PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: September 30, 2024
CONTACT: Andrew Jefferis, ajefferis@aii.org
Washington, D.C., September 30, 2024 — The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) on Monday released its 2024 Damage Prevention Report Card, the third edition in Aii’s ongoing efforts to evaluate and promote the adoption of best practices in state excavation laws. As excavation damages to critical infrastructure continue to climb, this report highlights the crucial role of state law and regulations in preventing accidents, minimizing economic losses, and protecting public safety.
With excavation-related damage reaching historic highs in recent years, the stakes have never been higher. The report reveals that state dig laws across the country have made limited progress since 2016, with many continuing to inadequately address key practices such as white-lining and positive response, which are vital for ensuring stakeholder communication and reducing the risk of damage.
Key Findings from the 2024 Damage Prevention Report Card:
- White-Lining: 18 states have a sufficient white-lining requirement, a pre-marking process where excavators delineate the excavation area ahead of locators marking facility lines to improve clarity and reduce accidents.
- Electronic White-Lining: 10 states mention digital or electronic white-lining in their dig laws, with no state requiring this form of pre-marking over physical white-lining.
- Positive Response: 27 states and Washington, D.C. have a sufficient positive response requirement, ensuring that facility operators confirm marking completion or absence of underground infrastructure before excavation begins.
- Electronic Positive Response: 22 states go one step further than Positive Response by requiring that the notice be uploaded or shared on a digital platform where the excavator can check the status of a locate ticket.
- Enhanced Positive Response: Only one state, Colorado, has adopted Enhanced Positive Response, a practice that leverages technology to provide commonly collected enhanced information like maps and photos to the excavator before they break ground, significantly improving communication among excavators, locators, and facility operators.
“811 was a terrific program when we introduced it and it has worked well. That said, our one-call system simply hasn’t evolved with technology,” said Brigham McCown, Aii Founder and Chairman and first acting administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. “We must –and can– do better. Here at Aii we’ve worked hard to raise awareness because most accidents involving underground utilities are preventable.”
This year’s report introduces new evaluations on the use of white-lining and its technological advancement through electronic methods. It tracks how each state is implementing and integrating modern solutions, such as digital mapping and enhanced positive response, to create safer, more efficient excavation projects.
“Preventable excavation damage costs the U.S. billions annually and poses serious threats to public safety and infrastructure,” said Benjamin Dierker, Executive Director of Aii. “Our Report Card provides an in-depth look at where states stand in adopting proven technologies and practices to prevent these incidents and offers a clear pathway for policymakers to improve.”
Call to Action for Policymakers
The 2024 Damage Prevention Report Card underscores the need for states to close the gap between available technology and existing legal requirements. By adopting modern best practices such as electronic white-lining and enhanced positive response, states can significantly reduce excavation damage and enhance communication among all stakeholders involved in excavation projects, all of which are comfortably within industry consensus and best practices.
For more information on the 2024 Damage Prevention Report Card and to see where your state stands, visit: https://www.aii.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-Damage-Prevention-Report-Card.pdf
For questions, interviews, or other media inquiries, please email Aii Media Coordinator, Andrew Jefferis, ajefferis@aii.org.
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About the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure
The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) is an independent, national research and educational organization dedicated to identifying our nation’s infrastructure needs, creating awareness of those needs, and finding solutions to critical public policy challenges. Aii strives to promote proven, innovative technology and higher safety standards in a non-partisan manner to achieve excellence nationwide. The Alliance is a think tank consisting of two non-profits: the National Infrastructure Safety Foundation (NISF) 501(c)(4) and the Public Institute for Facility Safety (PIFS) 501(c)(3). (Aii.org)