Addressing Systemic Inefficiencies in the Damage Prevention Process
By: Jay Rendos, Continuum Capital
Failures in the nation’s 811 system, designed to prevent damage to underground utility lines, are leading to $61 billion annually in waste and excess costs, and additionally creating unnecessary public safety hazards.
These issues are particularly notable in states where implementation and accountability are weakest, according to a recently released independent review titled“811 Emergency”. The review, commissioned by the Infrastructure Protection Coalition (www.ipcweb.org), brings attention to the significant costs of inefficiency within the system. The Infrastructure Protection Coalition (IPC) is a group of associations representing broadband, electric, natural gas, oil, sewer, transportation, and water industries who design, construct, maintain, or locate these underground systems with both union and non-union workforces. These are regular users and stakeholders who rely on the 811 system to operate safely, effectively, and efficiently.
The primary reasons for the waste and cost overruns found in this study include:
- Utilities and third-party locators needlessly dispatched to locate lines for construction projects ultimately do not occur;
- Inadequate instructions provided to locators, causing wasted time or additional work;
- Destruction of location marks by construction, requiring reinstallation; and
- Contractors wait time when location efforts exceed the legal notice period.
These costs amount to $61 billion in waste, inefficiency, and excess cost that are embedded in the system and largely invisible.
Another association that is identifying challenges and collecting data to address systemic challenges in the damage prevention process is the Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) Damage Prevention Institute (DPI). DPI’s mission is to address inefficiencies in the damage prevention process through a system of comprehensive participant accreditation and metrics, creating the foundation for a consolidated benchmarking and true peer review process.
The value of the DPI extends beyond individual organizational performance documentation. By enabling comparisons to industry benchmarks and facilitating analysis of behaviors that lead to different damage prevention outcomes, the DPI fosters a culture of continuous improvement. Achieving reductions in damages requires individual organizations in the industry to be accountable for their shared responsibilities. The program creates healthy competition regarding improved safety, while peer reviews empower participants to enhance their performance with the support of industry peers.
As CGA continues to drive the damage prevention industry data collection, standardization and analysis, the DPI plays a crucial role in creating an environment of shared accountability for all stakeholders. The purpose of the DPI is to deliver additional insights into the systemic behaviors that lead to improved safety outcomes in the damage prevention industry.
Reporting requirements for DPI participants are established through a collaborative process involving the DPI Metrics Committee, the DPI Advisory Committee and the CGA Board of Directors. Monthly reporting of damages into DIRT is mandatory for CGA members participating in the DPI. This rigorous reporting schedule is designed to enhance their ability to react more quickly to damage data trends. Currently, DPI-eligible stakeholders include excavators, locators, design and engineering firms, and facility owner/operators, each playing a vital role in the damage prevention ecosystem.
DPI focuses on evaluating three specific metrics to ensure they are meaningful and support improvement across the industry. The three focus areas are:
- Excavator Metrics;
- Damages / 10,000 Work Hours (calculated same as work hours for TRIR)
- Locator Metrics;
- On-Time Tickets / Total Number of Tickets
- Damages Caused by Locating Issue / 1,000 Locate Tickets Received
- Facility Owner/Operator Metrics
- Damages Caused by Mapping Errors / 1,000 Locate Tickets Received
- Projects Completed / # of Mapping Records Updates to Records Department
- Trouble Locate Tickets / Locate Tickets Received
The DPI also implemented a confidential peer review model aimed at fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the industry. This model facilitates participants sharing key successes and challenges in reducing dig-ins to buried infrastructure and allows collaboration on industry benchmarking and systemic improvements.
Since the inception of DPI in April 2022 and formal launch in January 2023, DPI builds on the industry-leading insights of CGA’s Next Practices Initiative to set standards for collaboration and performance improvement. By utilizing a stakeholder-centered approach to develop performance metrics, DPI reflects commitment to Best Practices and dedication to improving the reliability of the U.S. damage prevention system for everyone involved.
As DPI and CGA continue to evolve, their efforts complement the efforts of the Infrastructure Protection Coalition. Their combined efforts will improve the nation’s 811 system metrics used to prevent damage to underground utility lines and ultimately reduce waste, excess costs, and public safety hazards. Support for these initiatives offers a practical path toward a safer and more efficient utility landscape. (Download a pdf of this study.)
Jay Rendos is a consultant with Continuum Capital, which provides management consulting, training, and investment banking services to the worldwide energy, utility, industrial, and infrastructure construction industry. Jay brings over thirty years of experience and works primarily with gas/electric utilities, power generators, pipeline companies, and energy companies to support the planning, design, construction, and operation of capital assets. He is a recognized expert in both natural gas utility construction, operations, and maintenance along with power generation facility construction and operations including very specialized experience in reduced and no carbon emission facilities powered by natural gas, nuclear, or renewable sources. Jay can be reached at (630) 981-4612 or