1. MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard (GSS)

2. It’s All About Safety

3. Gold Shovel Standard Non-profit organization committed to improving:
Workforce and Public Safety
Integrity of vital buried infrastructure
Pioneered by PG&E in 2014, Gold Shovel Standard is committed to improve workforce & public safety and the integrity of vital buried infrastructure.

4. Gold Shovel Standard Mission
GSS believes that greater transparency in all aspects of damage prevention among buried-asset operators, locators and contractors is essential to drive continuous improvement, and vital to ensure increasingly safe working conditions and communities.

5. WHAT DOES GSS DO?
Third-Party Confirmation of an in-place Safety Management System (SMS) for the protection of buried assets.
Provides two very specific services that fill a gap met nowhere else..
Gold Shovel Standard has adopted the recommendations made by the Excavator Metrics Committee pertaining to a standardized damage prevention metrics as a fair and transparent means of driving continuous improvement throughout the industry. Michigan and MISS DIG 811 have been selected for GSS Excavator Metrics Pilot along with Virginia and Northern California.
GSS provides two very specific services 1) Ensure all excavators and locators have a model safety management system in place 2) Create fair and transparent metrics for damage prevention.

6. GSS Certification Demonstrates: Recognition of continued learning
Quality safety procedures
Adherence to Federal and State laws
Investment in Best practices
Enhances reputation:
Illustrates commitment to damage prevention
Ensures confidence and peace of mind
This

7. MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard Member Enrollment
Member Participant (Facility Owner):
1. Roll Out Call with GSS
2. Member Application MISS DIG 811 members are already members through MISS DIG 811, but should still supply application for record keeping
3. Payment Included for MISS DIG 811 members
4. Internal Notification
5. Press Release
6. Vendor Notification
7. Vendor List to GSS
8. GSS Progress Reports

8. MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard Member Enrollment
External Contractor:
Member Internal Contractor:
1. Signed Enrollment Document
2. Training Curriculum – MISS DIG 811 satisfies but will need to confirm with GSS that training was performed.
3. Training Quiz
4. Employee Acknowledgement
5. Incident Investigation Form
6. Corrective Action Plan
7. OSHA 300A
8. Press Release
1. Initial Call with GSS
2. Registered as Excavator
3. Payment
4. Signed Enrollment Document
5. Training Curriculum including MISS DIG 811 Certification Modules
6. Training Quiz
7. Employee Acknowledgement
8. Incident Investigation Form
9. Corrective Action Plan
10. OSHA 300A
11. Press Release
12. MISS DIG 811 Associate Membership included

9. Contractor Investment
To achieve GSS certification:
Annual basic awareness training for all affected workers
Whistleblower and stop-work authority for workers
Follow MI PA 174 of 2013 and MDPB Best Practices
Adherence to CGA Best Practices, specifically Chapter 5
A policy to hire Gold Shovel Standard subcontractors (with few exceptions)
Thorough investigation procedure to be used in the event of an incident
Corrective action procedure with root cause analysis
Pay an annual fee
(equal to $75 – $200 per month
To continue participation in the program:
Report all damages
Share limited information about the volume and scale of their excavation business to normalize metrics

10. Link to MDPB Best Practices:
Link to Public Act 174:
Link to MDPB Best Practices:

11. CGA Best Practices Chapter 5 5. Excavation
5.1 One Call Facility Locate Request
5.2 White Lining
5.3 Locate Reference Number
5.4 Pre-excavation Meeting
5.5 Facility Relocations
5.6 Separate Locate Requests
5.7 One Call Access (24/7)
5.8 Positive Response
5.9 Facility Owner/Operator Failure to Respond
5.10 Locate Verification
5.11 Documentation of Marks
5.12 Work Site Review with Company Personnel
5.13 One Call Reference at Site
5.14 Contact Names and Numbers
5.15 Facility Avoidance
5.16 Federal and State Regulations
5.17 Marking Preservation
5.18 Excavation Observer
5.19 Excavation Tolerance Zone
5.20 Excavation within Tolerance Zone
5.21 Mismarked Facilities
5.22 Exposed Facility Protection
5.23 Locate Request Updates
5.24 Facility Damage Notification
5.25 Notification of Emergency Personnel
5.26 Emergency Excavation
5.27 Backfilling
5.28 As-built Documentation
5.29 Trenchless Excavation
5.30 Emergency Coordination with Adjacent Facilities
5.31 No Charge for Providing Underground Facility Locations
5.32 Vacuum Excavation
5.33 Facility Owner Provides a Monitor During Excavation

