The US has the largest network of energy pipelines of any nation in the world. There are more than 200,000 miles of oil pipelines and 300,000 miles of natural gas pipelines all across the country. These lines are tucked under our streets, through neighborhoods and communities traveling below farmland, forests, and deserts. Since Americans consume more than 700 million gallons of petroleum products per day, pipelines are an essential component of our nation’s infrastructure. Without them our roads and highways would be overrun with trucks trying to meet this demand. Pipelines are the safest most reliable manner for transporting crude oil and other liquid petroleum products according to National Transportation Safety Board statistics. And just like any good neighbor, pipeline companies are ever mindful of the safety of those around them.

Their hope is to continue to be a quiet neighbor

Many pipeline companies regularly inspect their rights-of-way using air, foot, or vehicle patrols. These trained inspectors look for potential danger to pipelines such as construction activity, and signs of gas or liquid leaks. These inspections along their pipeline route are to insure the security and integrity of their lines.

Pipeline companies keep in touch on a regular basis with emergency officials and work with local emergency responders along pipeline rights-of-way in case of an emergency, sometimes even training with fire departments or hazardous materials units. Even though a leak or spill is extremely unlikely, pipeline companies provide information like that which you will find on the following pages that will prepare you in the event that it does occur. Their hope is to continue to be a quiet neighbor and provide you with this important information to help if you suspect a problem in your area. Pipeline companies take the safe operation of their infrastructure seriously, which includes protecting your family, your property and the environment. Because of this diligence, incidents are very rare.

Be aware of pipeline markers in your neighborhood

For your safety, pipelines are marked by above ground signs to provide an indication of their presence, approximate location, material carried and the name and contact information of the company that operates the pipeline. Markers may be anywhere along the right-of-way (a strip of land usually about 25 to 150 feet wide that contains a pipeline) or directly over the pipeline itself. These markers are generally yellow, black and red in color. The pipeline may not follow a straight course between markers.

While markers are helpful in locating pipelines, they do not provide information such as how many pipelines are below or the depth of the lines. The primary function of these markers is to identify the location of the pipeline generally as an alert to those who might be working along the pipeline corridor for another utility or during the construction of homes or businesses nearby. You should be aware of any pipeline markers in your neighborhood. As the saying goes, “Know your neighbors.” Write down the name and phone numbers appearing on the pipeline markers in case of emergency.

Pipeline markers are important for the safety of the general public. It is a federal crime for any person to willfully deface, damage, remove or destroy any pipeline signs or right-of-way marker.

High Consequence Areas…

In accordance with federal regulations some areas near pipelines have been designated as High Consequence Areas. For these areas, supplemental hazard assessment and prevention programs, known as Integrity Management Programs, have been developed. If a pipeline operator has High Consequence Areas, information about these plans may be available through their company’s website or by contacting the operator’s corporate offices.

So what exactly do all these pipelines transport? There is a wide range of products traveling through the thousands of miles of pipelines, everything from gas for your car to oxygen for hospitals. Many of these products can be highly flammable, or harmful if inhaled, cause eye or skin irritation, and possibly difficulty breathing. Some of the materials could cause environmental damage. Because of these potential hazards it is important for our neighbors to be able to recognize a pipeline leak.

Pipeline Operator’s Actions during an Emergency

In the unlikely event there is an accident or leak, when the pipeline operator is notified, they immediately dispatch personnel to the site to help handle the emergency and to provide information to public safety officials to assist in their response to the emergency. Pipeline technicians will also take quick action such as starting and stopping pumps or compressors, closing and opening valves, and similar steps to minimize the impact of the situation. These responders are heavily trained throughout the year to ensure their neighborhood is returned to its well-being.

Call before you dig

One of the greatest single challenges to safe pipeline operations is the accidental damage caused by excavation, construction, farming activities – or even homeowner construction and maintenance. Before you dig or excavate, contact the One-Call Center by simply dialing 811 from anywhere in the United States. Please call before you start your project, whether landscaping, building fences or a major construction project. Pipeline companies and other utilities will mark the location of their lines at no cost to you. Pipeline and utility markers may not show the exact location of the buried lines. When excavating near pipelines, many companies will require that they have a pipeline company representative on-site to inspect and protect the underground pipeline. Failure to call 811 before excavation is the leading cause of damages to buried pipelines. One simple call can help keep you out of harm’s way.

