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Civil Awareness
4
AFL Construction Services
Ground Disturbance Prevention
What is Ground Disturbance?
Ground Disturbance is commonly defined as work operations or activity on or under the existing surface results in a disturbance or displacement of the soil, but not if the disturbance or displacement is a result only of:
- routine, minor road maintenance or
- cultivation to a depth of less than 450 mm below the ground surface over a pipeline or
- hand digging to a depth of not more than 300 mm below the ground surface, so long as it does not permanently remove cover over a buried facility.
In urban areas and on private property, many buried facilities are within 300 mm of the ground surface. Street light wires are often just below the sidewalk. Telecommunications and electrical duct banks in downtown cores may be just under the asphalt. Telecommunications services to residences may have minimal cover.
What is Ground Disturbance?
For the purposes of this project, the protection of buried facilities and the safety of workers and the general public, ground disturbance shall be considered to be any disturbance of the earth, regardless of depth.
Common Hazards When Completing Ground Disturbance
Mitigations?
Previous Ground Disturbance Failures
- low risk utilities found at depths as shallow as 0.3m in BC
- high risk utilities found at deoths as shallow as 0.6m in AB & BC
- deviation in exisiting running lines (loops, splices and buried service vaults), assumptions made even after visual confirmation
- failure to properly secure open holes when left unattended, causing harm to public
- damaged utilities due to improper hydro-vacing procedures
Ground Distrubance Prevention
Compliance & Requirements
OHS Compliance & Requirements
Telus Compliance
AFL CS Ground Disturbance Program
Best Practices
Utility Owner Compliance
OHS Compliance
Regulatory Compliance
Training & Competency
Training & Competency
Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations define “qualified person” means, in respect of a specified duty, a person who, because of his knowledge, training and experience, is qualified to perform that duty safely and properly;
In general, for people to be competent in the health and safety aspects of their work, they will have a combination of the following requirements:
- be qualified because of knowledge, training, and experience to do the assigned work
- have knowledge about the hazards and risks associated with the job or task to be performed (e.g., knows what hazards and risks are present)
- know how to recognize, evaluate and control these hazards and risks (e.g., knows what precautions to take or controls to use/are in place for the different hazards or risks)
- have the ability to work so that their health and safety and the health and safety of others is not in danger
- have knowledge of the laws and regulations that apply to the work being done
As part of a ground disturbance work crew general awareness on ground disturbance is required. Anyone responsible for supervising or conducting ground disturbance requires additional ground disturbance training.
Installation Pathway Planning
Installation Pathway Planning
STOP and REASSESS ALL INCONSISTENCIES AND CHANGES!
Leadership & Accountability
STAKEHOLDERS
Utility Locators
Buried Utility Owner(s)
Public
Public
AFL
Contractor(s)
TELUS
(owner)
Locating Buried Utilities
Purpose:
To safely locate, accurately mark, record and expose all utilities prior to starting any civil construction task. To ensure the construction can proceed without incident of personal injury or utility damage.
Locating Utilities
Safe Work Procedure
Arrange for the required permits, utility locates, One Calls and safety watch requests to determine all the utilities within the proposed construction area.
Depending on the utility type and location, determine which method of day-lighting will be used. (hydro-vac vs hand digging)
Locating Utilities
Safe Work Procedure
Ensure ALL of the utilities are identified on the "locate sheets" provided. Under no circumstances can ANY ground disturbance activities be undertaken unless all utilities have been located and the documentation duly processed.
It is the responsibility of all the involved parties to check and recheck for possible ommision of a service utility, failure to comply could result in serious injury or death.
Locating Utilities
Safe Work Procedure
Expose ALL utilities within a one (1) meter proximity to your proposed construction route. One meter is the minimum separation distance and more maybe required depending on the utility service company, client or site circumstances.
Paralleling any exisiting utility line requires exposing the utility consistently thorughout the route. Frequency of spot checking any paralleling lines is based on site circumstances.
Exposing utilities can be completed either by hand exposing or hydro-vacing depending of the utility type, depth and requriements.
Locating Utilities
Safe Work Procedure
After the utility has been exposed (daylighted), accurately record all the utility information: including type, depth and offset from a standard landmark or proposed route. Record information onsite.
Ensure that all excavated locate holes meet or exceed all requirements and that no excavations are left unattended without properly securing them.
Typical layout??
