Power & Communication Contractor
August, 2002

Contents

Excavation Best Practices

One-Call Directory

PCCA News

Industry Roundup

Watch IT

Safety Watch

Advertiser Index

Excavation Best Practices

The importance of safe excavation practices cannot be overstated. In addition to the safety hazards encountered when excavating around buried facilities, there are serious potential service outages that could occur if a facility is damaged or severed. Critical emergency services, general aviation, and transactions among financial institutions are just a few. The homeowner and many hundreds of others are affected by the loss of those services.

The Common Ground Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to shared responsibility in damage prevention and promotion of the Damage Prevention Best Practices Report, which was issued in June 1999. The following is excerpted from the chapter on excavation best practices.

The Common Ground Alliance’s Excavation Practices Task Team identified and described practices used during excavation of, and around, underground facilities. Those practices can contribute to the reduction in the possibility and/or severity of damages or intrusions to those facilities. The team focused on the practices used during the various phases of an excavation project that would contribute to minimizing or preventing damage to underground facilities and promote safety for all personnel working within the excavation area.

The Excavation Team was composed of representatives from one-call centers, excavators, locators, facility operators, trade associations, and federal and state government agencies. PCCA 2nd Vice President Deborah Clark, C&B Associates II, Ltd., was a team member. The team identified and evaluated many issues related to damage prevention during the actual excavation process. In almost all cases, best practices were developed to address those issues.

The Excavation Team identified one issue—depth requirements—that was discussed at several meetings but was not resolved. Due to the complexity and controversial aspects of the issue, the team determined there was insufficient time to reach a consensus on any potential best practices. The team did reach consensus that this is an important issue and that further discussion and development work is warranted.

The best practices for excavation have been divided into four phases of the excavation project: Project Preparation, On-Site Preparation/Breaking Ground, Ongoing Excavation Procedures, and Project Restoration/Completion. The Task Team agreed on the following best practices.

Project Preparation
1 One-Call Facility Locate Request
2 White Lining
3 Locate Reference Number
4 Pre-Excavation Meeting
5 Facility Relocations
6 Separate Locate Requests
7 One-Call Access (24x7)
8 Positive Response

On-Site Preparation/Ground Breaking
9 Facility Owner/Operator Failure to Respond
10 Locate Verification
11 Documentation of Marks
12 Work Site Review with Company Personnel
13 One-Call Reference Number at Site
14 Contact Names and Numbers
15 Facility Avoidance

OnGoing Excavation
16 Federal and State Regulations
17 Marking Preservation
18 Excavation Observer
19 Excavation Tolerance Zone
20 Excavations within Tolerance Zone
21 Mismarked Facilities
22 Exposed Facility Protection
23 Locate Request Updates
24 Facility Damage Notification
25 Notification of Emergency Personnel
26 Emergency Excavation
27 Backfilling

Restoration/Completion
28 As-Built Documentation

Project Preparation
1 One-Call Facility Locate Request
Practice Statement: The excavator requests the location of underground facilities at each site by notifying the facility owner/operator through the one-call system. Unless otherwise specified in state law, the excavator calls the one-call center at least two working days and no more than ten working days prior to beginning excavation.

Practice Description: Currently 48 states have passed one-call legislation and have established one-call notification systems recognizing that excavation performed without prior notification poses a risk to public safety, excavators, the environment, and disruption of vital services provided by facility operators. Increased participation in this one-call notification system provides for improved communication between excavators and facility operators necessary to reduce damage.

2 White Lining
Practice Statement: When the excavation site cannot be clearly and adequately identified on the locate ticket, the excavator designates the route and/or area to be excavated using white premarking prior to the arrival of the locator.

Practice Description: The route of the excavation is marked with white paint, flags, stakes, or a combination of these to outline the dig site prior to notifying the one-call and before the locator arrives on the job. Pre-marking allows the excavators to accurately communicate to facility owners/operators or their locator where excavation is to occur.

3 Locate Reference Number
Practice Statement: The excavator receives and maintains a reference number from the one-call center that verifies the locate was requested.

Practice Description: All calls from excavators processed by the one-call center receive a unique message reference number, which is contained on all locate request messages. The excavator records this number; it is proof of notification to the members. The computer generated request identifies the date, time, and sequence number of the locate request. Each locate request ticket (notification) is assigned a unique number with that one-call center, the requestor and the facility owner/operator. This number separates this ticket from all other tickets so that it can be archived and recalled upon request with the details of that request only.

4 Pre-Excavation Meeting
Practice Statement: When practical, the excavator requests a meeting with the facility locator at the job site prior to the actual marking of facility locations. Such pre-job meetings are important for major, or unusual, excavations.

