4 Ways to Improve the Grid with Post-Construction Inspections

Whenever we perform work on distribution poles, we introduce risk. Engineering teams go to great lengths to create safe designs that won’t overload the pole, but those plans don’t always reflect what construction crews find in the field.

When the pole no longer matches the design, construction crews have to do the best they can with what they have. If we never go back and double-check our work, we assume two things: 

1. The field conditions for construction crews always match the engineering plan. 

2. Construction can perfectly follow the engineering plan to the letter. 

Those assumptions don’t take into account the unpredictability of reality. Without checking our work, we can’t have full confidence in our records’ accuracy. There’s always some ambiguity about the pole’s true condition. 

Accurate data gives us assurance in reliability, informs grid upgrades, helps maintain equipment and improve performance, gives insight for storm response, and more. 

Ambiguity does the opposite, creating safety issues, confusing record-keeping, and jeopardizing the entire grid. 

Post-construction inspections (PCI) for utility poles address and alleviate that ambiguity to make sure new work has been performed safely and according to the agreed-upon plan.

What is Post-Construction Inspection? 

Post-construction inspection, or PCI, is a quality check that collects data on utility poles after work has been completed on a pole. A lot of times, PCI is associated with new attachments, but any work can benefit from post-construction. 

Distribution engineering isn't just about designing systems—it's about ensuring they're built exactly as specified. Post-construction inspections are critical for building and maintaining a reliable grid. Here are 4 ways PCI helps improve the grid. 

1) Post-Construction Practices to Resolve Safety Issues 

When the construction crews get on site, the engineering plan in hand, and the pole’s condition no longer matches the original design, they have to do their best with what they have available. Afterward, it’s crucial to make sure that new construction and changed conditions haven’t created new problems. 

Proper clearance and tension avoid contact with power lines and structural failures. Incorrect installations create safety hazards. Post-construction double-checks all these elements and prompts resolutions that build and protect a robust grid. 

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2) Create Communication Loops with PCI

Post-construction inspection routines improve the relationship between engineering firms and construction contractors. With PCI, engineers can more accurately predict the conditions for construction, and construction crews can provide feedback from their point of view. 

This kind of communication helps minimize construction headaches from complicated engineering. It improves relationships by allowing both parties to communicate clearly.

3) Avoid Failure and Improve the Grid 

We can’t address what we aren’t aware of. Unidentified safety issues create risk for the entire grid when they go unaddressed. 

Post-construction inspection helps detect issues early, which prevents future outages. Proper installs improve equipment life and optimum performance and verified as-built documentation can inform future maintenance and upgrades. 

4) Record-keeping and Reliability

If we base our records on engineering plans, but never check to make sure engineering plans represent real conditions, how do we know we can trust records? In an ideal world, what is designed gets built. But we live in an unpredictable and constantly changing environment. 

PCI helps keep records straight even when plans change. Documentation from inspections helps track modifications and provides info on assets and networks as a whole, with all attachments and equipment in their most recent state. 

Unfortunately, collecting as-built documentation once construction is complete can be costly. Field crews have to go back out and recollect data on the new state of the pole. In the back office, designers compare the new pole to the original plan and correct any new violations, and another crew may be sent out to fix any safety issues.   

Katapult Pro allows teams to recycle height data from the original collection process, instead of resurveying from scratch. PCI teams snap a quick photo of the pole, which is then compared to the original plan, and new heights and attachments are transferred over. This process cuts calendar days and simplifies the redesign process if violations are found. 

Post-construction inspections might seem like just another checkbox in the utility pole lifecycle, but it's a critical process that protects our power infrastructure. With modern PCI software and best practices, utilities can leverage PCI to build and maintain distribution systems that stand the test of time.

PCI and data collection go hand-in-hand. Learn how to leverage both to support your clients. 

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