As excavation and infrastructure projects accelerate nationwide, lawmakers and construction industry leaders gathered on Capitol Hill this week to address a growing threat to job site safety: accidental strikes on buried utility lines.
Damage to underground infrastructure is often caused during digging for construction and occurs nearly 200,000 times each year across the U.S., disrupting power, internet, gas and water service.
These incidents not only delay projects and drive up costs but also endanger construction crews and the public. The total annual cost of such damage exceeds $30 billion, according to the Damage Prevention Action Center (DPAC).
During a House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee “Member Day” hearing, lawmakers called for renewed support of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and reintroduction of the bipartisan Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety (PIPES) Act of 2023.
The bill promotes safer construction practices by improving utility locating standards and strengthening enforcement of excavation safety laws.
“This isn’t just a utilities issue—it’s a construction site safety issue,” said Sarah K. Magruder Lyle, DPAC executive director at the hearing. “Every three minutes, construction crews face the risk of striking buried lines. Preventing these strikes requires more than an 811 call. It takes comprehensive policies and consistent compliance across all job site stakeholders.”
Nearly 20 DPAC representatives, including contractors and utility engineers, met with congressional leaders this week to advocate for real-time mapping of underground lines, mandatory damage reporting and removal of loopholes that allow some excavators to bypass notification requirements.
On Thursday, the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety will examine pipeline safety, reinforcing the urgency of protecting workers and infrastructure as construction activity continues to grow.
Source: Damage Prevention Action Center
