Page 9 - Texas811 Magazine 2019 Issue 4

damage doesn't occur. with iitility rights-oz-way getting

ever more cmwded, the margin ui error gets ever 3 0 A R DWA '- K

smaller.

"If you're working 18 inches away irom a 30-inch pipe,

there's a danger there," he said

Doug is a stickler tor knowing and fullnwing PIPELINE PARTNERS’

regulations, procedures and best practices. That likely

stems [mm his 23 years of service in the us Air Force, - -

Working on pzrmlzum and cryogenic products and Boardwalk Pcpelme Partners
iacilities. After he retired fmm the Air Force, he went to . . .

work with l<och l-ipeline, handling some ui the same IS com mltted to operating
petroleum-based prodiiets as he did in the military. . . .

I ellne assets In a safe

He said more education is needed to keep the public P P '
and other stakeholders on the same page and keep the |-enable a nd ¢°mP|ia nt
commiinity sate.

~n.e nleetlngs ive had wan emergency man ner and provldlng
responders and «he piihlic have shown me that there is a .

signiiicant need tor more education and understanding the hlg hESt IEVEI Of

cf the eiirrent laws and zxcnvztlon practices that could _

help In prevent the damages that have led to interrupted customer se|'V|ce.

services, environmental damages, iniiiries and deaths"

’”“"“" |oAIll>wAl.K
laiit his approach l.s'n'I a heavy-handed, onesided /‘

soliition to the problem. Rather, he works with diverse -

stakeholders to see what works fur everybody. G ULF S0

’’I spend time with each person l meet, showing «hem LOUISIANA unsmsm, I.LC
how we can work cooperatively to excavate aroiind

iitilities and minimize «he possibility of damages,” he -'.Ex‘, 0‘, .
_,,A....._.......... ©euu cnosggggg;
Dong has advocated ior several changes to help keep _ J I 0‘ RDWALK V
people safe, ineliiding hetier mapping and more . A . J,-, .. . . l

commiinications interactions with utility companies, ma‘ *
especially diiring «he locating process.

"It's more than going out and throwing tlags in the ""'°°"""‘“"'a"‘— *1‘
ground and hoping tor «he best. Digging aroond

iitilities is governed by laws, but in «he field it has to he

a gentleman's agreement — a cooperative agreement EOARDWALK

— about whats going on. If everyhody s not in synch, iinunusuii,iii;

something roiild get hit or go wrong," he said.

laiit messaging he said, is one of «he biggest ways ,

indiistry and «he piihlie can prevent costly and deadly

damages.

"We need a comprehensive damage prevention 3

message that resonates «hoiigh all aspects or the piililic,

excavators and iitility operators," he saicl. "Our message .

needs to emphasize the cooperative relationship ,

lietween iitility operators and excavators toward

preventing damages and also stress laws, ordinances lmm whats below.

and the consequences ui not {allowing the laws and Call hctomynualg,
Dzdlnrzlnces."

He credits technology with improving locating and

mapping processes That coupled with safe excavntinn

practices like vaeiiiim excavntinn to determine the exact

location of an iindergroiind iacility wlll tiinher the goal

nf getting every company to zero incidents. .

2019,1591: o ieiaraii . 7