Ground Disturbance Level II key terms

Any activity that moves, removes, or displaces soil or other material below the surface, such as digging, trenching, drilling, or grading. It triggers legal locate and notification duties before work begins.

A documented process of identifying, evaluating, and controlling risks at a work site before and during ground disturbance. It considers buried utilities, soil conditions, traffic, and adjacent structures.

A written authorization confirming that locates are complete, hazards are assessed, and controls are in place before soil is broken. Work outside its stated scope or dates requires a new permit.

A dug cavity, trench, or hole formed by removing earth. It must be located clear of buried facilities and protected against collapse where workers enter.

A narrow excavation deeper than it is wide, typically for pipe or cable installation. Trenches require collapse protection and safe access for workers once depth thresholds are reached.

Any underground pipe, cable, conduit, duct, or structure that carries energy, communications, water, sewage, or other product. It must be located and protected before disturbance.

A formal notification to a one-call service asking member facility owners to mark their buried infrastructure at a site. It must be submitted within the time required by law before digging.

A regional notification centre that receives locate requests and relays them to member facility owners. It does not mark lines itself and does not certify that a site is safe to dig.

The record issued after a locate request, listing the site, expiry date, and notified facility owners. Crews must keep it on site and confirm all listed owners have responded.

A facility owner's reply confirming that its buried lines have been marked, cleared, or otherwise addressed for a locate ticket. Missing responses must be resolved before excavation starts.

The date after which a locate ticket is no longer valid and markings may be unreliable. Digging past it requires a new request, and many jurisdictions also require renewal for long projects.

Paint, flags, stakes, or other markers placed on the ground surface to show the approximate horizontal position of a buried facility. Markings indicate alignment, not exact depth.

The standard colour system used to identify utility type on surface markings, such as red for electric power and yellow for gas. Crews read colours to know which hazards are nearby.

The measured band on each side of a marked facility within which mechanical digging is prohibited or restricted. Inside it, soil must be removed carefully by hand or another approved method.

Careful digging with hand tools to confirm a facility's exact location and depth within the tolerance zone. It is also called daylighting or soft digging in some regions.

Digging with powered equipment such as an excavator or trencher. It is generally not permitted inside the tolerance zone and must be guided by a spotter near marked facilities.

A worker assigned to watch the excavation edge and guide the equipment operator, warning of people, structures, and facility markings. The spotter stays outside the danger area.

The company or authority that operates a buried pipeline, cable, or other infrastructure. It is responsible for marking its facilities and may impose additional excavation conditions.

The point where an excavation passes over or under an existing buried facility. Crossings need extra clearance, support, and sometimes owner approval to prevent damage or contact.

Digging alongside a buried facility rather than crossing it. It requires maintaining separation, controlling equipment swing, and sometimes supporting the exposed line.

Any strike, scrape, or stress applied to a buried facility by equipment or tools. Even damage without a leak must be reported to the owner and the regulator.

An event such as a facility strike, leak, injury, or collapse that must be reported to the regulator and owner within a set time. Reporting duties apply even when damage looks minor.

Documented procedures for reacting to a gas release, fire, injury, or facility strike, including evacuation, notification, and first aid steps. Crews must know it before work starts.

A temporary support system of posts, panels, or hydraulic frames that holds excavation walls in place. It protects workers from soil collapse in trenches and deeper cuts.

Cutting excavation walls back to a safe angle so soil cannot fall into the work area. The required angle depends on soil type and moisture and is set by regulation.

The process of judging soil type and stability, such as solid rock, cohesive clay, or loose fill, to choose safe excavation slopes and support. It is done by a competent person.

A worker with training and authority to identify site hazards and take corrective action, including inspecting excavations and deciding when entry is unsafe. The role must be formally assigned.

The person who directs ground disturbance work and ensures locates, permits, controls, and training are in place. Supervisors carry legal accountability for crew compliance on site.

Meeting the statutes, codes, and owner requirements that govern ground disturbance, locate timelines, excavation safety, and incident reporting. Breaches can bring fines and stop-work orders.

Excavated soil placed beside a trench or hole. It must be set back from the edge and kept clear of facility markings and access routes to avoid surcharge loading.

A record drawing showing how a facility was actually installed, including alignment and depth. It is a planning aid only and does not replace a locate request or hand expose.

A corridor of land granted or reserved for a pipeline, road, or utility line. Working within it may require owner consent and specific crossing or separation rules.

The minimum separation that must be kept between excavation equipment or a new structure and a buried facility. It is defined by regulation or by the facility owner.

An expedited locate request for urgent repair work that cannot wait for the standard notice period. It still requires owner response and marking before digging starts.

A briefing that tells workers about site hazards, locate markings, permit conditions, escape routes, and emergency procedures before they begin ground disturbance tasks.