Sessions, Speakers & CEU Credits

The following sessions are available on the first and second day.

Learn how to protect yourselves, your co-workers, and your community.

The UDig NY Certified Excavator Program in Safe Digging Best Practices (CEP) has set a new standard for training New York State professional excavators in the proper procedures of excavation.

When a person has successfully completed the CEP, they are certified by the one-call center for five (5) years*, demonstrating a fundamental understanding of the Safe Digging Best Practices that should be used for safe excavation in accordance with the Common Ground Alliance Best Practices and New York State Code Rule 753.

Not only do participants establish or refresh their in-depth knowledge on the law and best practices of safe digging to prevent damages to underground facilities, but also to brand themselves or their companies.

In this course you will refresh your knowledge of the processes and practices for safe digging in compliance with NYS Code Rule 753. This course counts as a renewal for the Certified Excavator Program.

A unique view on pairing Utility projects with Municipal Maintenance/Upgrades for the benefit of both parties. A way to extend your funding for the good of your constituents. A path to minimizing adverse impact on the traveling public and your residents.

This course will instruct the student to be a safe and effective flagger. Understanding proper flagger operations, the standard skillset of a good flagger are stressed, along with identifying standard flagger control references and learning standard flagger practices for various situations.

This class will outline the basics behind electromagnetic locating. Attendees will be given a general understand of the different functions and options offered
by today’s instruments and learn how to maximize their use in the field. The course is oriented towards everyday applications.

We encourage attendees to bring their own locating equipment regardless of manufacturer to help them maximize its potential.

Also known as soft digging and hydrovac excavation, the vacuum excavation method is the safest most cost-effective way to dig safely near buried utilities.

We work extremely hard and focus on safety, but statistically work-related accidents & fatalities happen every day. Calling 911 after a work-related accident is a good start but there is a lot you can do to prepare your team for how to best handle & deal with a workplace accident.  We will discuss what your team can do to help aid an injured co-worker as well as aid first responders 

The following sessions are available on the first day.

This session will provide an overview of the Common Ground Alliance’s goal of reducing damages by 50% in 5 years. Learn about the CGA’s 50-in-5 initiative, CGA resources that can support your organization’s damage prevention performance, and how CGA’s Damage Prevention Institute is playing an integral role.

J. Joseph Wilder, Esq. has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” and has represented construction companies and public utilities for nearly 40 years. He will discuss statutory, regulatory, and common law duties related to excavation sites and explain various judicial decisions regarding liabilities.

The presentation will address what employers need to know to comply with the respiratory standard. Topics include recognition of hazards; selection considerations; maintenance, cleaning and storage; the importance of a proper FIT, Medical and FIT Testing requirements and inspections. We will address the following specifically.

• A clean-shaven face, why it matters!!
• The difference between a silica clearance and a respiratory clearance.
• The difference between a seal test and a fit test
• When is voluntary usage, truly voluntary

Stop the bleed is a campaign under the leadership of the Department of Defense and the private sector. This course will teach students how to take combat style techniques in bleeding control and use them for the public to control life threatening bleeding until first responders arrive. Students will learn how to use direct pressure, tourniquets, and packing to control bleeding. We will also discuss the ABCs of bleeding control A- Alert 911, B – Bleeding, C – Compress/pressure. The goal of this course is for students to recognize life-threatening bleeding and take appropriate action to control the bleeding until help arrives. There will be lectures as well as hands-on training.

More Information Coming Soon.

In these small group sessions, meet face to face with UDig NY’s webservices team. These sessions are an opportunity to get hands-on assistance with any questions that you have related to online location request entry, Exactix roles and permissions, and more.

You hit a gas main, so what?  Maybe the mark out was not correct or not in place at all.  So what, it was not your fault.  What do you do now?  Your actions in the next few minutes may determine if you, your crew and nearby civilians live or die….no matter who’s fault it was!  This short case history will provide an understanding of how and why a simple pipe line strike can lead to disaster and how you can minimize your losses as well as the short and long term effects on everyone involved.

This session is an opportunity for Member Area Managers and other representatives from Member Facility Operators to meet face-to-face with UDig NY’s Member Services Team. Instruction will be offered on a variety of topics.

The following sessions are available on the second day.

Hands only CPR course teaches untrained bystanders how to perform hands only CPR. The focus of hands only CPR is giving continuous chest compressions until EMS arrives on scene. Hands-Only CPR performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as CPR with breaths in the first few minutes of an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest for an adult victim. 

The Locating Breakout Demo is an informal session which gives attendees the freedom to speak with several equipment and service providers as they demonstrate their locating resources. Eastcom Associates, PowR Mole and Ravi Engineering will be showing off their utility locating equipment and answering questions about their process. These companies have the tools, resources, and knowledge to help improve your locating procedures.

Access will provide a brief overview of the consensus standard (NFPA 70E). What is an ARC Flash? How dangerous is it? and What can be done to protect the employee?. Key concepts include.

• Hazard Assessment and implementation of controls
• Establishing limits of approach
• The limits of PPE
• The importance of having a plan and setting high expectations for full compliance.

This session will provide an update on OSHA’s current initiatives, new programs and enforcement efforts as well as detail an OSHA inspection where heat almost took an employee’s life.