Damage Prevention Programs 

Damage prevention in the underground utility construction industry is crucial for numerous reasons, impacting safety, cost, efficiency, and environmental protection.

Safety is paramount. Underground utilities include gas, water, electricity, and communication lines, all of which pose significant risks if damaged. By preventing damage, we safeguard not only our employees but also the public.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of excavation-related damages occur in North America, threatening public safety and costing billions of dollars. NUCA is dedicated to reducing these incidents and has made these resources available to NUCA members to achieve that goal.

Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT)

In 2025, NUCA teamed up with Common Ground Alliance (CGA)  to present industry members the updated Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT). The objective of DIRT is to collect data to understand where, how and why these costly and unsafe events are occurring.

DIRT is a secure web application for reporting excavation-related damages and near-miss events involving underground utilities hosted by Common Ground Alliance (CGA).

This platform helps members collect data on damage incidents for their local NUCA Chapter, tell the contractor’s story, and help identify and solve damage prevention problems. 

Visit this CGA website to create a NUCA DIRT TOOL account.. All new users who intend to access DIRT need to be verified beforehand.

Damage Prevention & Claims Avoidance Program (CAP)

The NUCA Damage Prevention and Claims Avoidance Program offers NUCA members consultation on damage prevention and damage investigation free of charge.

DIRT Reports: Annual DIRT Analysis and Recommendations

 NUCA is a founding member of the Common Ground Alliance (CGA). CGA and its Data Reporting & Evaluation Committee publishes the only comprehensive accounting and analysis of damages to buried infrastructure in the U.S. and Canada. The DIRT Annual Report is based on data entered into the Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) for a given year. The Annual Report is published in written form and as an interactive dashboard. Via the link above is the current DIRT report and its previous issues.