Practice Description: The meeting will facilitate communications, coordinate the marking with actual excavation, and assure identification of high priority facilities. An on-site pre-excavation meeting between the excavator, the facility owners/operators, and locators (where applicable) is recommended on major or large projects. This include projects such as road, sewer, water, or other projects that cover a large area, progress from one area to the next, or that are located near critical or high priority facilities. Such facilities include, but are not limited to, high-pressure gas, high voltage electric, fiber optic communication, and major pipe or water lines.

5 Facility Relocations
Practice Statement: The excavator coordinates work that requires temporary or permanent interruption of a facility owner/operator’s service with the affected facility owner/operator in all cases.

Practice Description: Any temporary or permanent interruption requires the active participation by the facility owner/ operator and the excavator to ensure protection of facilities through a joint preplanning meeting or conference calls. One-call centers note special contractor requests for a joint meeting on the ticket to the facility owner/operator to initiate the process.

6 Separate Locate Requests
Practice Statement: Every excavator on the job has a separate one-call reference number before excavating.

Practice Description: Often, there are several excavators on a job site performing work. The construction schedule may dictate different types of work requiring excavation from different specialty contractors simultaneously. In these situations it is imperative for each excavator to obtain a one-call reference number before excavation to ensure that the specific areas have been appropriately marked by any affected underground facility owner/operator.

7 One-Call Access (24x7)
Practice Statement: The excavator has access to a one-call center 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Practice Description: Utilities service the public needs 24x7 and thus should be protected the same amount of time. Certain conditions exist that require excavators to work during off-hours (city/road congestion, off-peak utility service hours). While most excavators are on the job site during regular work hours, the ability to call in future work locations after five p.m. allows more flexibility to schedule work, not to mention getting around peak hours of locate requests at the one-call center.

8 Positive Response
Practice Statement: The excavator is notified by the underground facility owner/operator of the tolerance zone of the underground facility by marking, flagging, or other acceptable methods at the work site, or is notified that a no conflict situation exists. This takes place after notification from the one-call center to the underground facility owner/operator and within the time specified by state law.

Practice Description: If a facility owner/operator determines that the excavation or demolition is not near any of its existing underground facilities, it notifies the excavator that no conflict exists and that the excavation or demolition area is “clear.” This notification by the facility owner/operator to the excavator may be provided in any reasonable manner including face-to-face communications; phone or phone message, facsimile, or other electronic means; posting at the excavation of demolition area; or marking the excavation or demolition area. If an excavator has knowledge of the existence of an underground facility and has received an “all clear,” a prudent excavator will attempt to communicate that a conflict does indeed exist and the locator should make marking these facilities a priority before excavation begins.

Positive response is a term used to describe the two types of action to be taken by a facility owner/operator after it has received notification of intent to excavate. The facility owner/operator is required to 1) mark its underground facilities with stakes, paint, or flags or 2) notify the excavator that the facility owner/operator has no underground facilities in the area of excavation. This process allows the excavator to begin work on time or in a timely manner.

When the excavator makes the request to the one-call center, he/she is told which facility owners/operators will be notified. The excavator logs these facilities on his/her job sheet so that he/she can identify which facility owners/operators have responded by marking and which ones have cleared the area. On the flip side, when a facility owner/operator does not respond by marking or clearing, this could signal that the facility owner/operator did not receive a locate notice.

It could also indicate that the facility owner/operator database used at the one-call center is either corrupt or lacking the correct information to process the request at the location, which could result in calamity. Once the excavator has all of the information needed for the work area, he/she can then excavate with confidence with safety in mind for the work crew and the public at large.

On-Site Preparation/Ground Breaking

9 Facility Owner/Operator Failure to Respond
Practice Statement: If the facility owner/operator fails to respond to the excavator’s timely request for a locate (e.g., within the time specified by state requirements) or if the facility owner/operator notifies the excavator that the underground facility cannot be marked within the time frame and a mutually agreeable date for marking cannot be arrived at, the excavator re-calls the one-call center. However, this does not preclude the excavator from going on with the project.

The excavator may proceed with excavation at the end of two working days, unless otherwise specified in state law, provided the excavator exercises due care in his endeavors.

Practice Description: It is determined that the facility owner/operator and the excavator will partner together to ensure facilities are marked in an acceptable time frame to allow for underground facility protection.

10 Locate Verification
Practice Statement: Prior to excavation, excavators verify they are at the correct location and verify locate markings and, to the best of their ability, check for unmarked facilities.

Practice Description: Upon arrival at the site prior to beginning the excavation, verify that the dig site matches the one-call request and is timely. Verify that all facilities have been marked, reviewing color codes if in doubt. Verify all service feeds from buildings and homes.