Reality??
What's missing?
In 2017, 41% of AFL CS Utility Line damages were due to miss located lines. In some cases where lines were not located at all.
As a ground disturbance crew, what can we do to assist with damage preventation, when dealing with miss located lines?
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
The purpose of developing a standard for trenching and excavating procedures is to enhance the level of care and safety for all workers and members of the public through the implementation of a standard system for work undertaken in and around excavations.
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
When applicable, a safe means of access and egress must be provided for a worker entering or exiting an excavation. If workers are required to enter a trench excavation over 1.5m deep, the safe point of entry and exit must be located within 8m of the workers and the excavation must be safely supported or sloped to the entry and exit location.
Any entry into an excavation over 1.5m must have an approved JHA in place prior to the work commencing.
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
Excavations occurring on or adjacent to roadways or alleys must have adequate signage, barricades and/or road closures to ensure the safety of the crews, motorists and the public.
A clear area, of at least 1 meter in width, must be maintained on each side of the excavation. Trees, poles, or any other objects, which may be undermined, or made unstable by the excavation process must be removed, supported, or otherwise protected from the excavation process.
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
Proper Gaurding & Barricading Requirements for unsupervised excavations;
- must be adequately covered with plywood (3/4 inch minimum)
- must extend a minimum of 150mm (6in) past the edge of the excavation on all sides
- open excavations smaller then 4ftx4ft must have each corner marked with stakes and caution tape that must adequately indicate the hazard
- open excavations larger then 4ftx4ft must be completely barricaded with snow fence and markings that adequately indicates the hazard.
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
Any open excavation being left open, where it is not adequately barricaded or guarded must have an attendant or safety watch standing by until a time where it is covered and secured.
The safety watch must be “in close enough” proximity to any open excavation to provide clear visual and audible warning commands to any at risk members of the public.
No open excavations (regardless of size) are allowed to be left unattended, without being properly gaurded and secure from causing bodily harm or property damage.
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
Daily inspections must be completely on open excavations by the crew or subcontractor to ensure holes are properly guarded and that barricades were not tampered with.
All areas must be assessed for their particular hazards prior to an open excavation being created. Special considerations should be taken in areas of high traffic, if obstructions are in the path around schools and retirement facilities.
Jobs that require multiple excavations sites must ONLY have a controllable number of open holes at any given time.
How many is too many??
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
Good or Bad?
Trenching & Excavating
Safe Work Standard
Good or Bad?
Proper Barricading
Proper Barricading
Proper Barricading
NOT PROPER!
Public Safety
Safe Work Standard
The purpose of this standard is to provide guidelines pertaining to the safety of public thoroughfare and any public member who may be in or around our worksites. When the area in question cannot be completely restricted from public access, proper precautions shall be put in place.
Standards
Sufficient signage shall be erected to inform the public of the activities taking place on the worksite. Warning signage will be posted in all directions or potential access or hazard.
When overhead work is taking place, the area shall be cordoned off so that no member of the public may walk underneath the overhead activity.
When floors or ground are slippery, or have debris, have openings, or uneven floor surfaces, the workers shall maintain the best possible housekeeping to minimize the risk of slips, trips, falls, or injuries. Barriers shall be put in place and signs erected to inform the public of the hazard(s) and requirement to stay out of the work area.
Hazards to the public generated by work operations must not persist beyond the lifespan of the work being done. This includes but is not limited to: slippery conditions generated by equipment or operations (I.e. dumping of unused potable water in freezing conditions), tripping hazards produced by ground disturbance, hazardous debris and garbage left behind after operations are completed.
Alternative routes, ramps, or steel plates shall be designated and used in situations where additional hazards are presented to any member of the public.
If there is a high level of noise, reduced lighting, or electrical hazard present, proper signs shall be posted describing the risk.
Tools and equipment shall never be left unattended where the public has access to them.
When and wherever necessary, arrange for proper traffic control (traffic cones, beacons, four-way flashers, arrow bars, traffic control plan, traffic control person), ensuring traffic control systems and plans conform to local bylaws and provincial regulations.
Ensure adequate perimeter fencing to provide security against public access during off work hours.
Visitors
Any visitor entering a work area shall immediately report to the supervisor responsible for that area.
All workers should assist in keeping the visitor outside of the work area until the supervisor has arrived to escort the visitor.
