QCA employs a structured and effective ground disturbance monitoring process to safeguard buried lines. Our ground disturbance monitoring encompasses the following aspects:
Pre-job planning
At QCA, we work with your team to determine the scope of work, risk assessment, hazards, mitigations and controls needed before the job starts.
Authorized work area research
We gather information from the one call ticket, agreement documents and extensive facility maps and make appropriate decisions based on our findings. We then advise and consult with the buried facility owner, operations personnel and land owners.
Line locating
Our technicians locate and mark the center line of the pipeline, the width of the right of way and any safety zone or prescribed area(s) as required.
Agreements in Ground Disturbance Monitoring
QCA obtains copies of all executed agreements. We ensure all parties on site follow the specified terms and conditions of the agreements. We also adhere to industry best practices and/or corporate standard practices, instructions, or internal construction and maintenance documents.
Supervision
We are on site during ground disturbance processes to ensure all dig safe protocols and practices in place and adhered to.
Daylighting, coating inspection and backfilling
- Daylighting is physically exposing an underground facility enough to sufficiently see and identify it using non-destructive excavation techniques. This may include hand-digging or using a non-powered tool controlled by the operator (i.e. shovel, spade, Hydro-Vac or Air-Vac).
- At QCA, coating inspections are a standard mandatory practice. Our supervisors conduct these inspections prior to a facility backfill, ensuring compliance with ground disturbance monitoring standards.
- Backfilling, if done properly, will contribute to the long term protection of the coating and the pipeline. Our technicians protect all facilities from damage and/or materials. This includes anything that could damage existing facilities, interfere with cathodic protection or interfere with the accuracy of future locates.
