Ear to the Ground - Spring 2015 - (Page 24)
FEATURE
B Y S H A N E H A R T, D I R E C T O R O F S A L E S , C O M P E T E R S
Our Industry is Constantly
O
ur industry is constantly changing.
For example, the world's data
doubles approximately every two
years. However, a single strand of fiber
can replace hundreds of copper wires
underground to carry the growing data.
One causes a higher demand and the
other changes the type of infrastructure being put underground. There are
two pieces of information that paint an
ever-changing image of Undergound
Damage Prevention. Last year, ON1Call
reported 6,181,611 notifications. An
industry with many stakeholders and
a large amount of data is a breeding
ground for technology.
Technology is driven by finding solutions to a variety of problems or difficulties. It's not just for programmers
and tech junkies, it's a daily approach
to all the challenges you face on any
given day. During the "Emerging
Technology: How, Now and Beyond"
presentation at the ORCGA Symposium
2015, we gave some advice on how to
become more adept with technology:
Do not be afraid to make a mistake. And when you do, finding all the
positives from discovering something
didn't work. In my career at our software
firm, we apply for research funding by
documenting all the trials and errors we
come across and why they didn't work.
Don't underestimate the value of learning through mistakes.
Get a Different Perspective.
Analytics and Data are important for
drilling down to find the root cause of a
problem. Numbers can help us identify
things we may not see or confirm what
we already know. There are also a lot of
different perspectives when considering all the different Damage Prevention
stakeholders from the locator, to the
utility owner, to the excavator. An
24
industry change affects more than just
a single company/stakeholder.
Invest in People. Time, energy and
training are ingredients for creating a
successful Damage Prevention environment. In the presentation, we highlighted
how beneficial it is being able to receive
constructive criticism. In our industry, we
have one goal and that's preventing damage to our underground infrastructure.
Anytime you have some advice to share
with a fellow co-worker, stakeholder or
friend on how to dig safe, do not refrain.
The Next Big Thing is Already Here.
Our changing world isn't new news, it's
always been changing. It's now a matter
of how we adapt to change and ensuring our technologies can always work
together in our industry. However, technology is not just computers and software.
It can be a product, a process improvement, or an idea. In Ear to the Ground, Fall
2014, there is an article titled "One Call,
One Locate: The PVS Story." It describes
how one man locating five utilities is more
efficient than five men locating five utilities and how they used it to build a successful company. In addition, the LAC was
created to help utilities become involved
in the One Call, One Locate idea. Both
of these technologies have helped produce beneficial change to our Damage
Prevention Industry.
During this presentation at the ORCGA
Symposium 2015, we discussed a few
current technologies and innovations.
1. We looked at Locate Management
Systems such as UtiLocate2 and
TelDig. The locate process is
extremely labour intensive and can
be very difficult to manage without
automated processes.
2. We looked at the difficulties in locating fiber optic and a product Rogers
has created. It stays fixated to the
casing and allows direct connection
when locating fiber compared to the
current less preferred method.
3. We discussed Bluetooth in locating devices, which allows them to
EAR TO THE GROUND
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ear to the Ground - Spring 2015
President's Message
2015 Dig Safe Symposium Awards
Damage Prevention and Innovation
High Pressure Transmission Pipeline Safety
Delivery of Locates in Ontario
ORCGA's Damage Prevention Technician, DPT Program
Ice Storm 2013: We Have the Power to Survive
Our Industry is Constantly Changing
Index of Advertisers
Ear to the Ground - Spring 2015
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