Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Protecting your privacy

Your privacy is important to us and we know that how we collect, hold, deal with and protect your personal information is important to you.

Before You Dig Australia (“Before You Dig”, “BYDA” or “us” or “we”) is committed to protecting your privacy. Please read this policy carefully as it sets out important information regarding how we collect, hold, use, disclose and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).

Please visit our website regularly to review this policy as we update this policy from time to time.

About Before You Dig Australia

Before You Dig Australia is a Not-for-Profit organisation that delivers a vital national community service designed to assist in preventing damage and disruption to Australia’s vast infrastructure networks which provide essential services we use every day. Protecting Australia’s infrastructure assets is crucial in keeping essential services such as electricity, gas, water and telecommunications flowing to the community.

Any project, irrespective of size, has the potential to damage assets located around the work site, leading to service interruptions, delays, costly repairs and in the worst-case scenario, injury or death. Obtaining information from Before You Dig Australia Members significantly minimises these risks by providing information about the work site. Safety is a fundamental aspect of any excavation project and so Before You Dig Australia should always be the first point of contact: The Essential First Step.

Before You Dig Australia aims to educate and promote the importance of safe digging practices by providing all persons working in and around buried infrastructure with the best possible access to plans and information directly from asset owners of utility services. Lodging an enquiry is a FREE and simple process. Anyone planning to excavate should read the Before You Dig Australia Best Practice Guide. This guide is available on our website. Before You Dig Australia also provides a range of services, tools and training programs that can be accessed via the byda.com.au website aimed at minimising the risk of infrastructure damage and harm from excavation.

Most of Australia’s major infrastructure asset owners are Members of Before You Dig Australia. Our unique service offers a single point of contact to request information about the infrastructure networks at the planned project site without the need to contact utility organisations individually.

What kinds of information do we collect?

To enable us to fulfil our goal of reducing and preventing damage to the underground installations or assets (“networks”) owned by our utility providers and otherwise provide our services to you, we need to collect certain information from you. The kinds of information we collect include:
• identification details (such as your name, address and other contact details).
• if another person or organisation is conducting the excavation work, the name, address and other contact details of the person responsible for the excavation work; and
• other details of the work which you are planning to undertake.

How do we use your information?

We use your information to forward your enquiries to members of the state Before You Dig Australia entities and their affiliates, who are usually the owners of networks who will respond directly to you. Our services may also result in the notification of proposed excavation to local councils where road opening may be involved.

Where the excavation you are planning poses a danger to a network or to people, it may be necessary to contact you and our collection of your information is vital to this process. You will usually be contacted directly by the owner of any network under or near the site at which you are proposing the excavation. We may provide the information we collect to our members, others who may be affected by your proposed works and, if applicable, local councils, to allow them to contact you directly.

We may also hold the information we collect from you to maintain an audit trail in the event of any action against us or in respect of any action we may be required to take, including a legal claim.

Additionally, we may collect, hold, use and disclose your information so we can:
• develop and price our services;
• develop new services;
• conduct and improve our business and improve the user experience;
• identify you and tell you about our services including via emails and newsletters;
• manage our relationship with you;
• manage our relationship with other stakeholders such as roads authorities and industry associations;
• comply with our legal obligations and assist government and law enforcement agencies or regulators; and
• manage various risks we are confronted with.

Before You Dig Australia does not collect sensitive information.

How do we collect your information?

We collect the information by various means including telephone, mobile apps and through our website. We may also collect information through our member organisations, our staff and through our contracted agents and other third-party service providers.

We may need to ask you (or others) further questions so we can properly deal with your enquiry and otherwise provide our services to you. Wherever practicable, we will ask you for the information directly. When we have to collect personal information about you from someone else, we will take reasonable steps to notify you (1) that we have done so and (2) the circumstances of the collection.

If we are required by Australian law and/or by a court or tribunal to collect and/or disclose your personal information, we will notify you (1) that we have done so and (2) the fact that the collection/disclosure is required and (3) the details of the Australian law and/or court or tribunal that requires or authorises the collection and/or disclosure of your personal information.

How do we keep your information secure?

The security of all information we collect, hold, and disclose is of paramount importance to us. We keep both hardcopy and electronic records on our premises and electronic systems as well as with trusted contracted agents and other third-party service providers. We take reasonable steps to ensure your information is secure which may change from time to time.

Under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme of the Privacy Act, we have data breach notification obligations when a data breach is likely to result in serious harm to any individuals whose personal information is involved in the breach (“eligible data breach”). In the event we become aware of reasonable grounds to believe an eligible data breach has occurred, we will promptly notify any individuals at likely risk of serious harm. We will also notify the Federal Office of the Australian Commissioner as soon as practicable through a statement about the eligible data breach.

Who do we disclose your information to?

Unless we are permitted or required to provide your information to others by law, by court order or to investigate suspected fraud or other unlawful activity or to investigate or prevent damage or injury to persons or property, your information will only be seen or used as specified in this policy including by:

· persons working in or for Before You Dig Australia;
· utility or asset network owners;
· persons who have an interest in any networks;
· Australian based third-party service providers to Before You Dig Australia; and
· any related entities or affiliates of Before You Dig Australia who provide services in relation to networks or, if applicable, local councils in respect of applications for road opening permits.

We will not sell or distribute your information to third-party marketing databases.

The list of Before You Dig Australia members (utility and asset network owners) who may be given your personal information is available on our website here.

How can you access, update or correct your information?

Subject to any legal rights or restrictions we would be happy to advise you of the personal information we hold about you or provide you with a copy of the Privacy Policy, upon request. Please complete the privacy contact form to make any such requests.

We will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we use is up-to-date, complete and accurate. If you believe there are errors in our records about you, please let us know and we will be happy to investigate and (where reasonably practicable) correct any inaccuracies.

What are the main consequences for me if I do not provide my information?
You are not required to give us your information. However, if you do not give us your information (including your personal information) we will not be able to process your request for information.

How do I make a complaint?

While we always endeavour to get things right, we accept that we can get things wrong. If you have a complaint regarding your privacy, you may make a complaint and we will investigate your concerns.

To make a complaint, please complete the privacy contact form. If you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you may complain to the Privacy Commissioner.

Further information

If you would like further information or if you have any concerns over the protection of the information you have given to us or that we have collected from others, in addition to the above please feel free to contact Before You Dig Australia directly.

Before You Dig Australia Ltd
ABN:91 089 413 650