MO 2016 State Damage Prevention Program

Overview

Main Objective

Under this grant agreement, the recipient will: Use the grant award for the purposes of executing a large-scale educational seminar focused on damage prevention and excavation safety. The event will build on the monumental success of the previous 5 years, with projected attendance for the proposed project estimated at 1,750 - 2,000 attendees. Following the overwhelming response from the construction, excavation, and utility industries as well as the partnerships with dozens of vendors and associations, The Missouri Common Ground Alliance, in cooperation with the Missouri Public Service Commission, and Missouri One Call System coalition of organizations will work diligently to develop and execute an informative, educational, and impactful event with the damage prevention message.

The proposed project is a FREE 2-day event consisting of multiple dimensions designed to engage attendees and profoundly impact the way that they view and practice safety within their communities and organizations. Approximately 20 classes will be offered (completely free of charge), some including certifications that are often extraordinarily expensive to obtain. By offering the courses without cost, companies who often cannot afford to train their employees in proper safety and damage prevention measures are able to send multiple attendees to become better educated on critical safety principles. As a result, attendees return to their workplaces with new methods and approaches that they subsequently communicate and demonstrate to fellow employees, further amplifying the message and investment that the coalition made in the event. In addition to the free classes and certifications, the proposed project will offer a tradeshow expo for equipment vendors, manufacturers, and representatives of a diverse range of products and services. This segment brings new technologies, safer products, and innovative solutions to the event attendees, further enhancing safety and damage prevention as a result of the exposure to exhibitors' offerings.

The project will also provide an opportunity for attendees to demonstrate their skills and proficiencies in two highly competitive contests while remaining focused on best practices for locators and excavators. The locate rodeo will consist of 4 utility divisions (gas, electric, water, telecommunication) and will require participants to demonstrate and adhere to principles that exhibit superior knowledge of locating and a commitment to best practices. Like the locator rodeo, the excavator rodeo will feature skills assessments while emphasizing the need to observe superb damage prevention practices.

Public Abstract

Under the terms of this grant agreement, the Recipient will address the following applicable elements listed in the approved application, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. §60134 (a),(b).

• Element 1 (Effective Communications): Participation by operators, excavators, and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of methods for establishing and maintaining effective communications between stakeholders from receipt of an excavation notification until successful completion of the excavation, as appropriate.
• Element 2 (Comprehensive Stakeholder Support): A process for fostering and ensuring the support and partnership of stakeholders, including excavators, operators, locators, designers, and local government in all phases of the program.
• Element 4 (Effective Employee Training): Participation by operators, excavators, and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of effective employee training programs to ensure that operators, the one call center, the enforcing agency, and the excavators have partnered to design and implement training for the employees of operators, excavators, and locators.
• Element 5 (Public Education): A process for fostering and ensuring active participation by all stakeholders in public education for damage prevention activities.
• Element 6 (Dispute Resolution): A process for resolving disputes that defines the State authority's role as a partner and facilitator to resolve issues.
• Element 7 (Enforcement): Enforcement of State damage prevention laws and regulations for all aspects of the damage prevention process, including public education, and the use of civil penalties for violations assessable by the appropriate State authority.
• Element 8 (Technology): A process for fostering and promoting the use, by all appropriate stakeholders, of improving technologies that may enhance communications, underground pipeline locating capability, and gathering and analyzing information about the accuracy and effectiveness of locating programs.
• Element 9 (Damage Prevention Program): A process for review and analysis of the effectiveness of each program element, including a means for implementing improvements identified by such program reviews.

Relevant Files & Links