Safe Excavation Practices Near TransCanada’s
High-pressure Natural Gas Pipelines
Before Construction Begins
Before any construction begins within the right-of-way, a TransCanada representative must be contacted at 1-800-827-5094. That representative will meet you on site and provide you with a crossing agreement that must be signed by all parties. Proof of insurance also must be provided. These documents must be kept on-site. The TransCanada representative will also locate and stake out the location and boundaries of TransCanada's facilities. Do not allow anyone else other than a TransCanada representative to do the stake out.
During Construction
A TransCanada representative must be on site at all times when mechanical excavation is taking place within the pipeline right-of-way. Therefore, once you are ready to start the work, call Ontario One Call (1-800-400-2255). The TransCanada representative will make sure the stakeouts are still visible and accurate. The representative will monitor the excavation to ensure that the following safe excavation practices are being followed:
- TransCanada's pipeline facilities must be hand-exposed to verify location and depth;
- any part of powered equipment must not dig within 600mm of the pipe;
- side cutters must not be used;
- the trench must maintain the same depth for the full width of the right-of-way;
- test leads must be attached to the foreign metallic pipe; and
- if applicable, tracer wire should be attached to the foreign pipeline.
If at any time, the TransCanada representative in charge of inspecting the construction of the crossing is not satisfied that safe construction practices are being used, the representative shall suspend construction for whatever period is necessary to re-establish acceptable safety practices.
Unauthorized crossings and encroachments include but are not limited to:
- Unauthorized unsupervised excavation or soil removal. This includes but is not limited to the use of such equipment as backhoes, front-end loaders, bulldozers, ditching machines, augers, and seismographic equipment.
- Unsupervised mechanical road cleaning or lowering of ditches. This also applies to drainage ditches not located at roads or highways.
- Unauthorized crossings by trucks over one ton or by heavy equipment.
- Vandalism of any pipeline facilities.
