Page 9 - Mississippi 811 Magazine 2022 Issue 2

called out of frustration in the field could be avoided, if more preplanning meetings were held in advance of the project.
The conversation continued and they agreed on a meeting date and time. Brian sent Jerry a rough drawing of the route. From there, Jerry sent the map to Mississippi 811’s GIS department and a list of all the utilities that would be affected was developed because of the map. Jerry said he talked to someone from every utility and told them about the meeting and in addition, he got all their email addresses. He then sent out emails and reminders to everyone. As the result of the coordinated efforts, there were 40 attendees. The attendees consisted of affected owner/operators of
all type of utilities as well as the locators who would be impacted by the project.
Brian Smith, CEO of Uplink, details the scope of the project.
After introductions were made, Brian shared with the group the general scope of the project along with a proposed
route for the broadband project. He then asked attendees
if it would be possible for them to share their facility
maps with him so the proposed route could be adjusted to avoid conflict with existing utilities if possible. Many of
the attendees agreed to share their utility maps as needed and others offered to go onsite as maps may not have been available. Still others declared they had no idea where their underground lines were.
The one thing that everyone in the room seemed to agree
on was that this meeting was a good start to a successful project. Knowing how to prepare for an upcoming project
is critical to being able to mark on time and excavate safely; both of which are critical to minimizing damages to the vital underground infrastructure.
When do you expect to start the project? What is the proposed route? Who can I call if I have questions? These are but a few of the many questions that every project faces. The willingness to communicate with all the stakeholders involved or impacted before and during the project is not only a smart move but failing to do so will often lead to frustrations, damages and violations of any state’s dig law. In Mississippi, that can and will lead to enforcement actions that often includes civil penalties.
A good start has been made by all accounts. Now, how do we navigate through the risky and often under resourced future so as to have a good finish? By consistently holding on to the belief that clear communication and mutual respect makes
it possible. We already know that we’ll face some obstacles that no one saw coming, but by working together we will figure out how to get it done.
Stay tuned!
Every job, every time.
CenterPoint Energy training is focused on making sure your leadership and field personnel understand the 811 state laws, safe digging best practices, and other tips to help your projects be completed damage free without the delays and expenses of cutting a natural gas line. Most importantly, it is critical we cover how to stay safe in the event of a cut natural gas line.
Our training also covers the steps to prevent natural gas ignition, explosion, and inherent risks should blowing gas from a damaged pipeline occur in your community.
To schedule your training session, email
PublicAwareness@CenterPointEnergy.com