What to do if a Pipeline is Damaged or Disturbed

Even if you cause what appears to be only minor damage to the pipeline immediately notify the pipeline company. A gouge, scrape, dent or crease to the pipe or coating may cause a future rupture or leak. It is critical that a cut or broken tracer wire be repaired. It is imperative that the pipeline owner inspects and repairs any damage to the line or related apparatus. Many states have laws requiring damages to be reported to the facility owner and/or the One-Call center by dialing 811. Do not attempt to make the repairs to the line yourself. If a line is ruptured or leaking call 911. Contact the pipeline company as quickly as possible. Pipeline marker signs show the pipeline company’s name, emergency telephone number and pipeline contents.

Can Owners Build or Dig on a Right-Of-Way?

Pipeline rights-of-way must be kept free from structures and other obstructions to provide access to the pipeline for maintenance, as well as in the event of an emergency. If a pipeline crosses your property, please do not plant trees or large shrubs on the right-of-way. Do not dig, build, store, or place anything on or near the rights-of-way without first having the pipeline company’s personnel mark the pipeline or stake the rights-of-way and explain the company’s construction and easement requirements to you.

We Need Your Help

The Nation’s infrastructures, including pipelines, are a matter of National Security. If you witness a suspicious activity on a pipeline right-of-way please report it to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible, or you may call the pipeline operator’s numbers. Threat advisories may be found at the Department of Homeland Security’s website www.dhs.gov/dhspublic.

National Pipeline Mapping System

For information about pipelines operating in your area, you may contact the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS). This database of pipeline operators and the location of their lines was designed for the public to have access to contact information for pipeline companies operating in your area. Visit www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov for more information. If you would like to know which specific companies listed are near your address please contact our Regulatory Services Department toll free at 1-877-280-8636. Other resources may be found at Office of Pipeline Safety http://ops.dot.gov, the Partnership for Excellence in Pipeline Safety www.safepipelines.org or at www.pipeline101.com. For more information on safe excavation go online and visit www.commongroundalliance.com.

Awareness is the key to preventing pipeline accidents. You can contribute to the safety and security of your neighborhood by knowing where pipelines are, how to recognize unauthorized activity or signs of a leak, as well as how to respond in the case of a pipeline accident. Pipeline companies continue to strive to be a good neighbor and just like any good neighborhood watch program, neighbors look out for each other. Join in with the pipeline companies to keep our families safe.

Aggravated about the rising costs of your insurance coverage? Every time you sign a contract to either do something or have something done, you have to increase your coverage, get an umbrella, add additional insureds with Waiver of Subrogation – and this all just costs you more money. Why?

All we’re talking about here is maybe a road bore – how difficult is this? What is the big deal? You’ve done this many times before – nothing went wrong!
Road bore – could this cross the utility right of way? Phone lines, gas lines, water, oil…perhaps even propane. Do you know what’s underground where you’ll be working? You’d better call 811!

Did you know that if you just scrape some of the protective coating off a gas line, within a few years, it WILL blow? Not “might” or “could”, but will. In Pennsylvania, a sewer line installation that scraped off some of the protective coating led (five years later!) to an explosion that killed one and severely injured several others – destroying several homes and damaging others. Got enough insurance for that, you think? (Trust me – you don’t!)

Several insurance companies paid several millions, yet it could all have been avoided with a phone call and a day or so wait until all the utility lines were marked. Of all the stakeholders, none have a bigger financial stake in the underground damage prevention process than the insurance companies.

Insurance rates are based on loss experience – each class of operations, regardless of where you fit into the process – excavator, utility provider, pipeline, even landscaper and tree services, carries a specific rate upon which your insurance premium will be based. It will vary based on specifically what you do, and the risk thereof. While a lot of factors are included in the rate, a large factor will definitely reflect what kinds of losses have been paid out. The more losses paid out for a given class, the more insurance is going to cost for that class.

Obviously, an office risk isn’t going to be expensive, and why should it be? Slip and fall will likely be the only losses the insurance company will be likely to have to pay out. An oil or gas pipeline carries a much higher potential for claims, including environmental exposures. But these pipeline companies – gas, oil, propane – are sitting ducks! They can be doing everything right, and someone cuts or damages one of their lines, fails to report it – then WHAM! They’re tagged with an enormous claim. If the investigation doesn’t point to the actual culprit, their insurance company shoulders the entire loss. In the Pennsylvania case, investigation showed that the sewer line intersected the gas line at the point of the explosion – whoever laid that sewer line was obviously responsible for damaging the gas line.

