Monthly Update - June 2022

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Upcoming Summer Committee Summit: July 25-28     

Author: Sarah Magruder Lyle, CGA President and CEO

CGA is looking forward to our upcoming Summer Committee Summit happening July 25-28 at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. Attendees will enjoy three productive days of working committee meetings for all of CGA’s committees, networking opportunities and more with fellow members and damage prevention stakeholders. Please note, advance registration is required to attend the Summit. Additionally, hotel space is limited, so be sure to book your hotel accommodations HERE using CGA’s room block rate as soon as possible.

Summit attendees will have access to CGA Committee meetings, including the Best Practices, Data Reporting & Evaluation, Educational Programs & Marketing, OSCI and Technology committees. In addition, members will learn more about the Damage Prevention Institute, and hear from general session speakers highlighting the latest updates and trends in damage prevention. The Summit also will also offer ample networking opportunities for attendees to connect with other damage prevention professionals, including a golf outing and reception.

Registration is free for CGA members with the exception of the OCSI Golf Get-Together. Payment for golf and equipment rentals will be handled directly through the Pro Shop. Attendees can register for the specific events they plan to attend.

Additionally, North Carolina 811 will be hosting a free tour of their one call facility on Monday, July 25 – register soon as space is limited.

Click here to find the Summit’s schedule-at-a-glance and learn more about what is in store. For questions, please email [email protected].

I look forward to seeing everyone next month in Greensboro!

New member spotlight: Talman Consultants    

Author: Khrysanne Kerr, VP of Marketing and Outreach  

Talman Consultants is a WBENC, WDBE-certified utility engineering design consulting firm. Their comprehensive and collaborative Concept to Construction (CTC) model ensures that clients “Design to Build”.

Talman serves as a strategic partner for utility leaders, helping them make smarter investment decisions to secure a competitive advantage, based on a wealth of knowledge in both the design and construction of complex infrastructure projects. 

Talman takes a 360 view of the entire Project Lifecycle, uncovering opportunities and anticipating problems that often are missed. Their collaborative business model and proprietary process RAMP™, uniquely connects all utility stakeholders to shared goals, optimizing speed to market and return on investment.

Talman’s team leverages extensive experience with leading utilities on large scale, complex projects. According to Talman, they understand clients’ business strategies and work to deliver streamlined project life cycles that support them. We integrate well with larger project teams applying best practices, transparent reporting and accurate, timely forecasts.

Strong relationships with public, private and governmental entities enable Talman to negotiate the best possible time-to-market solution for getting work approved in the public right of way.

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New Mexico 811 employee awarded Rust-Oleum giveaway at CGA Conference

Author: Lisa O'Leary, CGA

During the 2022 CGA Conference & Expo in Anaheim, Calif., an outdoor welcome cocktail reception courtesy of Rust-Oleum® was held on Monday, April 5. Attendees were provided an entry ticket to be eligible for a drawing for a new epoxy floor coating for a two and a half car garage including installation courtesy of Rust-Oleum®. CGA member Laura Harrison of New Mexico 811 was the lucky winner and recently had the epoxy installed on her garage floor! Check out the accompany photo to see how it turned out. Congratulations Laura and thank you to Rust-Oleum® for your sponsorship!

 

 

 

Miss Utility recognizes regional locators at the 19th Annual Locator Achievement Awards

On May 20, Miss Utility of Maryland and Washington, D.C., recognized 43 regional locators for their dedication to damage prevention and exemplary performance with zero safety violations in 2021. Miss Utility’s 19th Annual Locator Achievement Awards celebration took place at a Bowie Baysox game at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Md., where locators, their families, members of the awards committee and Miss Utility members gathered to celebrate the locators’ accomplishments.

During the baseball game, winning locators stood on the dugout to be recognized by the Bowie Baysox over the PA system, and received a round of applause from the thousands present in the stadium. In addition to the awards celebration, locators received a Locator Achievement Awards certificate, an 811 T-shirt and a custom-embroidered safety jacket. Miss Utility also had a marketing booth set up during the game to help spread the 811 message to the homeowner audience in attendance.

