In a post-pandemic (Are we ‘post’?) world, some have returned to office life, some have adopted a hybrid work model, and some of us have abandoned the idea of a centralized office forever. Utility Safety Partners still offers employees the option to work from our office, but day-after-day, the lonely cubicles sit gathering dust as our staff continue to enjoy the advantages of working from home.
As the year winds down, committees and boards may find themselves shifting leadership to a new group of officers. As someone who often finds themselves as an incoming or outgoing Chair, I know that a formal handover process often gets overlooked. I have failed on occasion to hand off the leadership of a committee without following the critical steps required to give the incoming Chair what they need to start off successfully. Chairing any group comes with enough challenges without being cast into a new pool and being expected to swim.
The highest standard of safety & quality control for mapping, locating and excavating assets. Installing 3M RFID markers alongside current excavation and locating procedures provides pinpoint accuracy, photos of facility, depth of cover, hazards etc. linked to each marker accessible via smartphone or tablet. User friendly & designed for frontline construction teams who need this information the most! Safer ground disturbance, lowered carbon footprint, cost savings. Contact Safelocates for info today: www.safelocates.com
October 2022 appears to be going very much like October 2021; namely, three full weeks of blissfully warm and pleasant weather, followed by an immediate snow dump and cessation of excavation. While this frigid state may not be long lasting (and in fact as you are reading this article, likely is no longer occurring), it definitively signals a harbinger for the end of the 2022 digging season.
By the time you read this article, the latest Canadian Common Ground Alliance's DIRT Report (Damage Information Reporting Tool) will be available on the CCGA’s website. Unfortunately, though, this eNewsletter’s publishing schedule doesn’t align with release of the DIRT Report so we can’t show you the whole thing – but there is some interesting info we just can’t wait to share!
Why do we continue to have OHS incidents? Statistics continue to prove that we are not resolving this issue positively, bearing in mind there are no accidents. Having completed an analysis of what our (high school student) emerging workforce is being offered regarding Occupational Health and Safety; we continually fall short of the mark.
Alberta One Call is offering an Enhanced Ticket Service to its members. In a partnership with PelicanCorp this service helps reduce time and costs associated with responding to incoming requests for locates. The incoming requests are screened, evaluated and forwarded automatically. This enhanced process can automatically warn of excavations around critical infrastructure and send out notices on permit requirements or special environmental conditions.
Every year the CCGA releases its signature report called the Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) report. The DIRT report was designed to collect and record the data found in damage reports for damages made to underground infrastructure. It provides a summary and an analysis of damages reported throughout Canada in a form that users can easily breakdown, assess against their own damage prevention programs and look for improvements that can lead to a reduction in damages. Not many industries publish a book dedicated to their lack of success. Let's look at how we can use this lack of success to get a return on our investment in DIRT.
Utility Safety Partners and PelicanCorp have been working on some new, thrilling features during this past digging season to make the locate request process easier and more streamlined for our users. Among these changes will be a new user interface on our website with a fresh look! This new request page will make it easier for excavators to place locates online and keep track of their requests. We have also been testing a Positive Response feature where excavators will be able to log on and check their responses from the responding asset owners. It will be a One Stop Shop!
Global, the Leader in Ground Disturbance Training since 1989. Qualified licensees across Canada, currently the only training provider approved for Ground Disturbance 201 in Classroom, Online, and Virtual delivery. When working around underground infrastructure having trained and competent workers is a must! Global trains in the delivery method of choice, our classrooms or yours, Instructor Led, online, or virtually, to the level you require (Awareness – Supervisory). Your Training – Your Choice!
Becoming a registered asset-owner company with Utility Safety Partners starts with reaching out to our Member Services team to start onboarding. The short, yet thorough, onboarding process provides both the registering facility company and Utility Safety Partners with detailed information pertaining to that company, as well as the proper documentation to have the account set up. This process can seem like a daunting task – but this process has been streamlined to ensure it can be completed efficiently and in a timely manner. It’s simpler than you think and we are here to help!
A pilot project started in 2011, designed to provide no-cost occupational health and safety online to high school students. Fast forward to the present, high school teachers and students in Western Canada are using the provided online courseware as part of their curriculum.
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