Was it the water sewer company? Or did they hire someone who did it as just an odd job – and carried no insurance? Where would the claim fall then? Back on the water sewer company! Next time, they should hire someone to do their work who carries insurance of at least $1 million, and require that they be named as additional insured with Waiver of Subrogation – which means that the insurance company of the guys doing the work cannot come back on the water sewer’s insurance if something goes wrong. (Example of subrogation: you are in a car wreck that’s the other guy’s fault, but you get your car fixed under your comp and collision. Your insurance company then gets their money back from the company of the guy that was at fault.)

Without a doubt, the subrogation department of the gas line company’s insurance company would now try to recoup most or all of their losses from the water sewer company – or the city water sewer department – whoever laid that sewer line for the homeowner.

Several states have what’s known as “Tort Claims” protection – limiting how much the municipality can be sued for; most water sewer systems carry $1 million in General Liability – which, obviously is NOT enough given the Pennsylvania scenario. The water sewer company – or association – could be stuck with paying millions more for many years to come. A judgment isn’t reduced because you don’t have enough insurance!

That’s how it works. But a simple phone call, and waiting the appropriate time, will eliminate all of this. No one can carry enough insurance to handle a loss like what occurred in Pennsylvania – but your best insurance is membership in 811 – and making the call before you dig! It might be worth millions to you!

More directly, you can help your insurance rates go down! Just think of it as money in your pocket – make the call and be sure you tell everyone you know to also make the call whenever they plan to dig.

It’s your money! It’s also the law!

“May I use your phone?” the boy inquired.

He didn’t recognize the boy as being from the neighborhood. He obviously wasn’t from a wealthy family; he didn’t have a cell phone.

“Son, that’s a business phone,” the pharmacist responded.

“Yes sir, but I just need to make one call – it won’t take long.”

The druggist thought perhaps it’s important. “O.K. son, be quick,” he said as he turned the phone so the boy could reach it. He returned to work with one ear tuned to listening to see what was so important to bring the young man in to use a phone.

“Mrs. Smith, do you need a gardener?” was the first thing out of his mouth.

“Yes, Ma’am, but I’m real careful and I trim around the bushes.” … “Yes Ma’am, I bag everything and rake when I’m through.” “Yes Ma’am, thank you.” He hung up the phone and turned it back toward the pharmacist.

Impressed with the little boy’s ambition the pharmacist said, “Son, don’t give up, you’ll eventually get a job.”

“Oh,” responded the boy, “I have a job! You see I am their gardener, I just didn’t know how good a job I was doing.”

It is no accident that Parker Cadillac in Little Rock, Ark., has been ranked as the #1 Cadillac dealer for customer service in the US for nine years. One of the things they do to check the quality of service they perform is to make a follow up call to each customer after they’ve had work performed in the service department.

How do you check to see how good a job you’re doing in your customers’ eyes? Or do you assume everything’s fine and ignore checking.

Be cautious of trusting comments of “everything’s fine” by your customers. Why? Research has determined that only one out of 20 people that are unhappy with the service they receive will tell you. Think like this when you’re in a restaurant and the manager or wait staff comes to your table and says, “How is everything?” Nineteen out of 20 people will say “fine,” then turn to a table partner if they weren’t satisfied with their food or the service and say, “I’m never coming back here.” I’ll bet you’ve had some form of this happen to you or observed it with others. Most people don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or create a confrontation. As a result they don’t provide valid feedback.

The good news is this. When you successfully resolve a complaint with an existing customer they become more loyal to you than ever before. They now know that you’ll make things right so their trust level and loyalty is increased.

So, what should a business owner do? Listen very closely to complaints. Be open and receptive vs. defensive. Create an attitude of thankfulness when a customer is complaining about your service or products. Why thank them? They may be speaking for 20 others and their feedback might help you to improve your business. Worse yet, they could be telling 20 others instead of telling you. That’s what the average person does. Taking complaints as a blessing instead of a nuisance is one way of separating yourself from the competition and creating ZING in your business.

