THANK YOU to all who attended, supported, and participated in the first Missouri Common Ground Alliance Damage Prevention & Excavation Safety Summit November 9th & 10th. The event dramatically exceeded our expectations and we are grateful to all who took time out of busy schedules to join us! We are especially appreciative of all 60 of our Summit sponsors who boldly committed to our first attempt at bringing all stakeholders together for a common purpose.

Nearly 900 people converged in Columbia, MO for the 2-day event! Participants who attended training chose from a 14-course program and demonstrated their skills in the Equipment Rodeo as well as the Locate Rodeo. According to early accounts, this event was the largest CGA-related summit ever to be held in the nation. The success was due to our sponsors, equipment manufacturers, volunteers, partner associations and organizations, as well as those diligently listened to course instructors and presenters.

For the vendors who allied with the MO CGA, it was a valuable and beneficial venture. Steve Dunlap, Area Sales Manager for Radiodetection summarized the vendor perspective and sentiments of many by commenting, “Just wanted to tell you that, from a Radiodetection view, you did an OUTSTANDING job putting the Summit together. I have been attending shows like this for over 15 years and I can tell you I have never seen a conference that took care of every detail as you did on this Summit. As a manufacturer, we appreciate the attention to details and the number of attendees; it makes our investment in a conference worthwhile”. All vendors echoed Radiodetection’s opinion and 100% of those surveyed were enthusiastic about returning next year.

Participants were equally impressed with the first event, many indicating their intention to return next year. “I can’t begin to describe how timely and useful this conference was. I wanted to thank you for all the time and work you put into the Safety Summit from the perspective of an outsider this was a success. The speakers were well versed and entertaining, registration was a breeze, the booths provided useful information and handouts and everyone in our company agreed the food was way more than expected and delicious”, said Christina Kelly of JD Kelly Excavating.

The MO CGA group will meet in December to critique the event in detail and begin laying the foundation for 2012. Surveys have been distributed to all who attended and will be utilized to further improve the summit.

If your organization would like to participate in next year’s event, please contact the MO CGA at mocommonground or subscribe to this blog for updates on exciting news and events. Also, please remember to check the calendar for upcoming meetings and events.

Additionally, pictures, presentations, and videos will soon be uploaded to the Summit tab. Please check back in mid to late December for revised content.

Be safe!

THANK YOU to all who attended, supported, and participated in the first Missouri Common Ground Alliance Damage Prevention & Excavation Safety Summit November 9th & 10th. The event dramatically exceeded our expectations and we are grateful to all who took time out of busy schedules to join us! We are especially appreciative of all 60 of our Summit sponsors who boldly committed to our first attempt at bringing all stakeholders together for a common purpose.

Nearly 900 people converged in Columbia, MO for the 2-day event! Participants who attended training chose from a 14-course program and demonstrated their skills in the Equipment Rodeo as well as the Locate Rodeo. According to early accounts, this event was the largest CGA-related summit ever to be held in the nation. The success was due to our sponsors, equipment manufacturers, volunteers, partner associations and organizations, as well as those diligently listened to course instructors and presenters.

For the vendors who allied with the MO CGA, it was a valuable and beneficial venture. Steve Dunlap, Area Sales Manager for Radiodetection summarized the vendor perspective and sentiments of many by commenting, “Just wanted to tell you that, from a Radiodetection view, you did an OUTSTANDING job putting the Summit together. I have been attending shows like this for over 15 years and I can tell you I have never seen a conference that took care of every detail as you did on this Summit. As a manufacturer, we appreciate the attention to details and the number of attendees; it makes our investment in a conference worthwhile”. All vendors echoed Radiodetection’s opinion and 100% of those surveyed were enthusiastic about returning next year.

Participants were equally impressed with the first event, many indicating their intention to return next year. “I can’t begin to describe how timely and useful this conference was. I wanted to thank you for all the time and work you put into the Safety Summit from the perspective of an outsider this was a success. The speakers were well versed and entertaining, registration was a breeze, the booths provided useful information and handouts and everyone in our company agreed the food was way more than expected and delicious”, said Christina Kelly of JD Kelly Excavating.

The MO CGA group will meet in December to critique the event in detail and begin laying the foundation for 2012. Surveys have been distributed to all who attended and will be utilized to further improve the summit.

If your organization would like to participate in next year’s event, please contact the MO CGA at mocommonground or subscribe to this blog for updates on exciting news and events. Also, please remember to check the calendar for upcoming meetings and events.