Check for any visible signs of underground facilities, such as pedestals, risers, meters, and new trench lines. Check for any facilities that are not members of the one-call and contact someone to get them located. Use of a pre-excavation checklist is recommended by insurers and practiced by responsible excavating contractors.

11 Documentation of Marks
Practice Statement: An excavator uses dated pictures, videos, or sketches with distance from markings to fixed objects recorded, to document the actual placement of markings.

Practice Description: In most situations when underground facilities are not properly marked, excavators have no way of knowing where underground utilities are located. If locate markings are adequately documented through the use of photographs, video tape, or sketches before excavation work begins, it will be easier to resolve disputes if an underground facility is damaged due to improper marking, failure to mark, or markings that have been moved, removed, or covered. It is important for excavators and locators to document the location of markings before excavation work begins. The primary purpose of this best practice is to avoid unnecessary litigation and expensive legal fees for all parties involved.

12 Work Site Review with Company Personnel
Practice Statement: Prior to starting work, the excavator reviews the location of underground facilities with site personnel.

Practice Description: Sharing information and safety issues during an on-site meeting between the excavator and his excavating crews will help to avoid confusion and needless damage to underground facilities.

13 One-Call Reference Number at Site
Practice Statement: The excavator’s designated competent person at each job site has the one-call ticket number.

Practice Description: This serves as constant reminder that all excavators will be required to call the one-call center to request a locate before they start excavation. If a representative for the facility owner/operator sees work being conducted and is unaware of the work being done, he/she can 1) stop and verify that the excavator does indeed have a valid ticket number or 2) check the third-party locator’s work. If an excavator is found working without a valid one-call ticket number, he/she should be requested to stop work immediately and appropriate actions should be taken. Another positive aspect of this practice will be that it should speed up the notification process back to the one-call center should the excavator find a facility incorrectly marked or not marked at all.

Requiring personnel at the job site to have this number should minimize or eliminate calls to a supervisor, foreman, dispatcher, or other personnel to find the correct number if a problem is encountered. When multiple crews are working on the same project at separate locations, each crew should be responsible for having a designated competent person responsible for having this one-call ticket number in their possession.

14 Contact Names and Numbers
Practice Statement: The excavator’s designated competent person at each job site has access to the names and phone numbers of all facility owner/operator contacts and the one-call center.

Practice Description: Situations arise on the job site that require immediate notification of the facility owner/operator, one-call center, or local emergency personnel. To avoid costly delays, the excavator ensures the designated job site personnel have all appropriate names and phone numbers. If telephone communication is unavailable, radio communication to the home office is available so that timely notification can be made. The office also has immediate access to all appropriate names and telephone numbers.

15 Facility Avoidance
Practice Statement: The excavator uses reasonable care to avoid damaging underground facilities. The excavator plans the excavation so as to avoid damage or minimize interference with the underground facilities in or near the work area.

Practice Description: Foremost on any construction project is safety. Excavators using caution around underground facilities significantly contribute to safe excavation of existing facilities.

OnGoing Excavation

16 Federal and State Regulations
Practice Statement: The excavator adheres to all applicable federal and state safety regulations, including training as it relates to the protection of underground facilities.

Practice Description: Although most existing state damage prevention legislation does not include reference to federal and state regulations, it is important to include reference to worker safety and training in the best practices. Excavators are required to comply with federal and state occupational safety and health requirements to protect employees from injury and illness. These regulations include reference to training each employee in how to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his/her work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or exposures to illness or injury. Therefore, the excavator’s crew, as part of its safety training, is informed of the best practices and regulations applicable to the protection of underground facilities.

17 Marking Preservation
Practice Statement: The excavator protects and preserves the staking, marking, or other designations for underground facilities until no longer required for proper and safe excavation. The excavator stops excavating and notifies the one-call center for re-marks if any facility mark is removed or no longer visible.

Practice Description: During long, complex projects, the marks for underground facilities may need to be in place far longer than the locating method is durable. Paint, staking, and other marking techniques last only as long as the weather and other variables allow. When a mark is no longer visible, but work continues around the facility, the excavator requests a re-mark to ensure the protection of the facility.

Due to space limitations, this article will be continued in the September issue of Power & Communication Contractor. A directory of local one-call numbers follows.

