A Day in the Life of Safety Ambassador
A typical day for a Safety Ambassador starts the same as it does for most people, with a hot cup of coffee. After grabbing their PPE and doing a quick safety inspection of the truck, the Ambassadors hit the road – ready to spread awareness about working safely near buried and overhead utilities.
The first stop may be a garden centre or an equipment rental store where homeowners can access supplies for their home projects. The Ambassadors provide handouts and promotional materials to the staff, which can be shared with the community and provide a familiar reminder to work safely near underground and overhead utilities. These businesses are overwhelmingly supportive and often attach Click Before You Dig stickers to rental equipment and link to ClickBeforeYouDig.com on their websites.
As the Ambassadors move to their next destination, they encounter various job sites throughout the community. Whether it’s the development of a new subdivision, infrastructure projects like the installation of fibre lines, or pushing a pipeline under highway 2, there is always work near utility lines. A quick stop and a friendly conversation with the crews provide opportunities for the Ambassadors to assist the digging community with any challenges they may be experiencing with the locate request process. This valuable feedback helps strengthen the damage prevention process in Alberta.
The Ambassadors continue their day visiting industry partners and community members alike. These activities are shared on Twitter, another platform the Ambassadors use to promote safety and the damage prevention process. Follow @DigSafe_EAPUOC, @DigSafeYYC, @DigSafeYEG for helpful tips about working safely near utility lines.
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The Ambassadors often participate in community events. Our Calgary area Safety Ambassador fondly remembers driving his ‘Ambassadormobile’ in the Diamond Valley Parade. Diamond Valley Day coincides with Discovery Day in Turner Valley and the communities host many fun activities. "In the morning we were part of the parade where over 3000 community members in Black Diamond looked on and in the afternoon we were asked to set up a booth in Turner Valley and spread the Click Before You Dig message to thousands of people on a more personal level. It was one of my favourite days as an Ambassador.” At the end of the day, the Ambassadors head home, but their dedication to safety and awareness continues on. Neighbours who are planting a garden or building a fence will likely see their friendly faces reminding them to Click Before You Dig!
Kassi Zaba - Member Liaison - Utility Safety Partners