely.

Step 1: Submit your locate request online or by phone.

Visit AlbertaOneCall.com or call 1-800-242-3447 to request that buried facilities be located and marked. Make sure you plan ahead and place your request at least two full working days before you start your project.

Step 2: Wait for the locate to be completed.

Within two working days, the utility owners or their authorized locator will contact you to arrange a time to meet and discuss your dig area, or, they will locate and mark the buried lines on your jobsite when they are in the area. They will provide you with documentation explaining the markings and how to proceed. Locate documentation must be kept on site during your excavation.

Step 3: Identify any customer-owned utility lines.

Customer-owned lines on private property, such as water and sewer service lines, sprinkler systems and any lines connecting buildings, 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 contract locators in Alberta.

Step 4: Dig with care.

Locate markings identify the approximate location of buried utilities. If you’re digging within one metre 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 or doubts about digging close to a utility, contact the utility owner.

Step 5: Find additional resources and information on our website.