One-Call Directory

USA
Alabama
• Alabama Line Location Center (800) 292-8525

Alaska
• Locate Call Center of Alaska, Inc. (907) 278-3121

Arizona
• Arizona Blue Stake, Inc. (800) 782-5348

Arkansas
• Arkansas One Call System, Inc. (800) 782-5348

California
• Underground Service Alert North (800) 227-2600
• Underground Service Alert South (800) 227-2600

Colorado
• Utility Notification Center of Colorado (800) 922-1987

Connecticut
• Call Before You Dig (800) 922-4455

Delaware
• Miss Utilities of Delmarva (800) 282-8555

Florida
• Sunshine State One Call of Florida, Inc. (800) 432-4770

Georgia
• Utilities Protection Center, Inc. (800) 282-7411

Hawaii
• Underground Service Alert (800) 227-2600

Idaho
• Dig Line, Inc. (800) 342-1585
• Palouse Empire Underground Coordinating Council (800) 822-1974
• Kootenai County Utility Coordinating Council (800) 428-4950
• Utilities Underground Location Center (800) 424-5555
• One Call Concepts—Idaho (800) 626-4950
• Shoshone County One Call (800) 398-3285

Illinois
• Julie, Inc. (800) 892-0123
• Chicago—Digger (312) 744-7000

Indiana
• Underground Plant Protection Services, Inc. (800) 382-5544

Iowa
• Underground Plant Location Service, Inc. (800) 292-8989

Kansas
• Kansas One Call Center (800) 344-7233

Kentucky
• Kentucky Underground Protection, Inc. (800) 752-6007

Louisiana
• Louisiana One Call System, Inc. (800) 272-3020

Maine
• Dig Safe, Maine (888) 344-7233

Maryland
• Miss Utility of Delmarva (800) 282-8555
• Miss Utility (800) 257-7777

Massachusetts
• Dig Safe, Massachusetts (888) 344-7233

Michigan
• Miss Dig Utility Communication System (800) 482-7171

Minnesota
• Gopher State One Call (800) 252-1166

Mississippi
• Mississippi One Call System, Inc. (800) 227-6477

Missouri
• Missouri One Call System, Inc. (800) 344-7483

Montana
• Utilities Underground Location Center (800) 424-5555
• Montana One Call System, Inc. (800) 551-8344

Nebraska
• Diggers Hotline of Nebraska (800) 331-5666

Nevada
• Underground Service Alert of Nevada (800) 227-2600

New Hampshire
• Dig Safe, New Hampshire (888) 344-7233

New Jersey
• Garden State Underground Line Locating Service (800) 272-1000

New Mexico
• Las Cruces-Dona Utility Council (888) 526-0400
• New Mexico One Call System, Inc. (800) 321-ALERT

New York
• Underground Facility Protection Organization (800) 962-7962
• New York City/Long Island One Call Center (800) 272-4480

North Carolina
• North Carolina One Call Center (800) 632-4949

North Dakota
• Utilities Underground Location Center (800) 454-5555

Ohio
• Ohio Utilities Protection Service (800) 362-2764

Oklahoma
• Call Okie (800) 522-6543

Oregon
• Utilities Underground Location Center (800) 424-5555
• Utilities Notification Center (800) 332-2344
• Rogue Basin Utility Coordinating Council (503) 779-6676

Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Once Call System, Inc. (800) 242-1776

Rhode Island
• Dig Safe, Rhode Island (888) 344-7233

South Carolina
• Palmetto Utility Protection Service, Inc. (800) 922-0983

South Dakota
• South Dakota One Call (800) 781-7474

Tennessee
• Tennessee One Call System, Inc. (800) 351-1111

Texas
• Lone Star Notification Center (800) 669-8344
• Texas Excavation Safety System (800) 344-8377
• Texas One Call System (800) 245-4545

Utah
• Blue Stakes Location Center (800) 662-4111

Vermont
• Dig Safe, Vermont (888) 344-7233

Virginia
• Miss Utility of Virginia (800) 522-7001
• Miss Utility of Northern Virginia (800) 257-7777
• Miss Utility of Delmarva (800) 441-8355

Washington
• Utilities Notification Center (800) 332-2344
• Utilities Underground Location Center (800) 424-5555
• Chelan-Douglas Utility Coordinating Council (509) 663-6111
• Upper Yakima County Underground Utilities Council (800) 553-4344
• Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council (509) 456-8000
• Utilities Council of Cowlitz County (360) 425-2506
• Palouse Empire Utility Coordinating Council (800) 822-1974

Washington, DC
• Miss Utility (800) 257-7777

West Virginia
• Miss Utility of West Virginia, Inc. (800) 245-4848

Wisconsin
• Diggers Hotline, Inc. (800) 242-8511

Wyoming
• Wyoming One Call (800) 348-1030
• Converse County Council (800) 562-5561
• Fremont County Utility Coordinating Council (800) 489-8023
• Central Wyoming Utilities Coordinating Council (800) 759-8035
• Albany County Utility Coordinating Council (307) 742-3615
• Utilities Underground Location Center (800) 454-5555

Canada
Alberta
• Alberta One Call Location Corp. (800) 242-3447

British Columbia
• BC One Call (800) 474-6886

Ontario
• Ontario One Call Centre Ltd. (800) 400-2255
• Call “Bud” (800) 400-2255
• Waterloo Region Bud System (800) 265-2288

Quebec
• Info-Excavation (800) 663-9228

PCCA News

PCCA Members Promoted At Utility Telecom Show
PCCA members and staff promoted services of the association’s contractor and associate members at UTC Telecom 2002, June 24-27, in Las Vegas, Nev. The PCCA crew manned a booth at the UTC Expo and distributed the 2002 PCCA Membership Directory & Buyer’s Guide to some 1,500 utility telecom professionals.

