Alberta Damage Prevention Council
The Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA), formerly the Alberta Damage Prevention Council (ADPC), is a non-profit society of stakeholders in the damage prevention process. ABCGA members include representatives from local damage prevention committees, stakeholder industry associations,facility operators, ground disturbers, contract locators, regulatory agencies,training organizations, and the one-call center.
The ABCGA Training Standards Committee is responsible for establishing the minimum content of ABCGA Standard 101, Ground Disturbance – Hazard Awareness, and ABCGA Standard 201, Ground Disturbance – Supervisory training programs. Membership in the ABCGA is open to any individual, corporation, association, or committee with an interest in the prevention of damage to buried facility locating. New members are always welcome.
Mission Statement
In the spirit of cooperation, the Alberta Common Ground Alliance is dedicated to minimizing damages caused to bury facilities from unauthorized contacts and to the promotion of safe working environments for all agencies involved in development and construction.
Purposes
In the interests of worker safety, public safety, protection of the environment,and preservation of the integrity of the underground infrastructure that provides goods and services to society, the purposes of the ABCGA are:
• To prevent damage from ground disturbance activities by identifying, validating, and promoting the adoption of damage prevention best practices among all stakeholders in the buried facility damage prevention process.
• To define and promote recognition and acceptance of the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of all stakeholder groups in the buried facility damage prevention process
• To establish and maintain minimum program content for ground disturbance training programs;
•To establish and maintain a ground disturbance training program assessment and endorsement process to ensure minimum content consistency and relevance;
•To foster a cooperative approach to the resolution of issues among all the stakeholders in the buried facility damage prevention process;
•To foster a sense of shared responsibility for the prevention of damage to buried facilities;
• To advocate the development and implementation of fair, reasonable, and practical damage prevention regulation that is based on best practice sand acceptable to all stakeholder groups;
•To sponsor, promote and participate in public awareness, education, and training programs related to the prevention of damage to buried facilities and safe ground disturbance activities;
• To evaluate publications, programs, and services that are or may be of interest to members;
• To conduct activities that advance the purposes of the society and enhance the quality of the services provided to the society’s members;
• To promote membership in the society and participation in achieving its purposes;
• To establish and maintain liaison with other related interest groups and organizations.
• To serve as the provincial voice for buried facility damage prevention and ground disturbance training.
• The prevention of damage to buried facilities will have a positive impact on worker safety, public safety, protection of the environment, and preservation of the integrity of the underground infrastructure that provides goods and services essential to today’s society.