About
CGA’s Damage Prevention Institute (DPI) creates an innovative opportunity for the industry to address systemic inefficiencies in the damage prevention process through a model of comprehensive participant accreditation, performance measurement, and peer reviews focused on creating shared accountability regarding participants’ damage prevention responsibilities.
The DPI was formally launched in January 2023, with CGA’s acquisition of the Gold Shovel Association (GSA). With this acquisition, The Gold Shovel Association was dissolved.
The Damage Prevention Institute’s mission builds on the industry-leading insights of CGA’s Next Practices Initiative and by utilizing a stakeholder-driven approach to develop performance metrics that reflect commitment to Best Practices and dedication to improving the reliability of the U.S. damage prevention system for everyone involved.
Benefits of Participation
The Damage Prevention Institute drives true shared accountability in damage prevention by all stakeholders. CGA members are invited to participate in DPI to enjoy these benefits:
- Understand your organization’s performance in relation to your peers.
- Drive the development of the next generation of key performance indicators in damage prevention.
- Share and learn strategies for implementing change, managing risks, and driving down damages through peer review.
- Recognition of meeting core principles of damage prevention via accreditation.
Stakeholder Participation
Ongoing Improvement
CGA members who participate in the DPI actively shape the requirements for participation of all stakeholders, including program elements, processes, metrics, and data analysis. Continuous feedback is welcome through the DPI Program Committee and direct contact with DPI staff.
Principles
The Damage Prevention Institute upholds three core principles:
What gets measured gets managed. Comprehensive metrics and performance benchmarks, driving meaningful accreditation for all stakeholders, are critical to evaluating progress and reducing damages.
A truly efficient and transparent damage prevention process serves all stakeholders, all the time. Comprehensive participant involvement and peer review make the damage prevention system more effective for everyone.
A commitment to advancing safety is demonstrated through adherence to CGA Best Practices and Next Practices. CGA membership and practicable application of CGA Best Practices and Next Practices are core elements of DPI participation.
Through its accreditation process, peer-review model, and metrics analysis, DPI recognizes key damage prevention drivers and addresses persistent inefficiencies in the 811 process that impact safety outcomes – for the benefit of all stakeholders.
The DPI is inclusive of facility owners/operators, excavators, and locators who commit to advancing safety through adherence to DPI policies, which are in alignment with CGA’s Best Practices and the work of the Next Practices Initiative. The peer review model is essential for sharing lessons learned and promoting practical solutions to support damage prevention.
Accreditation of DPI participants is based on a demonstrated commitment to their damage prevention responsibilities. All DPI participants must be CGA members; CGA members can voluntarily participate in DPI.
CGA’s Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) is the foundational database for evaluating the safety performance of facility owners/operators, locators and excavators who participate in the Damage Prevention Institute. Data from 811 centers (one call centers) will also support DPI metrics and analytics.
Guide to the DPI
USEFUL SITES
COMMON GROUND ALLIANCE
Access to CGA member benefits
View and pay invoices online
View and download DPI Letter of Accreditation
DPI DIRT
Enter monthly metrics and damage data
Grant data access to other organizations in the
DPI DIRT
CGA ENGAGE
Join CGA committees
Discuss damage prevention with communities and committees
Shares a log in with CGA website
What is required of DPI participants?
MONTHLY
- Enter monthly metrics and damages (if applicable) in DPI DIRT
YEARLY
- Update organization profile information
- Renew CGA membership
- Renew leadership commitment to DPI
CYCLICALLY
- Participate in the peer review process (see more information below)
How can you get more involved?
The best way to get involved with the CGA and the DPI is committee engagement. Once you are logged in to the CGA website, please navigate to CGA Engage to read about our committees and join. Attending our annual CGA Conference & Expo (www.CGAconference.com) and our summer and fall committee summits gives damage prevention professionals the opportunity to engage in committee work, network, and learn from peers. Stay tuned to CGA communications for timely information about resources and events.
How can I access my letter of accreditation?
You can download your letter of accreditation from your CGA member profile. Log in to the CGA website, navigate to your profile, on the left hand menu select “DPI Accreditation”. Your DPI letter of accreditation should be available for each DPI accredited company you are affiliated with. Please reach out to dpi@commongroundalliance.com if you have any questions or issues with this.
Who can see my data in DPI DIRT?
Your data is only shared with organizations to whom you grant access. To learn more about sharing your data with other DPI participants, watch the tutorial video.
Do engineering and design firms need to enter monthly metrics?
No, engineering and design firms that certify they do not self-perform excavation or locating (in response to an 811 notification) are not required to enter monthly metrics.
Can one organization be accredited under multiple stakeholder groups?
Organizations that fall into more than one stakeholder category can be accrediteded for mulitple categories. For example, some facility owner/operators self-perform excavation and/or locating activities. Please reach out to us at dpi@commongroundalliance.com to discuss how to accredit as multiple stakeholder categories if this situation applies to your organization.
How does the DPI peer review process work?
The peer review process involves confidential half-day discussions among a small group of similar organizations. These sessions focus on effective damage prevention fundamentals and facilitate information exchange to improve policies, procedures, and training..
What data do I need to enter each month?
Monthly reporting requirement for excavators, locators, and facility owner/operators: Submit the previous month’s metrics and damage data by month-end (e.g., March data due by April 30). CGA will send a reminder email 10 days before the deadline.
What metrics apply to me?
The DPI accreditation criteria outline the required metrics for your stakeholder group. The DPI Program Committee is developing clear metric definitions for excavators, locators, and facility owner-operators. Stakeholder-specific metrics task teams, formed in late 2024, are reviewing and refining current and future metrics. We’ll update you on additional metrics as they’re implemented.
Who can use DPI Logos?
DPI accredited organizations in good standing can use the DPI Accredited Logo. Please visit here to access the logo use policy and download the DPI logo.
DPI Committee Structure
DPI ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The DPI Advisory Committee reports to the CGA Board of Directors recommendations for achieving the mission of the DPI. The DPI Advisory Committee members represent the interests of their respective stakeholder groups. The DPI Advisory Committee approves policy recommendations from the DPI Program Committee. Committee members act as liaisons to CGA working committees.
DPI PROGRAM COMMITTEE
The DPI Program Committee provides program guidance on participant accreditation, performance measurement, and peer reviews. The DPI Advisory Committee approves policy recommendations from the DPI Program Committee. All CGA members are welcome to participate in the DPI Program Committee.
Who can participate in the DPI?
All DPI participants must be member of the CGA. There is no additional cost to participate in the DPI for current CGA members.
Participation in the DPI is voluntary for CGA members. While some stakeholders may choose to require those they contract with to participate in the DPI, CGA will not require participation of any organization.
Accredited participants include locators, facility owner/operators, excavators and Engineering/Design firms. DPI participants can be accredited as multiple stakeholders (e.g., a facility owner/operator can register as an excavator and/or a locator if those services are in-house).
Who do I contact for more information?
Contact us at dpi@commongroundalliance.com with questions, comments, and suggestions.