Damage Prevention & Safety
Biden Redefines Infrastructure Plan and Breaks Down Costs
President Joe Biden has released a breakdown of a new infrastructure package that will focus on raising corporate taxes and redefining infrastructure.
Gas Driller Pays $1.9M for Wetland and Waterway Damages
A natural gas driller in Pennsylvania agrees to pay $1.9 million for construction damages.
Grand Canyon National Park to Undergo Repairs on Water Pipeline
The Grand Canyon National Park will undergo repairs on a leaking drinking water pipeline.
Civil Engineers Give Ohio a “C-“ and Texas a “C” in Latest 2021 Infrastructure Report Cards
Ohio and Texas receive mediocre infrastructure ratings from civil engineers.
U.S. Department of Labor Implements Inspection Program to Target Workplaces with Highest Injury and Illness Rates
The U.S. Department of Labor is updating its inspection program to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses.
Civil Engineers Give West Virginia a “D” and Maine a “C-“ in the 2020 Infrastructure Report Card
A new 2020 Infrastructure Report Card for West Virginia and Maine with overall low ratings.
Barbco
The co-owner and general manager of Barbco conducted a seminar at about trench safety.
$56M Settlement Approved in Massachusetts Gas Explosions
A $56 million settlement was approved between Massachusetts and Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, the utility responsible for a series of explosions and fires.
NASSCO Releases Brochure to Inform Communities About Styrene Safety
NASSCO published “What’s That Odor,” a two-page brochure to help inform communities about the safety of styrene used in the steam cure process of Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP).
New Plan Will Increase Protection and Resilience of the Texas Coast
The Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Study Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement was released to increase resilience and reduce risk of coastal storm surges.
CGA Research on Utility Locating Points to Stressed Damage Prevention System
The Common Ground Alliance published a new White Paper that is based on recent research among locating stakeholders that points to an often strained damage prevention system.
CGA Report Reveals Utility Damages Cost U.S. $30 Billion in 2019
The 2019 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report compiled by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) revealed that excavation-related damages to utilities cost the U.S. approximately $30 billion last year.
How to Build a Customized Excavation Protective System
Some excavation projects are clear-cut and just require selecting the right excavation protective system for the job. Other projects, such as deep or complex trenches, need a custom-engineered solution.
Suicide Serious Issue for Construction Industry
CIASP’s stated goals include increasing awareness about the risk of suicide within the construction industry and to develop suicide prevention resources and tools to create a zero-suicide industry.
Cross Bore Risk Reduction Protects Contractors
Published in February 2020, by the Cross Bore Safety Association, Leading Practices for Cross Bore Risk Reduction is the direct result of the industry’s expressed desire to have a high-confidence guidance document to help ensure cross bores are not created and, if existing, eliminated.
Common Ground Alliance Announces Damage Prevention Conference & Expo
The Common Ground Alliance has announced its 2021 CGA Conference & Expo from March 2-5, 2021 in Orlando, Florida.
NUCA of Middle Tennessee Announces Winner of 2020 Trench Safety Stand Down Week Contest
The Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Utility Contractors Association of America (NUCA) has announced the winner of it's first every Trench Safety Stand Down (TSSD) contest last week as part of the association's annual TSSD Week.
PG&E Confesses to Killing 84 People in 2018 California Fire
California gas utility company Pacific Gas & Electric confessed Tuesday to killing 84 people in one of the most devastating wildfires in recent U.S. history
New Mexico Offers COVID-19 Testing for Utility Workers
The state of New Mexico is offering COVID-19 testing to utility workers as part of a statewide effort to keep essential workers healthy and to meet state testing goals.
CGA Releases Annual Damage Prevention Technology Report
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), has released its third annual Technology Report, which serves as a record of progress in technology for the damage prevention industry.
U.S. Department of Labor Issues Guidance for Construction Workers Safety During Pandemic
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the Department of Labor, has issued guidelines to keep construction workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
WEF Panel to Study Biohazards, Safety for Wastewater Workers
To ensure the protection of wastewater workers during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond, the Water Environment Federation is convening a blue-ribbon panel of experts to evaluate information on biological hazards and safety precautions.
CGA: Late Locates of Buried Utilities Appear Underreported
A new Common Ground Alliance report examining 2015-2018 data reveals excavators primarily use CGA’s DIRT tool to document locating issues and associated downtime. The analysis shows late locates of buried utilities may be underreported.
Texas Eastern Gas Pipeline Explodes in Kentucky
Enbridge responded to an explosion on Line 10 of its Texas Eastern system in Kentucky and said Tuesday that it has shut-in a section of the pipeline. Gas futures rose on the news.
Working in Confined Spaces: Be Safe, Not Sorry
In construction and industry, some potential hazards are visibly manifest, such as the risk of falls from heights. Others are more hidden. A confined space may not look dangerous, but workers perish each year because someone assumed the air inside was safe to breathe, when testing would have revealed that it wasn’t.
Corrosion Blamed for 2018 Canadian Pipeline Blast
An explosion and fire in 2018 along an Enbridge Inc natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia was caused by corrosion, Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) said on Wednesday.
TTC to Release CIPP Emissions Safety Findings on Dec. 17
The Trenchless Technology Center at Louisiana Tech University said it has completed NAASCO-commissioned research into the safety of styrene emissions from cured-in-place pipe and will present its findings and recommendations in a webcast on Dec. 17.
Harnessing Better Data to Embrace Defensive Digging
Data is everywhere – even buried in soil. It’s no longer just a Silicon Valley buzzword, but rather something tangible that contractors working in underground infrastructure installation and maintenance can harness for safer and more efficient operations.
CGA DIRT Report Shows Excavation Damages Increased in 2018
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the stakeholder-driven organization dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them and their communities, recently announced its findings from the 2018 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report.
Contractor Guilty of Manslaughter in Boston Trench Collapse
A contractor who prosecutors said pushed his crews to work faster on a behind-schedule project has been convicted of manslaughter for the deaths of two workers in a 2016 trench collapse.
- OSHA issues 16 citations following fatal sewer confined space incident
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
- LA recovery reports call for $650 million power line burial, major utility upgrades in Pacific Palisades
- Comprehensive microtrenching FAQ: Key insights on the Vermeer MTR516 microtrencher
- T-Mobile to expand fiber broadband infrastructure footprint with $4.9 billion Metronet acquisition
- First tunnel boring machines complete testing for Hudson Tunnel Project
- NWPX grows water infrastructure portfolio with Colorado precast facility
- Cityside launches $100 million fiber build in Corona, Calif.
- FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion