NASSCO’s mission is to set standards for the assessment, maintenance and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure. It also assures the continued acceptance and growth of all trenchless technologies.

Those of us who have been in the industry for many years should remember that new professionals are continually becoming part of the underground infrastructure world. It is our responsibility to welcome, educate and integrate these new professionals with resources that help them quickly learn and grow within our industry.

One thing that I am very aware of is that acronyms like PACP, ITCP, CIPP, FFRP, FRP, SAPL, SIPP and others are used freely in presentations, articles and basic conversation by those of us who have been around for a while. While they might be second nature to us, those new to our industry may have no idea what we are talking about, and we should always remember our audience as we discuss specific technologies. In fact, we should never make assumptions about an individual’s knowledge. For example, an industry professional may have been around for many years without any exposure to a specific trenchless technology.

To take things down a notch and share the basics of trenchless technologies, NASSCO has been gradually building a library of short, easy-to-understand technical videos on a variety of topics.  These videos are developed with the help of NASSCO technical committees and are intended to share a basic overview of specific trenchless technologies, along with the problems they solve and the unique benefits and features of each. The goal of the videos is to open the door of knowledge for people unfamiliar with trenchless technologies and invite viewers to learn more through NASSCO’s other technical resources including specification guidelines, technical manuals, webinars and other materials.

To date, NASSCO has developed introductory technical videos on the topics of pipe bursting, cured-in-place pipe, grouting, spiral-wound pipe and manhole rehabilitation. In 2022, NASSCO committees will produce three new videos for this growing library including lateral and building pipe rehabilitation, spray-applied pipe lining and force main rehabilitation. In addition to these trenchless technology videos, NASSCO’s Health and Safety Committee will also produce videos on styrene monitoring equipment and confined-space entry.

While NASSCO technical videos are made possible by NASSCO member sponsors, the content is objective and never names manufacturers or other proprietary information specifically. The hope is that better awareness of technologies will lift the tide for all suppliers and manufacturers who provide the equipment, materials and services, and for the contractors who do the work. In short, to help NASSCO achieve its mission to assure the continued acceptance and growth of all trenchless technologies.

The videos are available for free download on the NASSCO channel at www.vimeo.com. This means they can be used by the entire industry — whether you are a NASSCO member or not — to include on your website, presentations or training materials to inform and educate on various trenchless technologies.

To learn more about NASSCO’s growing library of technical resources, please visit www.nassco.org.