Apparatus and methods for evaluating a quality of a locate operation for underground utilities

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for assessing a locate and marking operation. Ticket information is received regarding the locate and marking operation prior to performance. Following performance, a locate manifest is received that includes a digital image associated with a dig area for which the operation was performed. One or more electronic indications are provided, based at least in part on a comparison of the ticket information and the locate manifest, of a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation. The electronic indication(s) indicate one of: 1) a satisfactory operation; 2) an unsatisfactory operation requiring further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance; or 3) a satisfactory operation, but nonetheless requiring technician coaching. An electronic record is generated of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on the electronic indication(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface;   a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and   a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit:
 A) controls the communication interface to receive original ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation; 
 B) controls the communication interface to receive a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area, the at least one digital image showing the at least one locate mark placed in the dig area or at least one digital representation of the at least one locate mark; 
 C) processes at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the quality assessment based at least in part on the original ticket information received in A) and the at least one digital image included in the locate manifest received in B), the at least one electronic indication indicating one of:
 C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory; 
 C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation; or 
 C3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and 
 
 D) generates an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C). 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit further maintains a numerical count of satisfactory locate and marking operations, unsatisfactory locate and marking operations, and locate and marking operations requiring coaching based on C). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit further controls the communication interface in B) to receive the locate manifest via email. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the original ticket information comprises at least one of:
 a ticket number;   an address or other location information regarding the dig area; and   at least one member code identifying a facility owner of the at least one underground facility.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one digital image included in the locate manifest comprises at least one of:
 a first photograph that identifies a location of the dig area;   a second photograph of a paper manifest or a log of the ticket, the dig area, and/or the at least one locate mark; and   a third photograph of the dig area showing the at least one locate mark placed in the dig area.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first photograph includes a street number on a mailbox or on a building, or a serial number on a telephone pole. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one digital image includes a marked-up image of a geographic area surrounding the dig area, the marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one locate mark electronically overlaid thereon. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one digital image comprises GPS data associated with the dig area. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the locate manifest further comprises at least one of:
 a time, date and/or duration of the locate and marking operation;   a ticket number for the ticket associated with the locate manifest;   an address or other location information regarding the dig area;   at least one first identifier for a facility owner of the at least one underground facility;   at least one second identifier relating to work performed during the locate and marking operation;   a third identifier for a party requesting the locate and marking operation;   a fourth identifier for the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation;   a signature of the first locate technician;   a fifth identifier for a crew to which the first locate technician belongs;   at least one sixth identifier for one or more types of locate markings used for the locate and marking operation; and   one or more notes made by the first locate technician.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one display device, wherein the processing unit further controls the at least one display device to display at least a portion of the locate manifest and at least some of the original ticket information. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the displayed portion of the locate manifest comprises the at least one digital image and a work performed text display field; and   the displayed original ticket information includes a ticket manifest text display field.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit processes the at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation in C) based at least in part on a comparison of the at least one digital image with the ticket manifest text display field and the work performed text display field. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processing unit further controls the at least one display device to display at least one icon representing the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one icon includes:
 an approved icon representing a satisfactory locate and marking operation;   a QC icon representing an unsatisfactory locate and marking operation; and   a coach icon representing that the first locate technician requires coaching.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one user input device, wherein the processing unit acquires a selection, via the at least one user input device, of one of the approved icon, the QC icon, and the coach icon so as to receive the at least one electronic indication indicating one of C1), C2) and C3). 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein if the at least one electronic indication indicates C2), the processing unit further controls the communication interface to transmit the original ticket information and the locate manifest to a quality control approver for further review of the locate and marking operation. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for documenting a quality assessment of a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the method comprising:
 A) electronically receiving original ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation;   B) electronically receiving a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area, the at least one digital image showing the at least one locate mark placed in the dig area or at least one digital representation of the at least one locate mark;   C) processing at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the quality assessment based at least in part on the original ticket information received in A) and the at least one digital image included in the locate manifest received in B), the at least one electronic indication indicating one of:
 C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory; 
 C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation; or 
 C3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and 
   D) generating an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).   
     