I was only halfway through my second year in school, but I had already decided that wasn’t where I wanted to be. Oh, it wasn’t so much the school work, although I must admit, it seemed like a colossal waste of time to me since I had already made up my mind to become a world famous explorer.

To be fair, it wasn’t really the other kids’ fault either. It’s just that when they talked about their moms and dads, it made me sad. I just knew that I felt abandoned. And then one of the kids would ask me about my mom and dad. A seven-year-old kid shouldn’t have to answer questions like that, so I would get mad. Then I’d get in trouble. Likely that regular trip to the principal’s office was part of the reason I was looking to be a world famous explorer.

I couldn’t talk about it with my uncle and aunt. I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. I knew they loved me and were doing the best they could to deal with a situation they hadn’t asked for either. Besides all that, no one could have done it better than they did, and for all the right reasons. Even so, I was feeling sorry for myself.
This particular Saturday in April, while walking through the woods to Dillard’s house, I was determined to tell Dillard how unfair life was. I spied him in his rocker as I walked around the side of porch. Sitting peacefully with his arms folded, slightly rocking back and forth and barely even moving the chair, he seemed bigger than life to me. In my mind, he was an artist and his canvas was the hand he had been dealt. It was at that moment that I flung myself down on the porch and blurted out, “I don’t have a chance!”

He continued to rock for a moment or two, and then stopped. He looked at me briefly, and then turned his attention across the road for what seemed an eternity. He moved his head slowly from side to side as he surveyed the landscape. He then leaned toward me, turned his head sideways just a bit and asked me, “Did you notice anything unusual today? Did you take time to look while you walked, or did you just walk?”

I don’t know what I expected him to say, but as usual he said something I didn’t expect. He once told me, “The moment you realize you can swim underwater will be more important to you than how many seconds you can swim underwater, so learn what’s important.” What was really strange, we weren’t even talking about swimming at all and as usual we were sitting on the front porch.

I didn’t know what he wanted me to say, so I said nothing at all. He broke the silence by asking again, “So, on the way here today, what did you see?”

“Nothing,” I said. He stood up and stepped off the porch. He walked slowly in the direction that I had just walked. “Where are we going?” I asked. “Going to see if you can see it this time,” was his reply.

We walked a few hundred yards and stopped. He sat down on an old log and with his right hand made a sweeping motion as if to reveal something grand. “Now what do you see?” he asked one more time. Again, I replied, “Nothing.”

“It’s not that complicated, son. If you are looking for something that is not here, you’ll never find it,” he said. “I don’t get it,” I replied. “Of course you don’t,” he responded. “And because you don’t get it, you’ll never find it.”

He pointed to the tree and said, “You see that, right?” I didn’t have a clue what this had to do with anything. But I knew enough to know that we weren’t just looking at trees. I replied, “Yes, it’s a dogwood.”

“Sure is pretty, don’t you think,” he asked. I nodded in agreement. He continued, “It’s really just a scrawny little tree. Look at it closer. It is surrounded by all that tall timber, but what you really notice is the dogwood.”

He wasn’t finished. “It is not the dogwood’s responsibility to provide shade. It will never be the tree that folks covet for lumber to build their homes. No, this little tree is made of finer stuff than that. The dogwood is for building hopes, dreams, and memories. From the first moment you see the mystery of the dogwood; you will remember exactly how it looked after the blooms have faded. And you’ll long for its return before it arrives next year.”

We quietly stood side by side and he asked me again, “Do you see it?” This time I answered, “I’m trying. Help me see it.” He knelt down beside me, pulled his hat down, and slightly smiled. He said, “Apparently son, you don’t have to be the tallest tree in the woods to make a difference. You are your chance.”

“I get it,” I hugged him and smiled broadly. Dillard stood up and said, “How about some biscuits and gravy?” I picked up the pace and asked, “Can I have some molasses with mine?” He said, “Sure you can.”

The dogwood reminds some of the return of spring, others of Easter, and still others of the legend of the cross, but thanks to Dillard I’ll always see it differently than most.

My time will come…

As I read the account of her story, I wondered, “Why do we have to experience major adversity before we get smart?” Smart people use every experience as an opportunity to improve themselves and their quality of life.

I wish I were smarter (I know many of you do as well!).