 

OCC updates: Louisiana 811, Kansas 811 and Oregon Utility Notification Center

Louisiana 811

A local Lowe's Home Improvement store in Louisiana is in the damage prevention spotlight for being a #SafeDiggingPartner and helping to prevent damages throughout the country by displaying “Call of Click 811 Before You Dig” stickers on all of their young trees! Louisiana 811 thanks Lowes and all safe digging partners for doing their part to contribute to a mutual goal of zero damages. 

Kansas 811

Kansas 811 recently cheered on Chris (Haze) Haesemeyer, racer for Underground Team Racing, as he competed in the Twins Cup held at the Road America race track. On Saturday, June 4, Haze raced all the while promoting the underground safety and 811 message to fellow motor-sports enthusiasts. Fans were able to watch on MotoAmerica TV, live on MotoAmerica, or caught up on MotoAmerica's YouTube channel after the race.

Oregon Utility Notification Center

Register for the 2022 Annual Metropolitan Utility Coordinating Council Golf Tournament at the beautiful Stone Creek Golf Club in Oregon City on Friday, July 15, 2022! The tournament will feature a driving range with 18 holes of golf with a golf cart, a tasty BBQ lunch and an opportunity to win great prizes while helping a great cause – the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & SW Washington. Mark your calendars! Learn more HERE.

Indiana 811 launches brand new video library

Author: Mary Patricia Kindt, Indiana 811

Indiana 811 is thrilled to unveil its new video library, launched as a helpful resource to inform homeowners and pros alike about the safe digging process in a fun, fresh way.

The library includes brand new videos created in partnership with the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, featuring Indiana 811’s very own Holey Moley and the Indians’ mascot Rowdie as they educate homeowners about the importance of white lining, the five steps to safe digging, the color code card, the online ticketing process and more.

View the video library HERE. Indiana 811 will be adding even more new content to the video library soon, so be sure to keep an eye out!

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Best Practices Committee approves update to Best Practice 5.2

Author: Erika Lee, CGA Vice President

A modification to Best Practice 5-2: Delineate Area of Proposed Excavation was recently approved by CGA’s Best Practices Committee. The updated practice outlines three methods for delineating the area of proposed excavation, including the practice of electronic white-lining – the process in which an excavator identifies where proposed excavation will occur by drawing a polygon shape on a GIS map; that shape is delivered electronically by the 811 center to its member facility operators. 

A clear description of the area where work is being performed helps facility owners and their locators know exactly what needs to be located, saving valuable time and resources.

The update to Best Practice 5-2 is included below. 

       5.2 Delineate Area of Proposed Excavation

       Practice Statement: The excavator delineates the area of proposed excavation by one or a combination of the following methods:

       1)     Electronic white-lining (where available through the 811 center);

       2)     On-site premarking, also known as white-lining, with white paint, flags, stakes, whiskers and/or other locally accepted methods [See Appendix B]; and/or

       3)     Clear description of the proposed excavation site on the locate ticket

       Practice Description: A clearly delineated proposed work area allows facility owners/operators and locators to avoid unnecessary work created by locating facilities that are not affected by the planned excavation and ensure that underground facilities within the intended work area are well marked. Electronic white-lining provides a method where excavators may indicate their defined dig area visually by electronic  data entry (lines or polygons) without the need for a physical site visit. Premarking, on-site and/or electronically, allows excavators to accurately communicate to the 811 center, facility owners/operators, or their locator where excavation is to occur.

This proposed modification to Best Practice 5-2 is a result of the Committee’s efforts during the past two years. The importance of clear delineation area of proposed excavation has also been emphasized through various CGA programs and research, including:

●       The DIRT Report, which recommended the Best Practices Committee review this particular practice.

●       The Locator White Paper, which pointed to electronic white-lining as one of the most efficient pathways to faster and more accurate locating.

●       Electronic white-lining has also been an area of inquiry for the Next Practices Initiative, and there is a Next Practices working group dedicated to this facet of driving efficiency in the U.S. damage prevention system.

The modification to practice 5-2 will be presented to CGA’s Board of Directors for final approval next month, and will then be published in the online version and appear in Version 19.0 of the Best Practices Guide.

Share your 8/11 Day plans with CGA members

Author:  Erika Lee, CGA Vice President

Summer is official here and August is around the corner, and that means it's time to start thinking about 8/11 Day 2022! What does your organization have planned for 8/11 Day this year? Share your planned events, giveaways, and campaigns with your fellow CGA members on Engage here. We hope to share some of the plans on CGA's social media pages as well.

