Damage Prevention & Safety
OSHA cites contractor for fatal trench collapse in New Canaan, Conn.
A contractor from Easton could have prevented the death of an employee, who was repairing an underground water line, in a trench collapse at a New Canaan work site in December 2023, according to an investigation by OSHA.
OSHA investigation launched after worker found unconscious in Kansas City, Mo., sewer pipe
A construction worker in Missouri was hospitalized in critical condition on July 8 after he was discovered unresponsive in a sewer pipe. Emergency responders arrived at Old Santa Fe Road and located the man inside a 15-foot manhole.
Xcel Energy updates $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan with undergrounding measures
Xcel Energy is making physical investments to reduce the risk of utility-caused wildfires. These measures include targeted undergrounding of power lines, line rebuilds, and non-expulsion upgrades in Tier 2 and Tier 3 risk areas.
MidAmerican, Mediacom, CenturyLink fined for violating Iowa’s underground infrastructure locating law
In May 2021, the State issued warning letters to MidAmerican, Mediacom, and CenturyLink regarding their companies’ failures to adequately address untimely and inaccurate locating of their underground facilities.
Calgary declares state of emergency over water pipeline repairs
The city is grappling with a severe shortage of water caused by a recent breach in its main water pipeline, prompting urgent appeals from Mayor Gondek to immediately reduce water consumption.
Calgary on the brink of water crisis after major pipeline break
Crews have been unable to access the damaged section of the pipeline, known as a feeder main, to commence repairs or identify the cause of the rupture.
Common Ground Alliance report identifies risks, opportunities for improving underground utility locating practices
Common Ground Alliance published the “DIRT Special Report: Uncovering Contributing Factors to Locating Practice Errors," examining the underlying factors driving damages associated with locating practices, the root cause attributed to more than a third of all underground utility damage, across three case studies.
Houston faces hurdles in transitioning to underground power lines amid severe weather concerns
Given Houston's vulnerability to hurricanes, relocating power lines underground could theoretically reduce the risk of prolonged outages. However, this concept faces significant obstacles.
Ohio explosion caused by cut gas line thought to be turned off, investigators say
A crew working in the basement area of an Ohio building intentionally cut a gas line not knowing it was pressurized before a deadly explosion this week, the National Transportation Safety Board said on May 31.
GridHawk to expand critical utility damage prevention services with MidOcean investment
GridHawk offers utility locating, watch & protect, advanced locating, leak detection, infrastructure mapping, and other damage prevention services for high consequence subsurface infrastructure including natural gas, electric, telecom, water, and sewer utilities nationwide.
Guam contractor faces $1 million fine over repeated trench safety violations, OSHA investigation reveals
Giant Construction Corp., a Tamuning contractor, is under fire with over $1 million in penalties after federal inspectors discovered trench workers exposed to fatal hazards.
OSHA restructures regional operations to improve efficiency, resiliency
The changes include the creation of a new OSHA regional office in Birmingham, Alabama, overseeing agency operations in the state, and those in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee as well as the Florida Panhandle.
Boring machine 'Chessie' resumes drilling at Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel site after anchor incident
After months of investigation and repairs, the tunnel boring machine, affectionately known as Chessie, has resumed tunneling operations after striking a buried anchor nearly 10 months ago.
Broadband installations are the leading cause of underground infrastructure damage in Minnesota, report finds
Telecommunications crews are frequently encountering electric lines and natural gas pipes underground, resulting in an average of more than 1.25 strikes per day.
Underground utility data management company Reveal launches new ground penetrating radar data analysis software
Underdots creates an intuitive, accessible point-cloud visualization from multi-channel GPR data in a matter of hours. Clustered dots plotted in 3D space show the intensity and depth of radar reflections, which can reveal the presence or absence of underground utilities in large areas,
Failure to call 811 caused nearly 1,300 underground utility damage incidents in 2023, PG&E reports
There were 1,262 incidents in Northern and Central California where homeowners or contractors damaged underground gas or electric lines while digging
One underground utility line damaged every six minutes in U.S., Dominion Energy reports for National Safe Digging Month
Citing the Common Ground Alliance, Dominion Energy reported a utility line is damaged every six minutes in the United States for National Safe Digging Month. 31% of these damages are caused by contractors and property owners who fail to contact 811 prior to breaking ground.
