Digging Deep: An OKIE811 Podcast

What can the history of damage prevention teach us about where the industry is headed?

In this episode of Digging Deep, Luis sits down with Scott Landes and Benjamin Dierker, co-authors of Holding Back Disaster, for a conversation about the story behind the book and the evolution of damage prevention in the United States.

Scott and Benjamin share what inspired them to write Holding Back Disaster, some of the stories and people they discovered along the way, and how decades of lessons, challenges, and progress have helped shape the damage prevention industry we know today. It’s a look back at where the industry has been—and a conversation about why those lessons still matter for the future of safe excavation and underground utility protection.

What does the OKIE811 Member Services Department do?

In this episode of Digging Deep, Bo and Luis are joined by Eva Donahue, Liaison for Member Services at OKIE811, to discuss the value of becoming an OKIE811 member, the resources available to member companies, and how Member Services help utility companies stay connected with the OKIE811 notification system.

In this special episode, host Sy Kirby of the Blue Collar Business Podcast interviews William Bohannon to discuss the importance of building a strong safety culture, preventing damage to underground utilities, and the role of OKIE811 in protecting workers and communities. Bo also shares his background and talks about the new school initiative program coming soon to Oklahoma classrooms.

Special Thanks: Our thanks to the Blue Collar Business Podcast for producing and editing this episode and for allowing us to share it with the Digging Deep audience.

Luis sits down with Dr. Paul Dickinson to discuss how fiber optic technology, distributed fiber sensing, and conduit pathway infrastructure can help protect underground utilities, improve damage prevention, and support safer excavation practices.

Luis and Bo sit down with Sharri Hiller to discuss utility coordination before construction, including Design-Survey requests, pre-excavation meetings, and why identifying utility conflicts early can help projects move forward safely and efficiently.

In this latest episode of Digging Deep, Luis is back from the Common Ground Alliance Conference in Colorado Springs and joins Bo to share key takeaways, industry insights, and conversations shaping the future of damage prevention. From education and outreach to excavation safety and industry collaboration, they dive into what stood out most from this year’s event.

Bo and Luis chat with Senior Vice President Mike Iadanza from Mason Private Locating to break down the difference between private and public lines, why understanding them is so important, and why misconceptions around the two still exist.

From the city of Austin, Texas, Luis and Bo are attending the Facility Notification Centers Association conference to connect with peers from across the country, exchange new ideas, and learn more about what different centers are doing to improve communication, innovation, and damage prevention.

On this episode, Bo and Luis sit down with Mell Greenall, CEO of Before You Dig Australia, to talk about their process, how their system works, and the importance of damage prevention. It’s a great conversation filled with insights, shared experiences, and a global perspective on excavation safety.

We sat down with Sam Hall, Vice President of the Damage Prevention Institute (DPI) at the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) to talk about CGA’s mission, how DPI supports the industry, and why best practices are key to protecting people, property, and essential services.