April is Dig Safe Month – a month dedicated to raising awareness about safe digging practices across the province.
It’s no coincidence that Dig Safe Month coincides with spring – the unofficial start of construction and gardening season. Dig Safe Month was created by the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) and its members to remind homeowners, contractors and developers about the requirement to contact Ontario One Call before digging begins on any project – no matter how small.
Homeowners should be aware that even a familiar site may be unsafe to dig. Underground infrastructure (gas lines, electricity cables, water lines) are buried across our city and could be just below your property. Hitting an underground cable or pipe can result in serious consequences ranging from property damage, gas leak, a power outage or a serious and possibly fatal injury. Never assume it’s safe to dig.
Contacting Ontario One Call before ground is broken on any project isn’t just an important safety step, it’s also the law. Before breaking ground on a project, contractors, developers and homeowners must call or email Ontario One Call to “Request a Locate”.
To book a free cable locate appointment, contact Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 or online at least five business days before your project is to begin.
Here’s how to remember in three easy steps.
- Contact: at least five days before the dig begins, visit OntarioOneCall.ca to submit a locate request. Ontario One Call will notify the underground infrastructure owners that a dig is planned.
- Locate: Locators from each underground infrastructure project will visit the site to locate any buried lines or cables.
- Dig: Following the marks and instructions provided, contractors, developers and homeowners can begin to dig safely.
For more information about safe digging, visit our web page.