The conference and exhibit hall were crowded with customers of PCCA members. Founded in 1948, the United Telecom Council (UTC) represents the telecommunications interests of electric and gas utilities, water companies, gas pipelines, and other critical infrastructure entities, along with their technology partners. UTC is a global federation of direct business members and affiliated trade associations representing more than 10,000 organizations serving all corners of the world and virtually every community in North America.

Industry Roundup

Abraham Announces Recommendations To Modernize Nation’s Electric Transmission System
In July, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham recommended ways to facilitate investment in the nation’s transmission infrastructure to improve reliability and reduce electricity costs to consumers. The recommendations in the National Transmission Grid Study were developed in response to the President’s National Energy Policy directive to Abraham to study the nation’s transmission system, identify transmission bottlenecks, and identify measures to eliminate those bottlenecks.

“Our objective is simple: to provide our citizens with a reliable supply of electricity at the lowest possible cost,” Abraham said. “We will work to unleash innovation and strengthen our markets to allow entrepreneurs to develop a more advanced and robust transmission system that meets growing energy demand in the years ahead.”

The report says that over the past 10 years competition has been introduced into wholesale electricity markets with the goal of reducing costs to consumers. Today, wholesale electricity sales save consumers nearly $13 billion annually, the FCC reported.
However, the nation’s outdated transmission system was not designed to support today’s regional, competitive electricity markets. Investment in the transmission system has not kept pace with the growth in generation and the increasing demand for electricity. Transmission bottlenecks threaten reliability and cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

The National Transmission Grid Study Report and Issue Papers can be found at www.ntgs.doe.gov.

FERC Lays Plans To Aid California Power Markets
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 17 set out a plan for the troubled California bulk power markets that it said will lead to a robust, stable, competitive market and secure reliable service at just and reasonable prices for consumers. At the same time, the FERC approved a series of market mitigation measures to replace those adopted in June 2001.

But market rules and mitigation measures alone will not insulate California customers from potential reliability problems or price fluctuation, the FERC said. A key ingredient in developing long-term stable markets is adequate infrastructure—the transmission lines, generating plants, and natural gas pipelines needed to meet growing energy demands.

FERC Approves Kern River Pipeline Expansion
In July, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a natural gas pipeline that will provide much-needed additional infrastructure to western markets. The Kern River pipeline expansion will extend 716 miles through California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.

The expansion project, which the FERC found to be environmentally acceptable, will allow western local distribution companies to meet critical peak needs and deliver natural gas to new electric generation plants. Furthermore, it is expected that the expansion will serve approximately 30 percent of the new generation coming online in the southwestern California region.

The new pipeline will parallel the initial right-of-way, thereby minimizing disruption to the environment. In addition, various mitigation measures are being required to address any potential adverse environmental effects.

Telecom Cooperative Expresses Concern Over Direction Of National Debate On Broadband And Internet Access
In a June 24 letter to President Bush, the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) expressed increasing concern with the direction the national debate on broadband and Internet access has moved. In particular, NTCA pointed to the perception that suggests America’s rural areas are a vast wasteland in terms of the availability of advanced communications capabilities.

“The record shows that the exact opposite is true in the markets served by our members,” wrote NTCA Chief Executive Officer Michael Brunner. “For years, this segment of the communications industry has been at the forefront of introducing new technologies and services to its consumers. Today, virtually every one of these rural carriers is involved in the provision of Internet services, and generally, they have deployed broadband level service to more than 70 percent of their market areas.”

FCC Authorizes Verizon To Provide Long Distance Service In New Jersey
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced that it voted to approve Verizon’s application to provide in-region, interLATA service originating in New Jersey and Maine. The commission said that the approval of Verizon’s application promises substantial benefits for the states’ consumers in the form of enhanced competition in both the local and long distance markets.

This is Verizon’s second application for section 271 approval in New Jersey. Verizon’s initial New Jersey application was filed with the Commission on December 20, 2001, but was withdrawn on March 19, 2002. Competing carriers have approximately 610,000 lines in New Jersey. Approximately 57,000 of these lines are residential. Roughly 361,000 of the lines are served solely over their own facilities; approximately 40,000 lines are served through unbundled network element platforms; and approximately 182,000 lines are served through resale.