Over 10,000 cuts to underground natural gas, electric lines in 2023, Duke Energy reports for National Safe Digging Month
Specifically, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported over 3,500 damages to their underground natural gas facilities in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky, while Duke Energy reported more than 6,800 damages to its underground electric network in all its service territories.
Oregon OSHA fines Portland company after workers rendered unconscious in stormwater sewer
(UI) — The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) has fined a Portland environmental and emergency services company $118,800 for breaching job safety standards aimed at safeguarding workers in confined spaces.
OSHA, Safety Week call on construction professionals to “stand down” on May 8 to raise awareness for workplace hazards
Safety Week and OSHA are partnering to pause work sites throughout the U.S. on May 8 to create the largest industry-wide construction stand down ever held.
Sewage discharges raise concerns for Boston water safety
Local authorities have issued a public health advisory following recent sewage discharges, also known as combined sewer overflows (CSOs), posing potential risks to public health in Boston.
OSHA hits Georgia-based company with $300,000 fine after fatal trench collapse
A Georgia-based company faces a hefty fine exceeding $300,000 from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) due to alleged safety breaches stemming from a trench collapse incident that resulted in the death of a worker in Macon.
Radiodetection, Trimble collaborate to improve underground utility mapping accuracy
Data collected with the Radiodetection’s RD Map+ app and precision locators automatically sync with high-accuracy location measurements collected by the Trimble Catalyst DA2 GNSS system. By streamlining this connection, field workers can accurately digitize underground utility-line locations and reduce reporting errors.
OSHA penalizes Houston contractor over safety violations resulting in worker's death
A federal inquiry into safety practices following a fatal trench collapse near Fulshear, Texas, has resulted in penalties exceeding $250,000 for a Houston-area contractor.
September 2023 explosion in Colorado caused by underground electric cable damage
Colorado Spring Utilities said a private contractor drilled underground without following pre-dig protocols. A representative for the utility said the incident is prompting them to “re-emphasize education efforts with local contractors.”
Nevada OSHA fines Elon Musk's Boring Company over safety violations in Vegas tunnel project
Elon Musk's Boring Company incurred fines exceeding $112,000 due to safety breaches flagged by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration during the construction of the Vegas Loop underground tunnel last year.
Exodigo secures $118 million in funding to develop underground mapping technology
Exodigo typically locates 20-30% more utility lines than premium locators and reduces preliminary digging/drilling by up to 90%.
Hawaiian Electric's $190 million grid resilience plan approved with undergrounding initiatives
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved Hawaiian Electric's $190 million Climate Adaptation Transmission and Distribution Resilience Program application, which will help defend against the increasing threat of wildfires.
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation breaks ground on energy infrastructure safety training facility in Florida
When constructed, Safety Town will include specialized learning environments, including simulations for hit line and gas leaks, service hook-ups, underground utility locating, leak detection, corrosion monitoring and more.
Prostar successfully integrates mobile underground utility mapping software with Rycom Instruments
As a result of this integration, Rycom Instrument’s Pathfinder devices can now capture, record, and share the precise location of buried utilities and pipelines anywhere in the world with PointMan.
- Texas A&M weighs underground transit plan with Elon Musk's Boring Co. to reduce campus traffic
- Lynchburg, Va., breaks ground on largest-ever Blackwater CSO tunnel project
- Wyo-Ben’s Max Gel, Max Bore HDD system boost drilling efficiency, performance
- Federal court halts permits for 32-mile Tennessee gas pipeline project
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Wisconsin proposes new PFAS drinking water standards to align with federal rules
- Dog River pipeline replacement in Oregon improves water supply with new HDPE pipe
- Leaking wastewater systems named top source of San Diego River contamination, study finds
- New Portable Welding System From Miller
- Excavator Causes Puerto Rico Power Outage