From a public safety standpoint, damage to pipelines caused by excavation is one of the industry’s most serious concerns.  Pipeline operators, and other underground utility personnel, have long focused on developing effective mechanisms to convince the public of the importance of using one call systems prior to excavation in order to prevent facility damage and, more importantly, serious injuries and fatalities.  We have come a long way in recent years, and we have momentum to accelerate our progress, not only in the interest of public safety, but also in order to protect the integrity and reliability of the pipeline system.
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May 1st, 2007, the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), government officials and national media gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the launch of the 811 national awareness campaign.  “811” is the new national phone number for the public - from road builders to construction companies to homeowners - to contact state One Call notification systems in advance of any excavation.   The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 mandated the establishment of a single number to eliminate the confusion of the different notification numbers used in most states.
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For years the Department of Transportation has been continuously challenged to improve the safety of underground pipelines, especially through the reduction of excavation damage. In the late 1990’s, Congress gave the Research and Special Programs Administration, the Department’s former agency with oversight over pipeline safety, one of the largest assignments it had ever taken on: determining the most effective damage prevention practices to put an end to, what was at the time, the number one cause of pipeline accidents.
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Damage caused by excavation or other mechanical impacts to a pipeline is a core focus of pipeline safety efforts.  For liquids pipelines, these incidents, while few in number, account for some of the worst consequences.  This article uses information developed in the industry’s voluntary spill reporting system, the Pipeline Performance Tracking System (PPTS), to examine some of the characteristics of these incidents.  PPTS, which first began collecting data in 1999, has allowed the industry to target its prevention strategies for these and other types of pipeline releases.
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In 2006 Congress passed the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006 (PIPES Act of 2006).  The bill recognized the effectiveness of the pipeline safety program and the success achieved by the industry and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
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The National Response System is the federal government’s mechanism for coordinating emergency action after discharges of oil and the release of chemicals in the United States and its territories.  The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 mandated frequent exercises to test multilateral responses to “Spills of National Significance” (SONS).  The exercises focus on coordination between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Coast Guard, agencies of the National/Regional Response Teams, other national-level coordinating bodies, and affected state, local, and private industry players. 
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The communication between operators and landowners plays a crucial role in pipeline safety.  As pipeline operators’ expanded public awareness programs and increased usage of media outlets, distribution of educational safety materials, involvement with local officials and implementation of the industry’s recommended practices (API RP 1162), the communication gap between landowners and operators has decreased.
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An example of a professional locating company is Cruz Brothers Locators, established in 1989 as one of the first locators in the San Francisco Bay area. Today there are more than 20 locating service firms operating in the San Francisco region. Cruz Brothers does contract and private locating in their home area and across the state of California. Robert Cruz, owner of this Scotts Valley, California, firm joined the National Utility Locating Contractors Association (NULCA) in 1994 soon after the association formed. "We believe that is important to stay current with technology, legislation and other factors affecting our business, and participating with a national association helps us pursue safety for our employees as well as the buried infrastructure," Cruz said.
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