Data & Technology Data & Technology Icon

New searchable digital library of technology coming soon

Author: Steven Blaney, DIRT Program Manager

The Technology Committee is working on the next annual Technology Report. In conjunction with the upcoming release of the report, CGA is introducing a new searchable digital library of technology, modelled after our online Best Practices. Case studies will identify the stakeholder groups the technology is intended for using the same icons from Best Practices. The site will allow searching and filtering on several technology categories, stakeholder audiences, and key terms and phrases. This new resource will allow stakeholders to quickly identify the technologies and case studies they are most interested in. It will also provide more visibility and access to the case studies, beyond the initial publication of the annual Technology Reports. Many case studies will fit multiple stakeholder groups and categories.

Seven technology categories have been established as follows:

  • Encroachment – technologies that detect when/where excavation activity is getting close to buried lines. Examples include geo-fencing, thermal imaging and vacuum excavation.
  • Facility Installation – technologies that reduce the chance of damage to other buried utilities during installation or that facilitate accurate marking of newly installed facilities. Examples include radio frequency identification (RFID) marker balls and embedded tracer wire in plastic pipe.
  • Locating – equipment, techniques and training. Examples include electromagnetic, RFID, ground penetrating radar (GPR), light detection and ranging (LIDAR).
  • Mapping – technologies that increase accuracy, accessibility and/or reduce cost, time to complete, etc. Examples include Real Time Kinematic (RTK), simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM).
  • Pipeline Integrity – technologies that help maintain pipeline integrity, including detection and mitigation of cross bores.
  • Positioning – technologies that incorporate Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites to identify the position of buried lines and/or other items like excavation equipment, locating devices, persons, etc.
  • Software – technologies that incorporate software to enable digital collection, storage and sharing of data, use on mobile devices, desktops, etc. Examples include artificial intelligence, electronic white-lining and enhanced positive response.

Stay tuned for details on the upcoming release of the digital library. If you haven’t already done so, please participate in CGA’s technology survey to share your feedback on current and developing damage prevention technology as it impacts your organization and stakeholder group. Your input is vital in the publishing of the written Technology Report and online version dedicated to providing easy access to damage prevention technology resources, information and case studies.

For questions, please email Steven Blaney at [email protected]. 

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CGA welcomes Sam Hall as VP of the Damage Prevention Institute

Author: Erika Lee, CGA Vice President
 

CGA has welcomed Sam Hall as Vice President of our newly established Damage Prevention Institute (DPI)!

You may be familiar with Sam from his 15 years at PHMSA, where he actively engaged with damage prevention stakeholders from the local level to internationally. Sam also brings years of experience with data management and analytics in the private sector, as well as in local and federal government, including the development and implementation of metrics and evaluation mechanisms for grant programs, public awareness programs, emergency management systems and state excavation damage prevention law enforcement programs.

Please join us in welcoming Sam to the CGA team! You can reach him on Engage or via email ([email protected]). We look forward to sharing more information with you about the DPI in the coming months.

Save the Date: 2023 & 2024 CGA Conferences

Author: Khrysanne Kerr, VP of Marketing and Outreach   

CGA wants to make sure you have the 2023 and 2024 CGA Conference & Expo marked down on your calendar! We’re looking forward to hosting the damage prevention industry for the 2023 CGA Conference & Expo, April 17-23 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Fla. and the 2024 CGA Conference & Expo, April 14-18, 2024 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. To learn more about next year’s Conference & Expo, including sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, please visit www.CGAconference.com. And check your inboxes later this summer for details about the 2023 Call for Proposals.

For questions, email [email protected].

 

The Utility Expo coming September 2023

Author: Khrysanne Kerr, VP of Marketing and Outreach   

CGA encourages the damage prevention industry to save-the-date for the The Utility Expo (formerly ICUEE) happening Sept. 26-28, 2023 in Louisville, Ky! Don’t miss this opportunity to meet with top manufacturers and service providers from all segments of the utility industry. Registration will open May 2023. Click here to learn more about the show and to register, as well as sign-up to receive show alerts and information to your inbox.

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