Common Ground Alliance

Damage Prevention is a Shared Responsibility

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is a member-driven association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices. In recent years, the association has established itself as the leading organization in an effort to reduce damages to all underground facilities in North America through shared responsibility among all stakeholders.

In promoting a spirit of shared responsibility, the CGA welcomes all stakeholders who would like to be a part of the identification and promotion of best practices that lead to a reduction in damage. Any “best practices,” endorsed by the CGA come with consensus support from experts representing the following stakeholder groups: Excavators, Locators, Road Builders, Electric, Telecommunications, Oil, Gas Distribution, Gas Transmission, Railroad, One Call, Public Works, Equipment Manufacturing, State Regulators, Insurance, Emergency Services and Engineering/Design.

Since inception, the CGA has grown to over 1,600 individual members, 250 member organizations, and 58 sponsors.

Background

Officially formed in 2000, the CGA represents a continuation of the damage prevention efforts embodied by the Common Ground Study. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and completed in 1999, this Study represents the collaborative work of 160 industry professionals who identified best practices relating to damage prevention.

The CGA provides today’s optimal forum where stakeholders can share information and perspectives and work together on all aspects of damage prevention issues. This allows the achievement of results that would otherwise be impossible. The CGA is working with industry stakeholders and regulators to produce stronger, more effective results through partnership, collaboration, and the pursuit of common goals in damage prevention.

CGA Mission (Purpose of the CGA)

Provide clear and tangible value to our stakeholders by helping to reduce damages to North America’s underground infrastructure.  The CGA works cooperatively, fostering a sense of shared responsibility to enhance safety and protect underground facilities by:

• Identifying and disseminating the stakeholder best practices;
• Developing and conducting public awareness and education programs;
• Sharing and disseminating damage prevention tools and technology; and
• Serving as the premier resource for damage and one call center data collection, analysis and dissemination.

CGA Vision (Desired future state CGA is working to create)

CGA is making significant, measurable progress in creating a damage prevention culture across North America…on every site, every day. Calling before digging is the norm, with all underground utilities identifiable and accurately mapped.  Data is used to systematically address root cause issues and shows a trend of declining numbers of incidents.

Structure

The business and activities of the CGA are managed by the Board of Directors. Each stakeholder group within the CGA is represented by a Director on the CGA Board. There are currently 16 Board members. In addition to its Board of Directors, the CGA is comprised of 7 working committees:

1. Best Practices
2. Technology
3. Data Reporting & Evaluation
4. Educational Programs & Marketing
5. One Call Systems International
6. Regional Partner
7. Stakeholder Advocacy

Each committee’s work supports the CGA mission in a unique, yet critical manner. Committee members are generally employees of a stakeholder organization. CGA committee's hold approximately 35 meetings each year. For a complete list of CGA meetings, visit the CGA Meetings & Events page.

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