CGA DIRT REPORTS DUE : MARCH 31
Contractors MUST submit their DIRT ( Damage Information Reporting Tool ) information regarding utility strikes by March 31 . The information you submit is not tied to your company and remains anonymous . It ’ s critical that you report , because the information collected by CGA is used in the annual DIRT Analysis and Recommendations Report , which many states use to support one-call regulations and laws .
Contractors ’ utility hits are highly misrepresented in CGA ’ s annual report because only 4 % of contractors submitted DIRT reports in 2015 . Compare that to the 70 % of locators that submitted reports . As a result , the CGA report identifies contractors / developers as the largest root cause of utility damages ( 45 %); locators are the smallest stakeholder segment at fault ( 18 %).
Why it is Critical to Submit Dirt Reports States are using the data in CGA ’ s report to support and drive one-call regulations and laws , as well as help identify opportunities for improvement , set benchmarks , and develop damage prevention best practices . Because contractor data is so poorly reported , many state laws misplace liability and fail to give contractors adequate representation when drafting or updating these laws and regulations . The report is also being used by utility owners to justify the Gold Shovel Standard , which NUCA opposes .
For the sake of the entire industry , I urge you to submit your 2016 DIRT reports by March 31 , or the next CGA Report will likely reflect the same information , which nearly all contractors know is inaccurate . Many contractors tell me that up to 75 % of their hits are due to locator errorutilities mismarked , utilities not located , or inaccurate utility records or maps . But this does not stop contractors from looking bad .
We can only change report numbers if we start submitting DIRT reports . Reporting is simple , go to www . cga-dirt . com . The DIRT
Report can be submitted online from the field . Reporting Part I , Description of Root Cause of the Damage on the Information Reporting Tool ( DIRT ) - Field Form is the most important part of the form to complete . This is the section that reflects on contractors the most .
Reporting Is Anonymous DIRT reporting is not tied to your company . CGA requires you to register to verify you are a stakeholder ; however , other than categorizing the type of stakeholder you are , your reports remain anonymous . Many contractors do not submit DIRT reports because they do not want their companies identified . This is not a concern with CGA ’ s DIRT Reports .
Submit your 2016 DIRT reports by March 31 . Read CGA ’ s DIRT Report Analysis and Recommendations to see the full extent of the contractor analysis .
To quickly and easily report , go to www . cga-dirt . com
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18 DITCHMEN • MARCH 2017