Competing carriers have approximately 50,600 lines in Maine. Roughly 38,800 of these lines are served through resale and approximately 11,800 lines using unbundled network elements or their own facilities.

CoServ Files Reorganization Plans
CoServ Electric and eight of its related companies, including the CoServ telephone and cable businesses, announced recently that plans of reorganization and other related disclosure statements were filed June 24 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. CoServ Realty Holdings, L.P. filed its reorganization plan and disclosure statement June 13.

It is anticipated that the CoServ entities currently moving through the reorganization process will emerge from this process before or during the fourth quarter of 2002.

The CoServ Electric plan was filed by CoServ Electric, CoServ Utility Holdings, L.P., and CoServ Investments, L.P., and was filed jointly with the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), embodying the global settlement reached by the parties on May 2, 2002.

The CoServ Electric plan provides for the continued existence of the electric cooperative for the benefit of its members, payment in full of all allowed claims of the debtors’ estates, and the establishment of a $200 million 10-year credit facility for future capital expenditures of the electric cooperative.

“We will emerge from bankruptcy with a stronger balance sheet, poised for future growth and focused on our core electric business,” said Bill McGinnis, CoServ Electric president and CEO.

Baker Secures Contract For Energy Efficient Trucks
On June 14, New York State Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito announced that the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded a $2 million contract to PCCA member Baker Equipment Engineering Company to produce Baker/Aichi ISN50A material handlers.

Destito said Baker recently signed agreements with Aichi Corporation, an affiliate of Toyota Motors, and with Isuzu Motors America Inc. to bring an improved type of work truck to the American market. She said the ISN50A has already been well established in Japan and in other parts of the world.

“This project will involve the assembly of utility aerial tower work trucks that are used by electric, telephone, government, and cable television service departments. It will utilize truck bodies and parts manufactured in Japan by Baker’s American and Japanese partners,” said Baker President Skip Baker. “These specialty trucks will be sold through participating GMC/Isuzu and Chevrolet Commercial Truck dealers, and they will provide substantial energy and environmental benefits to their owners.”

U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) is a long-time supporter of this project. “These innovative vehicles will provide significant energy and environmental benefits, such as improving fuel economy by 35 percent, reducing greenhouse gases and pollutants associated with tailpipe emissions, and new compact designs that will make their operation safer and more efficient,” he said. I look forward to working with Skip Baker and New York State on these new innovations. I will continue to work in Washington for better policies that will clean up our environment, reduce energy demand, and create new jobs.”

The ISN50A has a 53-foot working height, 36-foot side reach, and 500-pound platform capacity. It features single stick control, emergency stop/start, hydraulic tool outlets, a multi-joint aerial platform, vertical sliding basket, and 250-degree basket and arm rotation combination.

A Ditch Witch Grand Opening In Big Sky Country
More than 100 customers attended the Ditch Witch of Montana Grand Opening held at the Missoula, Mont., location on May 23. The Missoula Chamber of Commerce presented Ditch Witch of Montana owners Ken and Eileen Kiesow with a “Buck for Luck” plaque from the city.

Equipment demonstrations at the Grand Opening featured the Subsite Electronics, JT4020 All Terrain and JT2720 All Terrain rock drilling systems, FX30 vacuum excavation system and the JT920L horizontal directional drilling system, HT185 tractor with a plow, RT trencher family of tractors, pedestrian plows, and walk-behind trenchers. Following the educational sessions was a BBQ lunch set-up in the shop area of the dealership.

OSHA Takes First Step Toward New Crane And Derrick Standard
In what OSHA calls a response to industry representatives, the agency announced its first step toward updating its construction safety standards for cranes and derricks through the Negotiated Rulemaking Process.

“Changes in technology and work processes over the past 30 years call for new, revised crane and derrick safety requirements,” said OSHA head John Henshaw.

OSHA expects that a range of issues will be considered, including work zone control, crane operations near power lines, qualifications of individuals who operate, maintain, repair and assemble cranes and derricks, and requirements for fail-safe operation, warnings, and other safety-related devices and technologies.

With publication of its intent to enter into negotiated rulemaking—scheduled for the July 16 Federal Register—OSHA outlines the basic procedures involved in forming a negotiated rulemaking advisory committee to develop a draft proposed rule, identifies the stakeholders who may be affected, solicits nominations for committee members, and asks for public comments regarding any aspect of the negotiated rulemaking process. Comments will be accepted for 60 days following the Federal Register notice.

OSHA To Withdraw Direct Final Rule For Signs, Signals, And Barricades
OSHA plans to withdraw its direct final rule for an updated construction industry standard for the types of traffic control signs, signals, and barricades that must be used at roadway worksites.

