News

On the passing of Fraser Paterson – a message from USP President, Mike Sullivan

It was with profound sadness that we learned of the untimely passing of Fraser Paterson, Senior Director of Health & Safety with Plains Midstream Canada, earlier this week. Fraser enjoyed a 30+ year career in the transmission pipeline industry beginning as a welder’s helper and later becoming a Land Agent with TC Energy. It was there that I met him over 20 years ago and enticed him to join my team at Alliance Pipeline. We worked hard and had a great time doing it but our paths would eventually take us in new directions. I moved on from Alliance and eventually, Fraser did, too. When he joined Plains in a damage prevention leadership capacity, he soon joined AOC’s Board of Directors; moving into the role of Vice Chair and eventually, Chair of the Board of Directors. It was during his time on the Board that AOC unified services with the Alberta Common Ground Alliance and the Where’s the LINE? campaign; and, it was also during his tenure the Annual Member Fee was introduced – both equally pivotal and defining moments in our corporate history.

Fraser leaves behind his wife, Brooke, and their kids, Connor and Caelin. His passing leaves a formidable gap in the lives of his extended family and friends and among the pipeline industry he greatly admired and contributed towards. I’m going to miss him.

Rest in peace, old friend.

In the October edition, we talk about the difference between priority and emergency locate requests, staying safe after contacting an overhead power line, upcoming locate software changes, how future generations will affect business practices, and more…

USP is observing Remembrance Day on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Contact Centre will accept emergency calls only and all emergency requests will be called out to facility owners or their locators.

Monday, November 13^th will be excluded from the 3 or 5 business days’ notice to facility owners on routine locate requests.

USP is excited to announce the start of our Overhead Notification Pilot program!

Beginning November 1, 2023, excavators whose dig sites overlap with a participating asset owner’s registered above-ground facility will notice that asset owner listed on their locate request ticket. Excavators will receive an automatic response from USP that advises them of the nearby overhead line and contains instructions on how to proceed safely around the asset. 

The automatic response will look like this. 

The purpose of the pilot is to reduce contacts with overhead lines during excavation by reminding excavators to have a plan to work safely around overhead assets, and by providing contact information to arrange a safety orientation when the work will be within 7 metres of an overhead line.

Not all overhead assets are included in this pilot. Remember to always ask yourself “Where’s the LINE?”

In this month’s edition of Click to Know What’s Above and Below we have advice for homeowners’ Spring projects, a new QR code, a wrap-up of our USP Safety Conference, the compelling journey of Chad Kennedy and his Sea-to-Sea for PTSD campaign, and more…

In the March edition, we are talking about the pressure of increased locate volume, how wellness relates to safety, the relationship between legislation and best practice, and more…

April 1 marks the official start of DigSafe Month. One of the first steps to digging safely is to Click Before You Dig.

Utility Safety Partners is seeking proposals from organizations or individual consultants to provide a Compensation Analysis and Review.

The deadline for proposals is March 31, 2023. Please review the attached document for details and submission guidelines.

RFP – USP Compensation Analysis.2023.03.15

In October, we are talking about Business Continuity, Damage Reporting (The DIRT Report), the Safety and Hazard Awareness Risk Assessment Tool, and more!

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In August’s edition, we are talking about getting involved in our partnership, tips for homeowners, Job Safety Analysis, new Best Practice, and more…