We live through routines. Think about that. I’m writing this article on a Sunday morning. My schedule of activities today will probably mirror that what I did last Sunday. Yes, our freedom of choice allows us to make other decisions, but typically, routines control our lives. I’m not saying that routines are bad. Without them, our lives would be chaotic. I’m saying that we need to add a new routine in our lives.

We need to become curious like a child. At the beginning of every day, we need to think about approaching the day through a child’s eyes. What is going to happen today? What am I going to learn as the result of living through today’s experiences? How am I going to be a better person as the result of living through this day? How will I be able to improve the quality of my life and those I touch today?

For over thirty years, I’ve tried to live and teach people to use the daily doses of frustrations as teaching moments. The more successful we become at dealing with these frustrations, the more efficiently we’ll be able to handle the BIG ones that will come our way. Just moments ago while pouring another cup of coffee this morning; my wife told me that Marie Osmond’s son committed suicide yesterday. Adversity struck. No one is immune.

Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist, a holocaust survivor, and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, used his terrible experience to define his therapeutic approach. He concluded that the key to endurance is to find meaning in the midst of adversity. What a challenge. Sarah was able to do it. Like you, I’ve read accounts of other individuals who have done the same. It can be done. The question is can you and I do it?

Frankl offered this bit of advice, “Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time.”

I wish I was better at following Frankl’s advice. I’m smart enough not to use a hammer to smash my thumb. Other times I am so stupid. My wife will tell you that I let frustrating situations take momentary control of my life. That emotional hammer causes me to lose precious moments of quality living. To make matters worse, in addition to that emotional hammer hurting me, it generally affects others — usually my wife. That’s not good.

Yes, our frailties make being human a challenge. Sometimes I think we ought to be more like our friendly pets. They usually don’t let the small stuff bother them. Instead, they focus on enjoying every day.

As of today, I’m changing my morning routine to include thinking about being curious like a child. I want to be good student. I want to a better person at the end of the day than I was when I started it. I hope you’ll accept the same challenge.

Larry Cole, Ph.D., founded TeamMax®, Inc. and the TeamMax® methodologies to improve employee performance to maximize financial success. He is the author of People-$mart Leaders: Maximize People, Performance & Profits. Each year he speaks to thousands of people on personal development, change management and measuring behavioral change. He can be reached at: larry@aligningchange.com

Sadly, as many as 400 workers are killed and several thousand workers are seriously injured in trenches and excavations across the U.S. each year. One reason: Many people forget the weight of soil. The Facts: One cubic foot of soil weighs between 90 and 140 pounds. A cubic yard of soil can weigh almost 4,000 pounds, as much as an SUV! As a result, when a trench cave-in occurs, there are usually deaths or very serious injuries.

An important responsibility for the “Competent Person” (discussed in part one of this series) is “Soil Classification.” It is the first step in choosing a protective system, and the law requires it. Even if a soils engineering service has been identified for a project, the “Competent Person” is still required to classify the soil.
There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of different types of soil. OSHA is concerned with just four types:

• Stable Rock – Defined as natural, solid mineral matter that can be excavated with vertical sides and will remain intact while exposed. Stable rock is extremely rare. In fact, less than two percent of the soil in the U. S. is classified as Stable Rock. In addition, the process of excavating with saws, breakers, dynamite, etc., will likely fracture and de-stabilize soil that was initially considered stable.
• Type A – Defined as cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot or greater. As a practical matter, Type A soil is also rare because previously disturbed soils, or soils subject to vibration from construction equipment, traffic, railways, etc., are disqualified as being “Type A.”
• Type B – Defined as moderately cohesive soil. Not as good as Type A, but not as bad as Type C soil.
• Type C – Defined as the least cohesive soils, having an unconfined compressive strength less than .5 tons per square foot. This includes wet, granular, or loose soils. The best way to remember Type C is to think of the “C” standing for crummy. It is the least stable type of material. There is a lot of Type C soil in Mississippi. The “Competent Person” [CP] is required to perform at least one visual and one manual test of the soil.
• Visual Test – To make a visual test, the “Competent Person” observes soil as it is being excavated. Soil that remains in large clumps is cohesive, and is probably Type A or Type B soil (depending upon other factors). Soil that flows out of an excavator bucket is granular, loose, or wet, and is probably Type C. The CP should also check the sides of the excavation for layered systems, water, utilities, and signs of previously disturbed soils. The CP must also be vigilant for sources of vibration.
• Manual Tests – There are a number of different manual tests included in the OSHA Standard.

