Why do we seem to struggle to get more Alberta professionals to join us at the table at the committee level. Everyone is busier than ever these days, but USP committees offer a round-table at which important discussions and discoveries happen – decisions are made that can affect the direction of utility safety in Alberta. There are influencers at those tables. This is about you and what you care about, and we know you have opinions, so shouldn’t you be in the “room where it happens” to help shape the future of the industry?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had this weather year-round? Alas, despite our collective wishes, the warm summer weather will soon give way to the cool winds of fall and homeowners across Alberta will begin scrambling to complete their summer projects. 

A Job Safety Analysis, or JSA, is driven by those principles. The JSA forces us to observe our surroundings to identify risks or hazards that might be encountered during the course of completing a task and to develop measures to reduce or eliminate them. In today’s world. JSAs are often mandatory and documented; and, they’re a critical element in the review and learn process.

The Canadian Common Ground Alliance’s (CCGA) National Best Practices Committee is made up of representatives from each of the provincial Best Practice Committees. Each quarter, the national committee meets to review Transaction Records (TRs), which are suggested changes to the Best Practices, submitted to and reviewed by one of the provincial committees. Once the National Committee debates and agrees to a final version of a TR, it is then submitted for approved by the CCGA Board for inclusion in the next version of the National Best Practices document. A new Best Practices document is published every second year.

Whew, this has been a hot one. Temperatures are up, but so too are excavations! Yes, while the sun in shining, more shovels have hit the ground since January than they have in a similar interval in the last 10 years. Alberta has got Construction Fever, and the only cure is More Digging!

Recently President Mike Sullivan sat down to chat with the chair of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Common Ground Alliance, Doug Lapp, to talk about this October’s conference. They recorded 26 of (newly titled) The Safety Moment Podcast. Here’s a little of the conversation.

For a number of years now, the digging community and utility owners alike have commenced regular meetings with a Safety Moment; a short, specific exercise designed to get employees thinking about safety. These ‘moments’ usually involve a problem or scenario that employees are likely to encounter on the job, at home or in their daily lives and are followed by a few minutes of reflection and discussion. It seems simple enough but when you’re the person who has to present the Safety Moment, it’s all too common to draw a blank.

Time and time again, over the past few years, the Training Standards Committee (TSC) members received feedback that an Operations Level Ground Disturbance Standard was required for the many workers who are not involved in the Supervisory components of ground disturbance activities. After examining the current Ground Disturbance 201 Standard, engaging with industry partners, and working with the professional training organizations, a new Ground Disturbance 101 Standard was developed.

After two years hosting virtual damage prevention awareness and education events, the Canadian Common Ground Alliance is anxious to welcome everyone to Whistler, British Columbia October 25 through 27 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler for the Damage Prevention Symposium! While it’s actually the 10th anniversary of our first Symposium in Kananaskis, Alberta, it doesn’t really feel that way given the past two COVID years. All the more reason to reconnect!