Getting Started with Common Ground Alliance!

For many contractors working around underground utilities, safety and compliance are critical parts of securing work. One platform that is becoming increasingly important in the damage-prevention industry is the program developed by the Common Ground Alliance known as the Damage Prevention Institute (DPI).

If you were previously familiar with the Gold Shovel Association, you may notice that things look a little different today. In 2023, CGA officially acquired the Gold Shovel Association and integrated it into the DPI program to create a more comprehensive accreditation and performance measurement system for the damage prevention industry.

In this blog, we will go over what the CGA platform is, how it works, and how contractors can get started.

What Is the CGA Damage Prevention Institute?

The Common Ground Alliance Damage Prevention Institute (DPI) is a program designed to improve damage prevention by creating a system of participant accreditation, performance metrics, and peer reviews across the excavation industry.

The program focuses on measuring how well organizations follow safe excavation practices and industry best practices. These measurements help create accountability among all stakeholders involved in excavation and underground infrastructure protection.

The goal is to reduce damages to buried utilities and improve safety for workers, communities, and infrastructure.

The Transition from Gold Shovel

For years, the Gold Shovel Association provided an accreditation model designed to promote safe digging practices and accountability among contractors.

In 2023, the Common Ground Alliance acquired Gold Shovel and incorporated its work into the Damage Prevention Institute, allowing the industry to build on Gold Shovel’s foundation while introducing improved data collection, benchmarking, and performance evaluation tools.

This transition created a centralized system focused on measuring real performance in damage prevention across the entire excavation ecosystem.

The CGA and 811 Call Before You Dig

The CGA acts as the primary organization supporting, promoting, and advocating for the 811 – Call Before You Dig system, aimed at reducing damages to underground infrastructure.

CGA promotes 811 through nationwide marketing, providing safety toolkits, managing the 811beforeyoudig website, and driving research to increase public awareness.

Who Participates in the CGA Platform?

The DPI is designed for multiple stakeholders involved in excavation and underground infrastructure protection.

Organizations that can participate include:

Contractors and excavators
Utility owners and operators
Utility locating companies
And, engineering and design firms

Each stakeholder group is measured on performance metrics that reflect their role in preventing underground utility damage.

For example:

Excavators are evaluated on safe excavation practices
Locators are evaluated on the accuracy and timeliness of locates
And, facility owners/operators are measured on mapping quality and infrastructure data updates

Why Would I Need Common Ground Alliance?

Someone may need to sign up with Common Ground Alliance (CGA), specifically through its Damage Prevention Institute (DPI) program, because many utilities, municipalities, and project owners want contractors to demonstrate that they follow industry best practices for damage prevention and safe excavation. Here are some of the main reasons companies participate:

1. Meet Utility or Client Requirements

Some utility owners and project operators require contractors to participate in CGA’s damage-prevention accreditation programs before allowing them to work around underground infrastructure. Being part of the program helps show that your company follows recognized safety standards.

2. Demonstrate Safe Excavation Practices

CGA programs are built around industry best practices for preventing damage to underground utilities. Signing up shows that your company is committed to safe digging procedures and protecting buried infrastructure such as gas lines, electrical cables, water systems, and telecommunications lines.

3. Track and Improve Damage Prevention Performance

Participants report excavation and damage data through CGA programs like the Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT). This allows companies to measure their safety performance and identify trends that can help reduce future incidents.

4. Strengthen Industry Credibility

Participating in CGA initiatives can improve a contractor’s credibility with utilities, municipalities, and clients. It demonstrates that the company is aligned with national damage-prevention standards.

5. Reduce Utility Strikes and Project Risks

Utility strikes can lead to serious injuries, service outages, project delays, and expensive repairs. CGA programs focus on preventing these incidents through better training, reporting, and accountability.

How Will I Know If I Need to Sign Up?

If you're wondering whether you need to sign up with the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) or its Damage Prevention Institute (DPI) platform, the short answer is: usually you’ll be told by someone if it’s required. It’s not something most contractors randomly sign up for on their own.

Here’s how companies typically find out.

1. A Utility or Client Requires It

The most common reason companies join CGA/DPI is because a utility owner, municipality, or project operator requires it before you can work on their projects.

For example, a contract or onboarding packet might state something like:

“Contractor must participate in CGA’s Damage Prevention Institute.”
“Contractor must maintain CGA accreditation.”
Or, “Contractor must report damage data through CGA DIRT.”

Note: CGA itself does not require companies to participate, but owners/operators may require it for their contractors.

2. You Receive an Email or Invitation

In some cases, you may receive:

An email invitation from CGA or DPI
A notice from a utility company
Or, a link to complete a DPI enrollment form

After enrolling, companies receive instructions to access CGA’s Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) where damage and metrics data are submitted.

3. You Were Previously in Gold Shovel

If your company used the Gold Shovel Association, you may automatically transition into the CGA system.

When CGA acquired Gold Shovel, members were migrated into the CGA/DPI program and contacted with enrollment instructions.

How the CGA Accreditation Process Works

Companies that want to participate in the DPI must complete several steps to receive accreditation.

1. Become a CGA Member

Participation in the DPI requires membership in the Common Ground Alliance.

2. Complete the DPI Enrollment Form

Organizations must complete an enrollment form acknowledging their commitment to the DPI accreditation criteria and damage prevention principles.

3. Report Data and Metrics

Participants must submit operational data and damage reports through the Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT), CGA’s industry database for excavation damage reporting.

These metrics help the program evaluate safety performance and benchmark results across the industry.

Key Responsibilities for Contractors

Contractors participating in the DPI accreditation program must commit to several important responsibilities.

These include:

Reporting underground facility damages monthly
Reporting work-hour and operational metrics
Implementing applicable CGA best practices
Ensuring compliance with excavation safety laws and regulations
And, maintaining written policies and damage investigation procedures

These commitments help create a standardized approach to damage prevention across participating organizations.

Benefits of Participating in CGA’s Platform

Participating in the DPI provides several advantages for contractors and other stakeholders, including:

Performance Benchmarking

Organizations can compare their performance metrics with others in the industry to identify areas for improvement.

Industry Recognition

Accreditation demonstrates a company’s commitment to safe excavation practices and damage prevention.

Data-Driven Safety Improvements

By analyzing damage data and operational metrics, organizations can identify patterns and implement strategies to reduce risks.

And, Peer Collaboration

The DPI program encourages peer review and information sharing to help organizations improve their damage prevention practices.

Why Damage Prevention Programs Matter

Damage to underground utilities can result in serious injuries, environmental hazards, service outages, and costly repairs. Programs like the CGA Damage Prevention Institute help ensure that contractors and other stakeholders follow consistent best practices designed to reduce these risks.

By focusing on accountability, data reporting, and shared responsibility, the CGA platform aims to improve safety performance across the entire excavation industry.

Benefits of Hiring JJ Safety to Maintain Your CGA Account!

If you’re struggling with getting started or even maintaining your CGA account, we can help! JJ Safety will:

When it comes to maintaining your account, JJ Safety account managers will:

Update monthly hours
Report any incidents, we will report them in the account using the Incident Report and Tracking Module
At the beginning of the year, confirm that the monthly reporting is accurate and confirm that corrective action was taken/implemented if there were any incidents

Once completed you will need to download the accreditation letter and provide it to the client. If the letter needs to be uploaded to the account, we will do that for you!

Visit JJ Safety’s website for more information.