On April 15, OSHA proposed amending the standard through the direct final rule approach because most employers have been required by the Federal Highway Administration to comply with Revision 3 in lieu of the 1971 MUTCD since 1996. The amended rule would have required employers in the construction industry to comply with either the Millennium Edition or Revision 3 of the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), in place of the 1971 MUTCD.

As part of the direct final rule approach, OSHA also published a proposed rule in the same Federal Register notice. The agency stated that if significant adverse comments were received, they would withdraw the direct final rule.

OSHA determined that two of the eight comments received will be treated as significant adverse comments. The agency will address comments on the direct final and proposed rules in a new final rule, which the agency expects to issue shortly. OSHA will not institute a second comment period.

OSHA Cites Texas Company Following Trenching Fatality
A Texas construction firm is facing a proposed fine of $238,000 following a trenching fatality that claimed the life of a Hispanic construction worker, OSHA announced in July.

The underground utility construction firm, based in the Woodlands, Tex., was cited for nine alleged safety and health violations, including three willful violations for not protecting employees involved in excavation work from cave-in hazards. The fatal accident occurred on January 4, when a 17-year-old pipe layer was struck by the collapsing wall of an approximately 20-foot-deep trench and suffered fatal blunt force injuries and asphyxia.

“This is why OSHA has tough standards to prevent trenching accidents, and we are enforcing these standards aggressively,” said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. “Every worker has the right to a safe and healthy workplace, and I’m committed to guaranteeing that right.”

The fatality occurred while the company was laying approximately seven miles of water pipeline near Alba, Tex. One of 15 employees in the pipe-laying crew died of injuries because he was allegedly allowed to work outside the protection of a trench box. OSHA’s investigation found that the employer permitted these same working conditions over the preceding five months when more than 6.5 miles of the pipe had been installed.

OSHA cited the company with three alleged willful violations for failing to protect workers from cave-in hazards on three separate occasions during the project. The alleged willful violations carry a total proposed penalty of $210,000. The company also received citations for six alleged serious violations, with proposed penalties of $28,000, for hazards associated with entry to confined spaces, and fall and impalement dangers.

WatchIT

The New Support
I will admit my stubbornness by saying the last good piece of software (that is, the last software program for the PC that, in my opinion, worked as advertised) was WordPerfect 5.1. Remember complaining about how unwieldy the installation was because it came on seven diskettes? And remember the wonderful free support the WordPerfect Corporation provided their flagship product?

Of course that may be why they no longer are the market leader for desktop productivity software, but still, I get wistful every time I must reload the latest version of Windows or MS Office because my computer is acting funny and the only way to get it to stop acting funny is to start over by reinstalling everything.

Sometimes that is the only solution to the “slows,” crashes, or inexplicable errors that pop up on the monitor. And I do often long for the days when even the big software vendors were so hungry for business they would bend over backwards to make things right.

So whom can we rely on for support now that computers and their software are so entrenched in everyday life? Quite frankly, if you can’t rely on yourself I’m afraid you’re stuck. Or so it seems. Many of my confederates share war stories about support calls that go nowhere after bouncing through voicemail hell. Just last week I received a callback from our principal source of “after-hours” support in response to an emergency call I had placed a week earlier about a TCP/IP routing issue. A week earlier! (I did solve the problem myself, but it took time away from the other issues I was dealing with.)

When I calmly blew my stack at having waited a week for a response to my emergency call, the tech who contacted me said he’d get back to me. I’m still waiting. I suspect I’ll wait a while longer. This seems to be happening more and more often. A call for service goes unanswered. Or it is returned later with inaccurate information. I’m paying for service that isn’t service. Sound familiar?

Of course if you’re a successful business-type person, this drives you nuts. But I think I’ve found a solution from a most unusual source, at least from the IT side of things.

We’re always looking for new sources of hardware, software, and support. We’ve talked about that quite a bit in this space over the past several months. And I think I’ve identified one player in today’s service economy who may finally solve the problems so many of us experience when attempting to get results from anyone from the corner network support crew to the Redmond giant that supplies 95 percent of the universe with software. That one player is Wal-Mart. Call it crazy, but I suspect if Wal-Mart were to enter the IT arena seriously, it would handily win the business from just about everybody merely by doing what it does so successfully now—respond to the customer quickly.

Wait. Maybe they already are entering the race. We’ve talked about so-called “Open Source” software and how Linux is a possible alternative operating system to the Windows monopoly. Not too long ago, Wal-Mart began selling computers with the Mandrake distribution of Linux pre-installed. This was (and is) unheard of in the mass-market plans of virtually every other consumer electronics giant. So what does Wal-Mart know, and why are they doing this?

Now let’s fast-forward a few more months. Wal-Mart is now selling PCs without any operating system, again offering a choice to consumers interested in taking a little more control over their technological future.

