聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance (SCGA) held their annual safety breakfast in Carlyle on Tuesday, April 19. The group hosts numerous events across Saskatchewan in order to encourage and remind people to 鈥淐all before you dig鈥� and 鈥淟ook up and live鈥� when working in an area.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The breakfast included a short video presentation which outlined the importance of being cautious when disturbing the ground or when moving equipment under power lines.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The presentation included five steps to safer digging, which were listed as:
1.聽聽聽聽聽聽 Contact Sask 1st Call and other call centres, if required, at least two days before you plan to dig. The location you intend to work in should be marked in with white lining, so those coming out to locate lines know where the intended excavation will take place. This location should be provided as exact as possible when calling in.
2.聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wait the required amount of time before digging, so all the lines are identified.
3.聽聽聽聽聽聽 Locate lines accurately: Is the record of locates available and does it match the work, check expiry date of locates, mark ground with paint or stakes, and do the colours match the colour code?
4.聽聽聽聽聽聽 Respect the marks and be very careful within the tolerance zone, which should be excavated by shovel, not by backhoe.
5.聽聽聽聽聽聽 Dig carefully.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Those presenting explained that there are various numbers to call currently to locate lines and they are working with the government currently to make Sask 1st Call the one-call phone centre for location of all lines. This is something they hope to be able to confirm this year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The colours of flags or paint was also reiterated during the session:
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Red: electric power lines, cables conduit, and lighting cables
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Yellow: gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous material
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Orange: communication, alarm or signal lines, or conduit
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Purple: reclaimed water, irrigation, or slurrly lines
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Blue: potable water
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Green: sewer and drain lines
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Pink: temporary survey markings
-聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 White flags or paint are to be used to propose excavation sites in typical conditions, while black flags or paint are to be used in snowy conditions.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The presentation was one which is done every year as a reminder to be safe while out working in an area as lines aren鈥檛 always directly underneath flags and it is essential to be careful when working around these utilities.
