This document outlines Douglas County PUD's implementation of a centralized underground cable tagging system using GIS software. It details their previous inconsistent tagging methods, an accident that occurred due to unclear cable identification, and their new unified 4-digit tagging system managed within their ArcGIS database. This centralized tagging system improves safety by standardizing cable identification procedures and enabling consistent communication of tag information between field crews and operations.

1. Keep Workers Safe by:
Gene Ockinga – Douglas County PUD
Chris Cushenbery – SSP Innovations

2. Map by A. Taub
Douglas County Land & Transportation Services
East Wenatchee, WA 98802

3.  18,872 Meters
 2,000 Fiber Customers
 15 Substations
– Plus 1 Mobile Substation
 810 miles OH Primary Cable
 410 miles UG Primary Cable
 26,000 Poles
 186 Employees

4.  SSP Innovations
– Workforce Management (WFM)
– Customizations and Implementation
 Telvent
– ArcFM 10.0.3, Designer, Fiber Manager, ArcFM
Viewer for ArcGIS Engine, Data Migration
 Esri
– ArcGIS 10.0 SP4

5.  GIS Project started July 18, 2011
 Accident at DCPUD on July 23, 2011
 Investigation by DCPUD, IBEW, and
Washington L&I
– Cable tagging procedures need to be improved

6.  3 Different Tagging
Systems
– Yellow vinyl tags with
handwriting
– Red, white, blue tags
with handwriting
– 6 digit tag showing
where cable
terminated

7.  4 digit unique tag number for UG Primary Cable
 Assign tag number in designs and sessions
 Assign tag number after design approval status
 Retain tag number on replacements in designs
 Retain tag number on source side when splitting UG
Primary Cable in designs and sessions
– Generate new tag number on non-source side
 Enable non-GIS staff to generate new tag number
– Tag number emailed to GIS editor

8.  TagNumber field on ConductorInfo table
 Extended length 5 to handle future growth

9.  New
installs
 After
design
approval
 Nightly
batch

10.  Replace
work
function

11.  Data collection
and data
maintenance

12.  Design and
session workflows
 Retain tag
number on source
side by default

13.  After hours
outages
 Data
collection

14.  4 digit unique tagging system
– One tagging system for all of DCPUD
 Centralized management of tag numbers in GIS
– One system for generation and assignment
– Displaying tag numbers in Desktop and Mobile GIS for
improved communication between operations and field
crews
– Improved tagging procedures for a safer DCPUD work
environment

15. Gene Ockinga
Douglas County PUD
GeneO@dcpud.org
Chris Cushenbery
SSP Innovations
ccushenbery@sspinnovations.com
Online Articles:
http://www.sspinnovations.com/tagging-underground-electrical-lines-in-arcfm-designer.aspx
http://www.sspinnovations.com/tagging-underground-electrical-lines-in-arcfm-designer-part-2.aspx