April is "Dig Safe" month in Ontario.
With the warm spring weather finally upon us, we're being urged to call and find out the location of underground utilities before doing any digging.
Ontario One Call Executive Director Ben Hamilton says there are 4,000 incidents of pipes or cables being damaged in the province each year.
He says homeowners are fully liable for damage to underground infrastructure. Contractors can be charged and fined under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
"You know, it's unimaginable when you think about how much time and effort we put into safety in Ontario," says Hamilton.
"Certainly, with this legislation Bob Bailey the local MPP from Sarnia has been very active in championing this type of work. But, we still have a long way to go. Four thousand damages to buried gas and telecommunications lines is four thousand too much."
Bailey was instrumental in having Bill eight passed which, among other things, requires that "all utilities owners must belong to Ontario One Call."
Notification is needed at least five business days before breaking ground.
You can call 1-800-400-2255 to have your underground utilities marked for free or visit www.on1call.com.
