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REPORTS

Damage Reporting

Note: This is an annual reporting tool for damages and near misses.

It does not replace notifying the underground facility owner when damage occurs during excavation.

Reporting Options

Members may submit damage and near-miss data using one of the reporting methods below. Only one submission method is required.

DIRT

If you are already using Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) or would prefer to enter your data through this interface, you can use this Alabama Virtual DIRT link.

Alabama Virtual DIRT

SIMPLE FORM

If you prefer to enter your data directly to Alabama 811 using a simplified form

Alabama Underground Facility Damage Reporting Tool

UPLOAD

Upload your organization’s damage reporting spreadsheet for annual submission.

If you do not maintain your own spreadsheet, you may use the Damage Reporting Spreadsheet to collect your data before uploading.

Upload Spreadsheet/file

When Should Damage Be Reported?

Legal Requirement

Section 37-15-9(c) of Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Law requires operators to report damages and significant near-miss incidents involving underground facilities to the One-Call Notification System.

Members should report damage incidents when excavation activity results in:

• Contact with an underground utility line
• Exposure or disturbance of a buried facility
• Damage affecting service or infrastructure
• Any incident impacting public safety

Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Law

Section 37-15-9(c) of Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Law requires that:

“if an event damages any pipe, cable or its protective covering, or other underground facility, or there is a significant near miss that could have resulted in damage, the operator receiving the notice shall file a report with the “One-Call Notification System”. Reports must be submitted annually to the System no later than March 31 of the prior calendar year, or more frequently at the option and sole discretion of the operator. Each report must describe, if known, the cause, nature, and location of the damage.“

A Damage is defined as including, but not limited to, the substantial weakening of structural or lateral support of an underground facility, penetration or destruction of any underground facility’s protective coating, housing or other protective device, and the severance (partial or complete) or of any underground facility, but does not apply to any operator’s abandoned underground facility.

A near miss is defined as an event where damage did not occur but a clear potential for damage was identified.

The purpose of the required damage reporting is to allow for a unified location for stakeholders to share essential detail about underground damage or near-miss incidents for use in determining root causes. These root causes and other data will be evaluated and used to develop and promote underground damage prevention education and training efforts.

The data received from Alabama 811’s damage reporting process will be uploaded annually into the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) DIRT program to be used in developing the national DIRT (Damage Information Report Tool) Annual Report. Therefore, if you are reporting to Alabama 811, you do not need to enter your data into DIRT as well. Our form collects all the required DIRT information.

Annual Damage Data Submission

Alabama 811 collects annual damage reporting data in compliance with state statute and the CGA DIRT program. Members may submit damage data through approved reporting tools.
Annual Damage Reporting Options
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Reports