Virginia 811 Enhances Excavation Safety with New ERMA Mobile Application
Richmond, VA – September 25, 2023 – Virginia 811 proudly announces the launch of its first mobile application, the Excavator Response Management Application (ERMA).ERMA represents a significant leap forward in excavation safety and response management. The application is free and available for download to iPhone and Android users starting September 25, 2023.
One of ERMA’s most notable features is its ability to empower excavators by providing enhanced tools for reviewing and responding to Positive Responses related to their Locate Requests. Positive Responses can now be accessed in real time, enabling field contacts and response submitters to stay informed and take immediate action.
For field contacts, regardless of whether they initiated the Locate Request, ERMA offers the capability to accept or decline Code 60 responses with unprecedented ease and efficiency. Furthermore, excavators can use the application to automatically reject Code 60 responses submitted after 6:00 PM on the day before a Locate Request is due.
It is important to clarify that ERMA does not universally allow excavators to decline all Code 60 requests. Instead, it provides them with the valuable feature of declining Code 60 responses submitted after 6:00 PM on the night before the ticket’s response deadline, which is 7:00 AM when the response is due. ERMA aims to streamline Positive Response management, empowering excavators to review and confirm responses before commencing excavation, as mandated by law.
A forthcoming ERMA update will equip excavators with additional features to ensure their excavation sites are adequately marked and secured. While no technology can guarantee 100% safety on every site, current and future technological advancements are propelling our industry closer to achieving zero damages.
“We all share the responsibility of striving for zero damages per 1,000 tickets and embracing the technologies that can propel us toward this noble objective,” says Scott Crawford, President and CEO at Virginia 811. “Without adopting these cutting-edge solutions, we risk stagnation or, worse, regression in our pursuit of safety.”
Virginia 811 invites all excavators and stakeholders to download ERMA, experience its transformative capabilities, and join us in our collective mission to enhance excavation safety to unprecedented levels.
For more information about ERMA, please visit https://dev.va811.com/excavator-response-management-application-erma/.
About Virginia 811:
Virginia Utility Protection Service, commonly called Virginia 811, is a not-for-profit organization and the designated notification center for Virginia. Created by Virginia’s utilities to protect their underground facilities, it is dedicated to preventing damage to underground utilities and promoting safety in excavation. Virginia 811 provides a vital service by facilitating the communication between excavators and locators, operating a 24/7 contact center, receiving locate requests, and dispatching notifications to utility owners across the Commonwealth. For more information about Virginia 811 and safe digging practices, visit VA811.com.