Be safe!

It will be held on November 9th and 10th, 2011 at the Boone County Fairgrounds in Columbia, MO and will consist of nearly 40 hours of educational instruction (some of which are CEU eligible or offer pertinent certifications), an equipment expo, a multi-line excavator rodeo, a locator rodeo (with gas, water, electric, and telecommunication divisions), and additional events too numerous to mention. Best of all, the Summit, all materials, meals, and continuing education credits and certifications will be offered FREE of charge to participants. Considering that the value of the OSHA 10 and Competent Person training generally runs in excess of $150+ per person, we are hopeful that organizations will take advantage of the no-cost opportunities to educate their staff.

Additionally, companies with products and services relevant to the utility and excavation industries are strongly encouraged to participate to demonstrate their value to Summit participants. With minimal fees and significant exposure, vendors cannot afford to miss out on this cost-effective opportunity to showcase their product lines. Many companies have already agreed to partner in this inaugural event and we have plenty of room to add yours.

For complete program information and forms, please visit http://mocommonground.org/register/excavatorsummittregistration.pdf. Please visit the Summit page on this site to register online.

We look forward to seeing you in November and encourage you to contact Summit Chairman Derek Leffert at 573-280-8500 if you have any questions.

Recently, the MO CGA has begun the planning process for the first ever Damage Prevention and Excavation Safety Summit in the state of Missouri. In cooperation with the Missouri Public Service Commission, the MO CGA is hosting the two-day event. It will be held on November 9th and 10th in Columbia, MO and will consist of nearly 40 hours of educational instruction (some of which are CEU eligible or offer pertinent certifications), an equipment expo, a multi-line excavator rodeo, a locator rodeo (with gas, water, electric, and telecommunication divisions), and additional events too numerous to mention. Best of all, the Summit, all materials, meals, and continuing education credits and certifications will be offered FREE of charge to participants. Considering that the value of the OSHA 10 and Competent Person training generally runs in excess of $150+ per person, we are hopeful that organizations will take advantage of the no-cost opportunities to educate their staff.

Additionally, companies with products and services relevant to the utility and excavation industries are strongly encouraged to participate to demonstrate their value to Summit participants. With minimal fees and significant exposure, vendors cannot afford to miss out on this cost-effective opportunity to showcase their product lines.

We are currently working on developing the online registration link for vendors and participants that should be available very soon. If you would like additional information prior to the online option, please refer to the registration packet that you received or contact Derek Leffert at 573-280-8500 or by email at derekl.

We look forward to your participation as we endeavor to make this inaugural event a success for all stakeholders involved!

As you may know, on March 15th, 2011 Governor Jay Nixon proclaimed April as Safe Digging Month. The governor, along with dozens of representatives from utility, excavating, and insurance organizations joined together to emphasize the importance of safe excavation. Governor Nixon appealed to those excavating to utilize the practices defined by the Common Ground Alliance to maintain safety and ensure continuity of commerce. He understands what is at stake and worked diligently as a Missouri Senator to codify safe excavation practices in Missouri law. As Attorney General, Gov. Nixon was responsible for the enforcement of the law.

Along with Governor Nixon’s proclamation, numerous stakeholders are using April as an opportunity to publicly discuss safe digging. Professional contractors, homeowners, and the general public will see and hear information throughout the month that is designed to ensure their safety. We hope that information provided here will aid that endeavor.

We invite you to explore the website and check back often for updated news, events, meeting minutes and ways in which the utility and excavation industries are evolving. We will feature relevant monthly topics and encourage feedback on the newly created blog from those in Missouri with opinions and experience. Furthermore, we will provide a centralized resource for all pertinent meetings throughout Missouri so that you can engage your company locally.

It is our sincere hope that through information you acquire here and elsewhere will lead to a safer, more productive excavation environment in all of Missouri’s communities. If we can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at the information provided on the Help page.

Be safe!

Building on the spirit of shared responsibility, Missouri Common Ground was formed to help promote communication among those people who are responsible for protecting underground facilities. Missouri Common Ground will work with you to identify and support the use of Best Practices for preventing damage to underground facilities.

Missouri Common Ground is an alliance between the people who are responsible for protecting underground facilities from excavation damage. Those who impact the excavation process share this responsibility:

By working together, underground facility owners, contract locators, design professionals, Missouri One Call, excavators, contractors, regulators and other responsible parties can improve damage prevention, which affects:

Thanks,

Professor Jones
http://www.umsl.edu