12. Why Should Michigan and it’s cities Join GSS?
The failures of Michigan’s antiquated infrastructure do not need to be magnified by avoidable errors
Avoidable damages to Michigan’s buried assets provide a significant drain on the state’s ability to compete
GSS-certified communities are not only safer, but offer a more competitive workspace that includes fewer outages, less business interruptions, and greater service reliability
MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard certification is a viable means of driving public and workforce safety in the realm of buried infrastructure throughout Michigan

13. Gold Shovel Standard Community/Municipality
Communities/Municipalities can embrace GSS by:
Requiring prime contractors working in the community to be compliant as part of bid solicitation
Preferred emergency supplier list
Streamlined permit & right- of-way processing

14. Why Get Unions GSS-Certified
GSS will, at no charge to unions, assist them with the development of a basic safety management system training, so that workers are pre-qualified for companies requiring GSS certification
GSS certified companies are, by definition, creating a safer environment for their peers

15. Bottom Line
GSS drives policies and procedures that reduce likelihood of damage
Safer operations = less damages
Less damages = less costs and losses
Less costs and losses = more profitability

16. Summary
Significant reduction in damages is limited unless all responsible parties, owner / operators, owner excavators, locators and contractors, continuously improve
Fair and transparent metrics are very effective and underutilized means of driving continuous improvement
GSS has helped nearly 1000 organizations create, for the first time, a complete Safety Management System for damage prevention.

17. Raise the Bar on Excavation Safety
With a Gold Shovel Standard Approved Program
For excavation contractors, there is no better way to prove expertise, precision and safety than the Gold Shovel Standard. Certified companies establish and submit for review a training program, policy and controls. Gold Shovel Certification opens the door for contracts that require it and also makes you more competitive across the whole industry.
The program aims to be the catalyst for a 50% reduction in damages at professional excavation sites in North America over the next decade.

18. MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard Committee/Board
Catherine Stafford, Chairman DTE Gas
Lisa Douglas, Vice Chairman Consumers Energy
Members also include:
Kyle Kremer Barton Malow
Jim Moskal Corby Energy Services
Brian Schember Dan’s Excavating
Robert E Stewart Frontier Communications
Tim Davidek GCDC-WWJ
Rick Galyean Gold Shovel
Bob Madison Gold Shovel
Dave Mauerman Gold Shovel
Rhonda Smith Gold Shovel
Matthew Bellgowan MDOT
Bruce Campbell MISS DIG 811
Bill Fisher MISS DIG 811
David Chislea MPSC
Steve Makowski SEMCO Energy
Chris Jensen Tri County MECA
Vito Zito Zito Construction

19. Gold Shovel Standard Committee
                                                    
Gold Shovel Standard Committee
The mission of MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard Committee is to accelerate the broad adoption of Gold Shovel Standard throughout Michigan. 

20. Primary Goal
The goal of MISS DIG 811’s Gold Shovel Standard Committee is a 30% reduction over 2015 levels in the frequency of damages in Michigan on professional excavation sites by December 31, 2020.
To have more than 100 Michigan municipalities rely on GSS scores when hiring, establishing, or renewing franchise rights and offering permits by December 31, 2020.
To have more than 15 Gold Shovel Standard Communities established throughout Michigan by December 31, 2020.
The program aims to be the catalyst for a 50% reduction in damages at professional excavation sites in North America over the next decade.

21. Great Lakes Foundation (GLF)
The Foundation (GLF) will be responsible for sponsorship of participation in the Gold Shovel Standard.
Sponsorship is intended to reduce damages by having municipal members and contractors adopt the Standard.
The Sponsorship is a 3-year program that members can apply for as a Gold Shovel Standard community or contractor.
Public Agency Members willing to adopt the Standard for all work done in their jurisdiction can request that their annual membership fee be reduced by 1/3 for 3 consecutive years.
Associate Member Contractors can request that their annual membership fee be reduced by 1/3 for 3 consecutive years.

22. For more information on the Gold Shovel Standard, please visit www
For more information on the Gold Shovel Standard, please visit
If you are interested in becoming MISS DIG 811 Gold Shovel Standard certified, please contact
If you are interested in Great Lakes Foundation, please contact

23. SAFE DIGGING ADVOCATE AWARD NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!
o nominate
Go to – Click on Education – then the trophy to place your nomination by
NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!
The winner will receive a trophy,
swag,
& an all-expense paid trip for 2 to the
Annual Meeting being held at
the Soaring Eagle Casino!