Recently a comprehensive study has been undertaken to better understand the effectiveness of various traditional wood utility pole assessment methods in identifying groundline "reject" poles compared to the most comprehensive current method, full excavation. These traditional inspection methods can range from simple visual inspections to more involved partial excavations. This study has thoroughly reevaluated these estimates with a more involved real-world process on thousands of poles and tens of thousands unique assessments. Learn more about the how the study was conducted, the results and what impact they have on understanding their ability identify structures at risk as well as drive better wood pole health programs that extend useful life and retain structure strength.