  The Dry Strength, Thread, or Ribbon Tests can be used to determine if a soil is cohesive or granular.

  The Thumb Penetration Test relies heavily upon the experience of the person performing the test. In the Thumb Penetration Test, the “Competent Person” gathers a handful of freshly excavated soil and presses his/her thumb into the material. Type A soils require a great amount of effort to indent the soil. Type B soils can be indented with moderate pressure. Type C soils require little or no effort.

  Pocket Penetrometers and Shearvanes can be used to determine the approximate unconfined compressive strength of soils.

  There is one method of Soil Classification that the CP can employ to avoid all these tests. He/She can assume the “worse case” scenario and classify all soil as Type C. The trench or excavation can then be sloped, shored, or shielded accordingly. In fact, many contractors and utilities take the position that every soil they work in is Type C. That helps to simplify the entire trenching and excavation safety process immensely.

Editor’s Note: This is the third of four articles in this series that discusses specific steps that contractors and utilities can take to help insure the safety of their personnel. Obviously, this is an overview of the subject. It is impossible to properly cover the topic in just four relatively short articles. Contractors and utilities involved in underground work will need additional training to insure worker safety

All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back every one of them. One girl with Down’s syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, ”This will make it better.”

Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.

Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.

What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

The willingness to change our course is certainly critical as stakeholders begin to determine how best to keep our communities safer places to live and work. It will require courage to openly discuss issues of exemption, consensus, or effective enforcement. Being opposed to an idea for no other reason than we’ve always been opposed is not the mark of a forward thinker.

All stakeholders are at a crossroads. Remember this is not about who is right and who is wrong. This is about what is right and what is wrong. And what’s right is being willing to accept responsibility for our actions. What is right is the willingness to sit at the table and discuss how best to ensure that our children’s future is secure.
There is no organization so unique that somehow the rules will not apply. It will take both courage and patience to develop a strong and effective damage prevention program. It will also take all stakeholders to understand that they are stakeholders and that they are essential to the success of the effort.

This is serious business. Do not be deceived into thinking it won’t take long. People forget how fast you did a job, but they remember how well you did it.
And friend, this is a job worth doing well.

Jason Montoya, Bureau Chief, Pipeline Safety

He smiled and said, “I was born in Roswell in 1977. My family has always been an integral part of my life. This support structure helped keep my feet on the ground. Almost the day after graduating from Roswell High School, my uncle came by and told me to pack my stuff; you are going to college and getting an education.”

They headed to Las Cruces and New Mexico State University. Jason said, “After having learned to appreciate the daily support a family provided, it was an adjustment for me. But I knew it was important, and even in Las Cruces away from my family, I represent them.”

Jason left New Mexico State University with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2000. He accepted a position with Brown and Caldwell in Phoenix, Arizona, as an entry level engineer. He rapidly began to move through the ranks with the consulting giant. Even though he was making huge advances with the company, he wasn’t exactly where he wanted to be.

Jason Montoya is a New Mexican. His roots were still back home. He wanted to find a way to go back home to give back to the people who made it possible for him to succeed. An opportunity to move back to New Mexico was made possible when Brown and Caldwell needed someone to identify opportunities for business development in West Texas and New Mexico. He accepted the challenge and relocated to Las Cruces in 2008.

Jason said, “My background as an engineer included working with underground infrastructure, and especially water and waste water systems. I certainly understand many of the challenges facing those in the water industry. We must continue to work together to find ways to build trust and confidence in our mutual commitment to keep New Mexico a safer place to live and work.”

His new role kept him busy in the area, but business models do change. His company really wanted Jason to assume a larger and more focused role back in Phoenix. Jason said, “I am a goal oriented individual. I’m committed to achieving my family goals as well as my career goals.”

Part of his goals included staying in New Mexico. His wife Angelique wanted their two children, Paul and Angeline to be raised in the Rio Rancho area. They committed to staying home, believing that staying in New Mexico was not only the right thing to do, but worth the extra effort to make it happen.

