Survey Data: More than 60M Plan to Dig this Spring

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In observance of National Safe Digging Month in April, Common Ground Alliance announced results from a new national survey. Nearly three in four American homeowners plan to tackle an outdoor project involving digging in the next 12 months, translating to an estimated 60 million households breaking ground this year. Yet an estimated 10 million plan to skip contacting 811 – the designated call-before-you-dig service that helps prevent dangerous and costly utility strikes. Striking an underground utility line – whether gas, electric, water, sewer or communications – can cause serious injury, service disruptions for entire neighborhoods and repair bills that could outpace any DIY savings. … Read more

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2025 CGA Conference & Expo Call for Proposals Now Open

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Common Ground Alliance has opened its Call for Proposals for the 2025 CGA Conference & Expo. CGA is seeking session proposals from industry professionals and subject matter experts to facilitate solutions-driven discussions and formulate decisive actions that can be implemented to reduce damages to underground utilities. The deadline to submit is Oct. 16. The conference and expo will take place April 7-10 at the Orlando World Center Marriott. It will bring together experts and decision-makers for a week of collaboration to address the top issues associated with underground utility damage. Key topic areas of interest to CGA members and conference … Read more

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In Observance of National Safe Digging Month, CGA Urges Professional Excavators to Contact 811 Before Every Dig

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In observance of April as National Safe Digging Month, Common Ground Alliance reminds professional excavators, landscapers, contractors and anyone else who breaks ground to contact 811 before they dig. According to CGA’s annual Damage Information Reporting Tool Report, more than half of annual reported damages (55.3%) were caused by professional contractors. The most common root cause of these damages was “no notification made to the 811 center,” meaning the damages could have been avoided if excavators contacted 811 to have utility lines marked prior to breaking ground. This trend has been consistent year-over-year and reflects deeper challenges in the efficiency … Read more

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Common Ground Alliance’s Damage Prevention Institute Acquires Gold Shovel Association, Welcomes New Participants

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Common Ground Alliance has completed its acquisition of the Gold Shovel Association. CGA welcomes former GSA members to the association and as participants in its new arm, the Damage Prevention Institute. The Damage Prevention Institute will address systemic inefficiencies in the damage prevention industry by developing performance metrics for all stakeholders that reflect adherence to CGA’s best practices and a commitment to reducing damages to buried infrastructure. Building upon CGA’s foundational Damage Information Reporting Tool data and GSA’s metrics development, the DPI will focus on evaluating the performance of each stakeholder group engaged in the damage prevention process through a … Read more

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Sam Hall Announced as Vice President of Common Ground Alliance’s Damage Prevention Institute                

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Common Ground Alliance announced Sam Hall will join as vice president of the Damage Prevention Institute. The newly created DPI will utilize data and statistics to generate insights and efficiencies that will reduce the rate of damages to buried infrastructure. Hall brings more than two decades of industry experience and a strong regulatory background to his new position as vice president, where he will lead the DPI’s development of stakeholder metrics to drive efficiencies in the damage prevention system. Hall will also collaborate with industry leaders and key CGA committees to create a peer-reviewed accreditation process. Prior to joining CGA, Hall served as senior program … Read more

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