February 18, 2010

Terasen Gas. A Fortis company.

Dig Safe B.C.Abbotsford

Damage Prevention

Burn blue. Save green.

The Terasen Gas View of System Damage Prevention

System Damage Prevention requires a comprehensive and integrated approach that emphasizes safety, education, efficiency and continuous improvement.

The Terasen Gas View of System Damage Prevention

Contractors locating the lines themselves prior to excavating is an effective tool for damage prevention.

The Terasen Gas View of System Damage Prevention

1. Education

2. As-Built Data / Records Information

3. Facility Location Information

4. Regulatory Enforcement

5. Reporting

1. Education

Terasen Gas educates the excavating community, its customers and the general public on how to work safely in the vicinity of natural gas facilities.

• Excavation Safety Training for excavators and municipalities

• Founding Member of BC One Call • Founding Member of the BC Common Ground Alliance• Customer bill messages and inserts• Excavation Safety brochures• Radio advertising• Newspaper advertising

2. As-Built Data / Plant Records Information

Terasen Gas collects and maintains accurate facility information that is complete, up to date and accessible.

• Facilities Management GIS database• Data Integrity Initiative• Audits of data quality

3. Facility Location Information

Terasen Gas provides accurate information that will allow the excavating community, customers and the public to safely locate underground gas facilities in compliance with relevant codes and legislation.

• BC One Call• Gas line location plans• On-site marking and assistance

• All High Pressure lines• Areas where we have poor records information• Assist excavators if they can not find gas lines• Amounts to approximately 4% of all requests

• (~ 2400/year)

4. Regulatory Enforcement

• Terasen Gas expects the excavating community to comply with relevant codes and legislation by:• Requesting facility location information in advance• Following proper excavation techniques

• Hand expose gas facility prior to excavating

• Informing Terasen Gas when the information provided is incorrect

• Terasen Gas cooperates with governing agencies to enforce these regulations when infractions occur.

• Terasen Gas works with governing agencies to improve damage prevention programs.

5. Reporting

Terasen Gas collects information on all damage to gas facilities for the purposes of:• Historical and statistical data analysis• Industry Benchmarking• Reporting infractions to the appropriate

authorities, as required• identifying repeat offenders

Observations:

75% of damagers don’t call BC One Call

Solution:

Continue to educate the excavating community, our customers and the public about the requirement to contact BC One Call prior to beginning any excavation

Observations:

77% of those damagers that call BC One Call, don’t follow proper excavating techniques

Solution:

Educate the excavating community, our customers and the public about how to safely excavate in the vicinity of underground gas lines

Observations:

49% of damage is caused by repeat offenders

Solution:• Continue to target training programs to

educate repeat offenders• Cooperate with stakeholders to further

reduce damage through enforcement activities

Summary:

1. Two main issues for Terasen Gasa) Excavators don’t call prior to beginning workb) Excavators don’t hand expose gas lines

2. Education is the only sure way to achieve a sustained reduction in system damage

3. Excavators locating gas lines for themselves prior to starting work is the most effective method to prevent accidental damage

4. Focus efforts on repeat offenders

Questions?