Jason said with a big smile, “The Pipeline Safety Bureau Chief’s position opened up. I applied and was selected for the position. I went to work as the Bureau Chief in February 2010. Without debate, I am younger than many of my peers across the country. But that is not necessarily a disadvantage. I believe I’ll be able to bring new perspectives to the position and that can be a good thing.”

He continued, “I’ve not been in the position long, and I am anxious to meet the people our organization impacts. We aren’t here to police people who are working to keep New Mexico’s vital infrastructure flowing, we are here to help them keep it flowing and to do it safely.”

Jason said, “I pride myself on being fair and as an organization, we’re not looking to fine people. What we are looking to do when damages occur is to prevent them from recurring. You should know that the 18 inch rule is being strictly enforced. We want excavators, those who are digging in our state to know that this is not just our policy or suggestion. This is the New Mexico law, and as such, must be respected and followed in the best interests of all our citizens.”

When asked about his goals in the new position, Jason responded, “Certainly I have goals, but at this point it is as much about responsibilities as it is about goals. Including me, there are nine employees. We must understand our roles, and that includes defining our limitations. The staff has done a remarkable job in the past. We are blessed with really good people. They work hard to help everybody who calls on them. That doesn’t surprise me because it is just part of the New Mexico culture. We help one another. I’ve been taught that I owe a debt of gratitude to family, friends, and New Mexicans because I couldn’t get here on my own.”

The Pipeline Safety Bureau is charged with the task of enforcing Federal and State Pipeline Safety Regulations in order to provide for the safety of New Mexico. The Bureau is also responsible for investigating intrastate pipeline incidents/accidents within New Mexico, and is the agency that enforces the State Excavation Damage Prevention Law.

The new Bureau Chief may be working overtime to learn the scope of his new responsibilities, but he brings to the table core values that will help him be successful in his new role. For Jason Montoya, working to keep our communities and families safer is not just a matter of the law.

It’s the right thing to do.

You are cordially invited to attend an open meeting to discuss the CGA Damage Information Reporting Tool (D.I.R.T.) on June 23, 2010. The meeting will take place at the Hilton Hotel located at 1901 University Blvd NE in Albuquerque at 9:00 am. Please RSVP to 505-254-7315.

NMOC has entered into an agreement with the D.I.R.T. programmers and with the State of NM to modify the NM Virtual Private D.I.R.T. software to provide a tool to track excavation related damages and associated administrative actions and penalties. In addition, a discussion will be held to determine the level of interest of members in developing a tracking and reporting tool that will help members track damage reporting information and assist in claims management functions. The tool will have the advantage of employing the D.I.R.T. information as well as other incident related information that will help both the State of NM and NMOC members in determining and identifying root causes and document the extent of damages. The advantageous part of this process will be that the data will be entered and tracked only once for an incident, in a single database, and will be available to both the State of NM and NMOC members. The need to duplicate, reenter, or fill out multiple forms will be significantly reduced; information will be more accurate, and will tell the whole story, not a partial one. If the member tool is developed, it will provide the member with the same information the state has access to.

Why should NMOC work with the state on this issue? By helping the state have a reliable and accurate tool to track damages, the state will have better information to act upon. Part of the 811 Public Awareness Committee’s recommendation to the NMOC board of directors and their subsequent recommendation to the PRC was:

“NMOC should work with the Public Regulation Commission/Pipeline Safety Bureau (PRC/PSB) and develop a database to track underground facilities damages and associated enforcement activities.”

The PRC/PSB and NMOC have formed an alliance, not to be punitive in nature, but to provide information and education to help bring people to do a better job of preventing excavation damages. Yes, some people will not change their behavior without some other motive besides the law, but many will. This database will provide the best information to make the best decisions, and take the best course of action to improve damage prevention. Consider this for a moment, the data not only holds you accountable for what you are doing, but it also holds the state accountable for what it is doing. Good information provides for “due process” and minimizes political implications because the “record” is defensible in an appeals process. When the record contains all reported information from both parties involved, the record will stand for itself. Everyone benefits when good information is provided because they can help change processes, behaviors, etc., to improve the damage prevention effort.

Those who choose not to change their behavior will have a much harder time bluffing their way against empirical data that clearly shows poor performance and behavior.

These are the people who will ultimately be held accountable in a punitive format, not those who are trying to change for the better.