Prior to entering the project site or location, visitors must review and sign off on the Field Level Hazard Assessment.
Visitors
All visitors are expected to comply with all safety requirements of that area and may not enter the area in question until they are made aware of their responsibilities.
If visitors do not have the appropriate safety equipment, the company responsible for that worksite will either provide them with proper equipment or they shall not enter the area.
Visitors
Site visits by OHS or Regulatory parties must be reported to the AFL CS Supervisor.
During the site visit ensure the previously discussed requirements are met, including the review and sign in of the Field Level Hazard Assessment.
Hydro-Vac Use
Safe Work Standards
Purpose:
The hydro-vac unit which is mounted on the truck deck or as a trailer unit is used for non-invasive excavation (day lighting) of underground utilities such as gas, electric, communications, water and sewer lines, etc. Using high pressure water and a vacuum system, hydro-vac assist in reduces the damage to existing utilities. When operating a Hydrovac, operators need to be aware of the proper procedures that must be followed when exposing electrical cables, any poly pipe, fiberglass or steel lines to prevent personal injury and damage to the lines.
Hydro-Vac Use
Safe Work Standards
Ensuring that proper equipment is used, workers are competent in the task, compliance with the established safe work standards and detailed hazard assessments are completed prior to the task starting are critical when completing this task.
Hydro-Vac Use
Safe Work Standards
Do not operate, service, inspect or otherwise handle hydro-vac unit unless personnel have been properly trained in the units functions.
The operator must complete a pre-trip inspection of the truck/equipment before use and movement.
Ensure all barricades and warning signs are in place. Keep unnecessary personnel and equipment out of the area the hydro vac is working in. Appropriate signage is required. "Caution: Flying Debris"
Ensure it is understood what utilities are being hydro-vaced in order to put in place the proper mitigations.
Hydro-Vac Use
Safe Work Standards
Follow all pressures requirements for exposing underground lines, such as Power, Gas and Telecommunications. When working around underground power cables, all operators must be trained and certified in the procedures for exposing electric utilities.
If damage to a utility occurs, stop and engage emergency procedures based on the type of utility.
Working in proximity to overhead power lines, follow proper clearances as per OH&S Safe Limit of approach distances from overhead power lines for persons and equipment.
An operator must not leave the controls of powered mobile equipment unattended unless the equipment is secured against unintentional movement.
Directional Drilling
Safe Work Standards
Purpose:
To safely implement the construction task of directional drilling a hole under obstacles such as utilities, roadways, buildings, etc. and then install conduit pipe in which the fiber optic cable will be installed. To safely operate all directional drilling equipment used in this process.
Do not operate, service, inspect or otherwise handle the directional drilling equipment unless all personnel have been properly trained in the directional drilling equipments functions.
Ensure all utility locates have been completed and that all appropriate permits are in place. If utility locates are in question, DO NOT begin work. Contact the locate representative and double check. (Also see: Utility Locate Safe Work Procedure)
Do not operate until all shields, covers and guards are in place.
Calibrate and test tooling locate equipment on drill head.
Make certain everyone is clear of the equipment before beginning operation and applying power/pressure.
The directional drilling machine requires an operator at all times. Never leave it unattended while it is in operation.
The operator must ensure that the machine is properly grounded with a Strike alert system. Equipment bonding and grounding mats are to be utilized, when applicable.
The operator and locator must be in radio contact at all times during directional drilling operation.
The operator can only operate the machine when they have been given clearance to do so.
Monitoring of the drill head/bit must be continuously performed during the drilling procedure.
Drilling operations must cease in the event of a loss of transmission from the sonde to the monitoring device or the communication between radios fails.
Drill operator must apply the directional drill remote lockout during removal of drill head and installation of the reamer.
Incidents must be reported IMMEDIATELY!
REVIEW - Top 5 Points to Remember.
1. Any form of Ground Distrubance requires locates to be completed, onsite
and visually verified prior to starting work.
2. All site conditions exposed to the public shall be properly controlled. This
includes sites conditions when left unattended.
3. STOP and REASSESS ALL INCONSISTENCIES AND CHANGES!
4. All crew members shall be properly trained and competent for the task that
they are assigned. Anyone responsible for supervising or conducting
ground disturbance requires additional ground disturbance training.
5. In the event of an incident, notification is required IMMEDIATELY to the AFL
Supervisor and HSE Advisor.