What a crew-ready report should include
A crew-ready pre-dig report should turn office research into field-ready context. Include the job location, work area, known underground infrastructure, attached drawings, locate status, risk notes, and key contacts.
The report should be simple enough to review before work starts and detailed enough to explain why certain areas need extra attention.
Keep the summary simple
Start with a short summary of the planned work. Explain where the excavation is expected, what the crew should know first, and what must be verified before ground disturbance.
Avoid making the crew search through long notes for the most important information. If there are only three things they need to remember, put those near the top.
Flag known and unknown risks
A useful report separates known information from uncertainty. Known lines, old drawings, private service concerns, conflicting records, and incomplete data should be called out clearly.
Unknown does not mean safe. It means the team needs to verify before acting.
Attach drawings and screenshots
Attach the plans, drawings, screenshots, photos, and notes that support the report. When possible, connect each attachment to a short explanation so the crew understands why it matters.
If a file is outdated or approximate, label it that way. Clear limitations help prevent false confidence.
Add official locate status
The report should show whether official locates have been requested, completed, or still need action. Include ticket references, request dates, expiration dates, and any notes from locate providers when available.
This status should never be hidden in a separate email thread. Crews need to know whether required locate steps are complete before work begins.
Share the report before work starts
Send the report early enough for the supervisor and crew to review it. If questions come up, there should be time to clarify the work area, request additional information, or adjust the plan.
A report shared after the crew arrives is still useful, but it loses some of its planning value.
Keep the report with the project record
After the job, keep the report with the project record. It can help with future maintenance, similar projects, internal reviews, and customer communication.
SiteBuildHub is a planning and research tool, so the report should always be paired with official utility locate services, physical locates, local regulations, and qualified professionals before digging.