The record then is the most important item in identifying who, what, where, why, when, and how damages are occurring and what can be done to improve damage prevention. With only a dozen or so companies reporting damages currently, it becomes apparent that the process needs improvement in order to capture all the incidents and information. At the meeting we will explain in detail the proposed process to get all the data into the system. This includes how the state inspector will investigate the damage, how subsequent data related to a damage such as pictures, affidavits, drawings, statements, explanations, etc., may be entered into the record for consideration, how the state notice and hearing process will work, and how the findings will be entered. In addition to the record, the system will also provide a data resource to analyze trends, root causes, and other information to target specific education improvement efforts.

One of the key factors to consider is that all parties will be able to see what information the state inspector has on record for the case. You won’t be able to change any part of the record, but you can certainly add your comments and documentation to the record. Another nice feature will be that the New Mexico Virtual Private DIRT will automatically report anonymous data to the Common Ground Alliance D.I.R.T. North America system. So not only will the state data improve, but we can see how New Mexico compares with national trends as well.

At the meeting we will discuss how to use the tool. The tool will be easy to use, eliminate duplication of effort, and be cost effective. Members will be allowed to see their incident records, but not other member records. The claims management function will be simple but useful. Those companies already employing claims management systems may choose to use their current more sophisticated systems and just have access to the information.

There is much that has been accomplished in initiating this process, but much more needs to occur to bring this to its full implementation. The state tracking tool is under development. Rules & Regulations will need to be modified through a public hearing process and the development of the member’s tool for damage tracking needs your input. Your comments, concerns, and ideas are welcome. This process will move forward, but the best decisions will be made when we have your views for consideration.

This damage reporting tool is one of the most significant changes to ever take place in our state regarding damage prevention. It will set the stage for all we do in the future. Its value will be directly proportional to your input and support. “Damage prevention is a shared responsibility”; it’s not the state’s job, or the one call center’s job. We all have an embedded stake in improving safety and damage prevention in New Mexico. We all will benefit from our work and commitment to it.

It is not the easiest path, but it is the right thing to do!

I would like to issue a warm welcome to our new Board Members: Carlos Arras, representing Electric; Jeff Moore, representing Telecommunications; and Patrick Shaw, representing Associate Members. I would be remiss in not giving a hearty “thank you” to Steve Henson, Bill Garcia, and Kari Biernacki for their strong support and dedicated leadership to the organization. They are truly pillars of damage prevention in New Mexico.

We have scheduled a special meeting on D.I.R.T. reporting and tracking efforts. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Hotel on June 23, 2010, located at 1901 University Blvd. NE, in Albuquerque at 9:00am. This is a presentation on the Pipeline Safety Bureau’s D.I.R.T. Tracking tool, and an overview of damage reporting and damage management for NMOC Members.

We are pleased to announce that we had a successful implementation of our after-hour’s emergency Phone Up Service. NMOC has joined with the Utility Notification Center of Colorado (UNCC) staff to cover after-hours emergency phone ups for holidays, weekends, and after-hours emergency calls.

New Mexico One Call’s new office building and back up “pill box” for disaster recovery will soon be out for bids. In 2006 NMOC purchased a 2.2 acre site on Eubank Blvd NE, just north of Lomas Blvd for the building site. A key factor in choosing the site location was communication infrastructure, including fiber. NMOC Board of directors’ will review bids and finance packages by late summer or early fall. We are anxious to begin construction on the new complex.

The NMRCGA Conference is scheduled for June 15-17 at Isleta Hotel and Conference Center (soon to be Hard Rock Conference and Resort Center). This promises to be a very good conference for the excavating industry. Vendor booths are sold out and conference attendees will have opportunity to see and visit a myriad of industry professionals and regulators. In addition to the classes, demonstrations and exhibits, a golf tournament, 4-wheel Polaris Sportsman 500 raffle, a “buckaroo” auction promises to entertain all participants.

Panel discussions will be conducted on mandatory white lining, spotting privately owned facilities, and mandating that all new facilities are traceable. Your view point is extremely important as the NMRCGA tackles these issues.

Thanks again to those of you who have committed to supporting our damage prevention efforts, including New Mexico 811. This issue is focused on pipelines. One of New Mexico’s strongest industries is also one dedicated to safety and damage prevention. They are a back bone to New Mexico’s economy.

On behalf of New Mexico One Call, I salute you for your support and commitment to safety.