     
         18 . A method for assessing a locate and marking operation performed by a first locate technician, the method comprising:
 A) receiving original ticket information regarding the locate and marking operation as provided to the first locate technician prior to performing the locate and marking operation;   B) electronically receiving, via a communication interface, a locate manifest regarding the locate and marking operation as performed by the first locate technician, the locate and marking operation comprising identifying a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area by placing at least one locate mark in the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the locate manifest including at least one digital image associated with the dig area, the at least one digital image showing the at least one locate mark placed in the dig area or at least one digital representation of the at least one locate mark;   C) providing at least one electronic indication, via a processing unit, based at least in part on a comparison of the original ticket information received in A) and the at least one digital image included in the locate manifest received in B), of a quality assessment of the locate and marking operation, the at least one electronic indication indicating one of:
 C1) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory; 
 C2) that the locate and marking operation is unsatisfactory and requires further quality control assessment and/or at least partial re-performance of the locate and marking operation; or 
 C3) that the locate and marking operation is satisfactory but the first locate technician requires coaching; and 
   D) generating, via the processing unit, an electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation based on C).   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 maintaining a numerical count of satisfactory locate and marking operations, unsatisfactory locate and marking operations, and locate and marking operations requiring coaching based on C).   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein B) comprises receiving the locate manifest via email. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the original ticket information comprises at least one of:
 a ticket number;   an address or other location information regarding the dig area; and   at least one member code identifying a facility owner of the at least one underground facility.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one digital image included in the locate manifest comprises at least one of:
 a first photograph that identifies a location of the dig area;   a second photograph of a paper manifest or a log of the ticket, the dig area, and/or the at least one locate mark; and   a third photograph of the dig area showing the at least one locate mark placed in the dig area.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first photograph includes a street number on a mailbox or on a building, or a serial number on a telephone pole. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one digital image includes a marked-up image of a geographic area surrounding the dig area, the marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one locate mark electronically overlaid thereon. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one digital image comprises GPS data associated with the dig area. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein B) comprises receiving the locate manifest including at least one of:
 a time, date and/or duration of the locate and marking operation;   a ticket number for the ticket associated with the locate manifest;   an address or other location information regarding the dig area;   at least one first identifier for a facility owner of the at least one underground facility;   at least one second identifier relating to work performed during the locate and marking operation;   a third identifier for a party requesting the locate and marking operation;   a fourth identifier for the first locate technician performing the locate and marking operation;   a signature of the first locate technician;   a fifth identifier for a crew to which the first locate technician belongs;   at least one sixth identifier for one or more types of locate markings used for the locate and marking operation; and   one or more notes made by the first locate technician.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 displaying, via at least one display device, at least a portion of the locate manifest and at least some of the original ticket information.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the displayed portion of the locate manifest comprises the at least one digital image and a work performed text display field; and   the displayed original ticket information includes a ticket manifest text display field.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 providing the at least one electronic indication of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation in C) based at least in part on a comparison of the at least one digital image with the ticket manifest text display field and the work performed text display field.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 displaying at least one icon representing the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one icon includes:
 an approved icon representing a satisfactory locate and marking operation;   a QC icon representing an unsatisfactory locate and marking operation; and   a coach icon representing that the first locate technician requires coaching.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 acquiring a selection, via at least one user input device, of one of the approved icon, the QC icon, and the coach icon so as to receive the at least one electronic indication indicating one of C1), C2) and C3).   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one electronic indication indicates C2), and wherein the method further comprises:
 controlling a communication interface to transmit the original ticket information and the locate manifest to a quality control approver for further review of the locate and marking operation.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit processes the at least one electronic indication indicating one of C1), C2) and C3) based at least in part on the locate manifest, the original ticket information, and at least one of:
 a time required to complete the locate and marking operation;   a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed;   a cost of the locate and marking operation;   one or more conditions associated with the dig area;   a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the original ticket information;   a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the original ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and   an efficiency with which the first locate technician performed the locate and marking operation.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit associates the locate manifest with the original ticket information and controls the memory to store the original ticket information, the associated locate manifest and the at least one electronic indication so as to archive the electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein C) comprises providing the at least one electronic indication indicating one of C1), C2) and C3) based at least in part on the locate manifest, the original ticket information, and at least one of:
 a time required to complete the locate and marking operation;   a time at which the locate and marking operation was performed;   a cost of the locate and marking operation;   one or more conditions associated with the dig area;   a number of facilities to be located as indicated in the original ticket information;   a discrepancy between the facilities to be located as indicated in the original ticket information, but not indicated as marked in the locate manifest; and   an efficiency with which the first locate technician performed the locate and marking operation.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 E) associating the locate manifest with the original ticket information; and   F) storing the original ticket information, the locate manifest and the at least one electronic indication in a memory so as to archive the electronic record of the quality assessment of the locate and marking operation.