American Gas - July 2013 - (Page 25)

their dogs before having their meters read. In 2012, employees of the combination gas and electric utility reported seven dog bite incidents, up from just three in 2011. One of the employees injured last year was hospitalized, and received stitches to close wounds on his face and neck, spokesman Roger Morgenstern told American Gas. Under the new policy, meter readers will not enter properties where there is an unrestrained dog—including dogs that are not known to be aggressive. The customer at a site that gets skipped will receive a letter explaining why their meter was not read and asking them to restrain their dog before the next month’s visit. Their bill for that month will be based on an estimated read. Customers whose dogs are known to be aggressive will be contacted in advance to ensure they restrain their dog when their meter is being read. Meter readers will get a police escort if acceptable arrangements can’t be made with the customer. “That’s really a last resort. We don’t want it to september come to that,” Morgenstern said. “But we’ll do what we need to make sure our employees are safe on the job.” Morgenstern said the problem of unrestrained dogs became especially noticeable last year, when employees reported more than 100 threats of violence by dogs. Meter readers at Consumers Energy, which serves 6.8 million customers, began carrying dog wands as a distraction tool before the new policy was developed. Morgenstern said customers have been encouraged to restrain their dogs around the estimated date of their meter read, which is noted on their monthly bill and is also available online. Consumers Energy customers also have the option of reading their own meters and submitting the information online. –J.P.T. 25 - 27, 2013 | washington convention center | washington, dc PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS - 13 Track Conference Program - Expo Featuring New Technologies - Networking Reception - Awards Banquet - Legends in Energy Dinner Cruise - Seminars & Certifications - New Technologies Breakfast - Women in Energy Breakfast - Chapter Luncheon Networking - Keynote Luncheon - FREE Exhibit Hall Workshops - FREE Poster Sessions presented by w w w . e n e r g yc o n g r e s s . c o m | 770.447.5083 july 2013 AmericAn GAs 25 http://WWW.ENERGYCONGRESS.COM http://WWW.ENERGYCONGRESS.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - July 2013

American Gas - July 2013
Contents
President’s Message
Subject Index
Shining a Light for Gas Efficiency
Digest
Issues
Issues
Update
Need to Know
By the Numbers
Places
Scratch, Sniff—Evacuate?
Capitol Hill
Cape Canaveral
The Corner Office
AGA Ops Conference
Elm Street
Work in Progress
Profile
For Good Measure
Law
Jobs
Marketplace
Buyer’s Guide
Headway

American Gas - July 2013