Chapter 1
The Best Practices Manual - Version 20.0
The Best Practices Guide is the preeminent and trusted resource for underground damage prevention with more than 162 practices that cover all phases of the safe digging process. The practices included within this guide are agreed to by consensus of 16 industry stakeholder groups and are designed to improve worker safety, protect vital underground infrastructure, and ensure public safety during excavation activities conducted in the vicinity of existing underground facilities.
CGA releases a new edition of Best Practices every spring with all approved updates that reflect changes in damage prevention.
Best Practices 20.0 – New Practices and Modifications
During the past year, the CGA added and amended practices that appear in Version 20.0. The following new practices and modifications were approved by the Best Practices Committee and CGA Board:
- Modification of Practice 2-3, Identifying Existing Facilities in Planning and Design
- Modification of Practice 2-4, Utility Coordination
- Modification of Practice 2-14, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE)
- Addition of Practice 4-23, Trouble Locate (Unlocatable) Resolution Protocol
- Modification of Practice 5-1, 811 Facility Locate Request
- Modification of Practice 5-8, Positive Response
- Modification of Practice 5-9, Facility Owner/Operator Failure to Respond
- Modification of Practice 5-10, Locate Verification
- Modification of Practice 5-17, Marking Preservation