A few years ago Geoff Zeiss and Dr. Sakura Shinoaki wrote a white paper called Reducing Damage to Underground Utility Infrastructure during Excavation. In it they outlined ten main topics and concluded with 25 recommendations 25!! This was a hefty piece of research and expertise rolled into one, that sought to challenge the status quo in damage prevention and draw …
Welcome to our first Utility Alert of 2024, let’s make this year safer than the one before. Utilities Can Reap the Rewards of Resilience – READ 🔗 ‘The 5 billion-dollar mile’: Bulldozers at the ready for 23 acres – READ 🔗 Forging Forward in Damage Prevention – READ 🔗 Pre-Plan for Success – READ 🔗 Federal funding for Virginia to …
This week we’re haring a video from Nate Jones on how to start your own excavating company – Land Clearing, Basement Digging, Excavating for Foundations, and Excavating utility work!In the video he covers 5 main points: Costs and Equipment, How much you can make, Downfalls, Legal Set Up, and Getting StartedGive it watch and get inspired!RECENT POSTSDec. 13, 2024VHS | …
Utility locating is one of the most pivotal elements in ensuring safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in project execution. There are several key considerations which are often overlooked during project pre-planning that I think would help improve project timeliness and ultimately reduce damages. Unveiling the nuances of 811 and private utility locators unveils critical insights pivotal for a secure and robust …
As we step into 2024, we’re once again met with fresh challenges and opportunities in damage prevention. The past year’s experiences have illuminated the path toward greater safety, innovation, and collaborative progress within the industry. Building upon the foundations laid and acknowledging the evolving nature of damage prevention, it’s time to chart a course for 2024 – a year dedicated …
Here are some of the biggest stories which impacted the industry from the last year… JANUARY Mark Brennan shared his decision to exit the utility locating industry after two decades of service. Working in a large city in upstate New York, he specialized in locating various utilities, including water, sewer, drainage, and electrical lines. In his insightful account, Mark highlighted …
This week we’re haring a video from our friends at Screening Eagle.”Before any digging or drilling takes place, detecting and mapping buried utilities like pipes and cables is crucial. See how the team at Site Vision Surveys inspects the subsurface to detect underground utilities and visualizes them in 3D – in real-time using the GS8000 subsurface mapping system with an …
I was speaking to the owner of a small locate firm recently and he told me that he almost exclusively hires former police detectives. Hopefully I’m not unveiling his big secret to the world but he seemed pretty enthusiastic about how detail and goal oriented they could be. In the world of damage prevention and utility locating, the unexpected connection …
Christmas is nearly upon us, and in the spirit of giving, I’ve curated a comprehensive list of the most cherished and effective equipment and apparel beloved by locators in their day-to-day work. This list is the result of talking to people in the industry who test their apparel everyday in the field. FOOTWEAR Irish Setter boasts an extensive collection of robust, …
Who’s read the new Common Ground Alliance Telecom White Paper?Here’s a quick 4 point rundown from my perspective:1. The paper highlights a prevailing perception within the telecom sector that damages to buried infrastructure are deemed inevitable and consequently accepted as part of the business model. This acceptance seems rooted in the industry’s focus on recovering repair costs rather than proactively …