Ontario Energy Association Endorses "One-Call" to Improve Safety for All

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 1, 2011) - The Ontario Energy Association (OEA) calls on the Provincial Government to pass the Ontario One-Call Act - a mandatory, single, one-call utility-line location system that would better protect public and worker health and safety.

"A single one-call system that requires the participation of all asset owners would solve this safety issue by providing excavators and homeowners with one simple phone number that they can use to obtain the location of all utility lines before digging," said Elise Herzig, President and CEO of the OEA. "The system is business-friendly, streamlines processes, reduces cost to taxpayers and, most importantly, improves the overall safety of Ontarians."

Public and worker safety is at risk when utility lines such as buried pipelines, electricity and telephone lines, cables or sewer mains are struck or damaged because homeowners, building contractors and other excavators do not obtain their precise location before digging.

"Such a system should be mandatory for all underground asset owners. Although a voluntary one-call system has been established, a mandatory one-call system would better ensure that companies participate and public and worker safety is better protected," added Herzig. "Our sector endorses safety culture and sees the one-call system as a mandatory requirement for all companies involved."

The OEA has more than 150 corporate members that represent the full diversity of the energy industry in Ontario - power producers, firms that transport, transmit and deliver natural gas and electricity, marketers and retailers, manufacturers, contractors, service providers, and energy consultants. For a list of all OEA members and Board of Directors visit our website at www.energyontario.ca.