Living and Working Near Pipelines

At the Canada Energy Regulator, we hold companies to some of the strictest safety and environmental standards in the world.

These rules help to keep you and the people you love safe.

Pipelines are the main way products like oil and gas are moved across the country.

One of the biggest hazards for pipelines, is people digging without knowing where they are buried.

That is why it is so important that everyone living or working near pipelines understands the risks and take precautions.

We have guidelines that tell companies and individuals how to safely live and work near pipelines.

These are called the CER Damage Prevention Framework.

We also have experts in damage prevention and who do things like:

• Inspect the area around pipelines to make sure it is clearly marked and to check for potentially dangerous activities
• Make sure companies have detailed plans and programs to prevent damage to the pipelines they operate
• Teach people about how to stay safe around pipelines and what their responsibilities are
• And do in-depth Inspections and audits on pipeline companies to make sure they are following the rules.

If we see that a company isn’t doing something right, we make sure they fix the problem.

Companies must report to us if they see any activities that could potentially damage a pipeline.

Before anyone does work that involves digging, they must contact the “one call centre” to place a locate request.

The easiest way to do that is to go to Click Before You Dig (http://www.clickbeforeyoudig.com) to connect to the one call centre in the province or territory where they live.

It’s the law.

The One Call Centre will let the companies that have buried lines in the area know that you are planning to dig.

Those companies will tell you if there are pipelines buried under the ground that you need to avoid or other things like communications or electrical lines.

Preventing damage to pipelines is everyone’s responsibility and it helps to keep everyone living and working near pipelines safe.

Want to learn more about preventing damage to pipelines and how the CER works for you?

Visit us online or contact us directly.