The amount of utility installation and improvement set to occur across the U.S. over the next several years will result in an enormous increase in excavation activity. That means a boom for local economies – and a boom in the number of excavation damages, according to the latest Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT Report) from the Common Ground Alliance (CGA).

The CGA is a member-driven association of more than 3,200 damage prevention professionals in every facet of the underground utility industry. It includes organizations in the North American utility sector, from gas transmission companies to telecom to rail, state regulators, public works, utility locators and more.

The 2020 DIRT Report found concerning increases across key damage indicators. Damage to underground utilities, which pose severe risks to public safety and interrupt commerce, has trended upward over the last three years. Three-year modeling from 2020-2022 reveals that damage per construction spending rose 12.35% and damages per 1,000 transmissions rose 9.34% between 2021 and 2022. The report analyzed all 2022 data submitted voluntarily to DIRT by facility operators, utility locating companies, 811 centers, contractors, regulators and others from the U.S. and Canada.[1]

The report revealed that 76% of all damages in 144,531 submitted reports are due to just six root causes, the same culprits that make the top six year after year. Of those, the top three are:

No notification made to 811 Center (24.81%) 35,860 reports
Facility not marked due to locator error (15.19%) 21,951 reports
Excavator failed to maintain clearance after verifying marks (13.46%) 19,448 reports [2]

It’s obvious that eliminating these root causes simply requires following recommended, common-sense procedures. Excavation occurs for all kinds of reasons in diverse settings by professional and non-professionals, so getting everyone to follow a set procedure is easier said than done. State 811 call centers do a good job of letting homeowners know to call before digging, so the focus of CGA is to get industry partners to work toward damage reduction.

This year’s DIRT Report underscores the urgent need for GIS-based mapping of assets and better communication between stakeholders. This not only promotes safety, but it also improves locating times and increases accuracy. [3]

A long-time member of CGA, Berntsen has merged its expertise in underground marking with GIS and RFID, creating a simple approach to locating and verifying assets of all kinds, above and below ground. InfraMarker Connected RFID was specifically developed to address the issues organizations face during excavation by providing precise verification of each marked asset, then automatically connecting that asset to its GIS record using a mobile device. That means that field staff can identify marked assets below ground and access records that include photo, video, schematics and maintenance records of any asset – before ground is broken. Additionally, this information is shareable between and within organizations, addressing the communication issues that plague any project.

The results of a seven-year longitudinal study that evaluated the functionality, durability and user-friendliness of InfraMarker Connected RFID were recently published. In 2015, a range of buried utilities (gas, water, electric, telecom and other assets) were marked in a residential/commercial area. Over the next seven years, the RFID tags that marked the utilities were accessed using an RFID scanner connected to mobile devices running InfraMarker apps and GIS.

The study demonstrated that InfraMarker RFID functions as intended (quickly identifying underground utilities and linking each asset to its record in GIS), and continues to function as intended over time. Rugged markers buried with or near underground utilities were accessed, read and quickly updated in GIS. InfraMarker RFID literally ties the physical asset to its data in GIS, providing vital information about buried assets to excavators and utility owners. That means fewer utility strikes, improved safety, and fewer construction delays.

The CGA states “Our ability to advance as an industry depends on our willingness to adapt legacy processes to the demands of modern-day damage prevention. The opportunity exists to create meaningful change, but only if we meet this moment with the necessary urgency.”

It is possible. InfraMarker Connected RFID is key to elevating the value of GIS from a digital map to a repeatable way physically verify the identity of each buried asset over time.

The 2022 DIRT Report concludes:

Now is the time for the damage prevention industry to take decisive, bold action by embracing innovation, capitalizing on technological advancements and working together to reimagine a damage prevention process that works for all stakeholders.[4]

References:

[1] Underground infrastructure damage trending upward, Common Ground Alliance reports | Underground Construction

[2] Common Ground Alliance DIRT Annual Report 2022 - FINAL (1).pdf page 14

[3] Common Ground Alliance DIRT Annual Report 2022 - FINAL (1).pdf page 1

[4] Sarah K. Magruder Lyle, President & CEO Common Ground Alliance, Common Gound Alliance 2022 DIRT Report 2