UA / ISSUE 82

OSHA Standard 1926.651(b)(1) states that the estimated location of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installations that reasonably may be expected to be encountered during excavation work, shall be determined prior to opening an excavation. Here’s the top stories from the week:   GeoCal is helping to map assets under the ground …

VHS | AA DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SUE TECH

“What’s it like to work as a Subsurface Utility Engineering SUE Tech at Control Point Associates, Inc.? A SUE Tech provides a full range of utility engineering services including private utility locating, ground penetrating radar, concrete scanning, and vacuum excavation. We solve the mystery of what is happening underground.”RECENT POSTSMar. 28, 2024INEFFABLE CRYPTOGRAPHY & DAMAGE PREVENTIONMar. 25, 2024UA / ISSUE …

ROBOTS IN DAMAGE PREVENTION

If we’re going to meet the 50-in-5 target we’re going to need to continue to innovate in preventing damage to underground utilities. This week one of our team was at a Tesla store in LA and seen their robot Optimus and it triggered me to look at where we’re currently using robotics in damage prevention and what’s coming up next! …

UA / ISSUE 81

Lots of exciting stories this week – Exodigo’s adoption by the DOE might be the biggest one in terms of impact though! Exiciting to see mapping and AI get a push at the federal level.   Here’s why undergrounding all utilities in San Francisco is nearly impossible READ 🔗 DOE’s Grid Overhaul Prioritizes Safety Using AI Maps of Underground Power …

MAKING THE CASE FOR LOCATOR CERTIFICATION

A Vital Step in Damage Prevention Last week I attended Mike Parilac’s impactful presentation at the Louisiana 811 Damage Prevention Summit, the importance of locator certification in the field of utility management became glaringly apparent. As an observer at the Utility Expo where Mike launched this initiative back in September, his passion for certification and its potential impact on damage …

PROACTIVE MEASURES

Safeguarding Utility Infrastructure The old adage “prevention is better than cure” succinctly captures the essence of proactive decision-making especially in damage prevention. Emphasizing the importance of foresight and precautionary measures, this saying underscores the value of averting problems before they arise rather than addressing them after the fact.  This isn’t always possible in damage prevention but right now the American …

UA / ISSUE 80

“Nothing is of greater importance than the conservation of human life.” – Former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge Peoples Gas pipeline replacement could soon restart READ 🔗 Equipment Recommendation READ 🔗 NextGen: Placing a Locate Request – BYDP WATCH 🔗 An interview with Michael Egan READ 🔗 Why didn’t 811 mark everything? WATCH 🔗 Geospatial firm raises £600k to create ‘eye …

VHS | WHY DIDN’T 811 MARK EVERYTHING?

“Tractor Time with Tim needed the utilities marks so we could start digging the trenches for the geothermal system. We called 811 – Call Before You Dig. It turns out they don’t mark everything. Craig explains what they mark and what they don’t mark. You have to see him throw the flags! “RECENT POSTSMar. 28, 2024INEFFABLE CRYPTOGRAPHY & DAMAGE PREVENTIONMar. …

AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL EGAN

Bunting Labs, a San Francisco-based startup co-founded by Michael Egan and Brendan Ashworth, is on a mission to accelerate map digitization using AI. The fusion of mapping, digitization, and AI intrigued me, prompting a conversation with Michael to delve into their technology and explore potential applications in the realm of damage prevention.   Here’s how it went: A CHAT WITH …

UA / ISSUE 79

We’re heading to the Louisiana 811 Damage Prevention Summit tomorrow – let us know if you’re going!   County GIS dept. gets new Utility Scan Device READ 🔗 Gentry Council passes ordinance requiring underground utilities READ 🔗 Why digital twins are the future of damage prevention READ 🔗 Any Direction Underground Utilities sees success READ 🔗 Robot worms, lasers, drones …