And let’s nudge the calendar ahead one more time...to late May 2002. Wal-Mart began selling the Microtel brand of personal computers (an IBM clone that has been around for several years) with yet another operating system, this time something called “Lindows.”

Lindows might be the best of all worlds PC-wise. It is a Linux derivative, which also has Windows “hooks” built into it, that allows you to operate either Linux or Windows software! Best of all, if you’re looking for inexpensive reliable hardware for your company, you can buy one of these computers with the operating system for as little as $299!

Lindows (www.lindows.com) is the brainchild of Michael Robertson, the guy who started MP3.com four years ago. His Lindows operating system comes with access to a web service that features thousands of business productivity and consumer software programs available for free. (For the record, Microsoft has filed suit against Robertson’s company claiming copyright infringement, but so far, the courts have been siding with him.)

So does this mean Wal-Mart may be getting into the PC game in a big way? I don’t know. But they could. And if they do they are perhaps the only company around that could give everyone else a run for their money.

With their world-famous distribution system and their propensity to keep the customer satisfied, I think I’d seriously consider them as my outsourcing supplier!

Greg Smela is the information systems manager at John J. Kirlin, Inc., a mechanical contracting firm in Rockville, Md. He can be reached at gsmela@johnjkirlin-inc.com.

Safety Watch

Everything You Need To Know About Poison Ivy...And Then Some
The following information was provided by OutdoorPlaces.com, a group that promotes hiking, camping, cycling, and paddling as excellent sources of physical and mental exercise for all walks of life. Please visit www.outdoorplaces.com.

Poison ivy, oak, and sumac can be a sore subject for those of us who work and play outdoors. Like almost every other peril and medical emergency, a little education and understanding goes a long way to dealing with this itching, scratching menace.

Poison ivy, oak, or sumac are found in every state except Alaska and Hawaii, with Nevada having some poison ivy along its eastern border with Utah and Idaho having poison ivy along its western border with Oregon. All three species and their subspecies of plants are very hardy and adaptable. If there is at least eight to ten inches of rain a year and the altitude is below 4,000 feet, you can find poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Interestingly, poison ivy is generally found in the eastern half of the United States, where poison oak is found all over the West coast.

All three of these plants emit a poisonous oil irritant called urushiol. This oil is the toxin in these plants that makes you itch. In its pure form, an amount that could fit on the head of a pin could make 500 people very miserable.

Because urushiol is an oil and not a water-based fluid, it has some special (or perhaps troublesome) qualities. Urushiol does not evaporate, so it can linger for a year. It will cover whatever it comes in contact with, including clothing, tools, and even pet hair. Because it is an oil, urushiol vaporizes when it is burned, the vapor is then carried in the smoke, and it covers everything it comes in contact with (again contaminating it for a year or longer). Urushiol is present on the leaves, stems, and roots of the plant and is still active even on dead, dried up plants. It is, in a phrase, really nasty stuff.

Poison ivy, oak, and sumac all serve a useful purpose. Sure most people will put them on the same list of outdoor annoyances as mosquitoes and flies, but these poisonous plants are important to the ecosystems where they are present. The small, white or bluish berries found on the ivies feed a number of birds and small animals. The tangles they form also serve as shelter, and incidentally, most animals are not affected by the irritants found in urushiol oil.

The good news is that poison ivy, oak, and sumac are very easy to treat if you identify your contact with the plant within a few hours. The urushiol oil chemically bonds with the proteins in your skin about 30 minutes after contact. Some 75 percent of the population is affected by contact with urushiol, although immunity to urushiol today does not assure immunity tomorrow, and vice versa. Rash symptoms can appear within a few hours, or they can take two to five days to appear. The rash starts as a red, annoyingly itchy area that starts to swell. The area then gets inflamed and will get covered in clusters of tiny pimples. The pimples eventually merge and turn into blisters. The fluid in the blisters turns yellow, dries up, and becomes crusty. Left completely untreated, this cycle can last as short as five days and in severe cases, as long as five to six weeks.
If you come in contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac or pets, tools, gear, or clothing exposed to any of these, you should wash off with hot water (not so hot that it burns) and strong soap as soon as possible. If you can get washed up in the first six hours, before the first symptoms appear, you have a good chance of avoiding an outbreak, and an even better chance of minimizing the effects if you do have one.

If you do start to get a rash, there is some bad news. There is no anti-toxin available for urushiol. There are products out there that will make you more comfortable, but no specific treatments. Washing in hot water with strong soap within the first 24 hours of exposure and not scratching can help reduce the length and severity of a reaction.

The rash is not communicable to someone else through normal contact. Only the urushiol oil spreads the rash. As blisters start to form over the infected area, you should never break the blisters. Breaking blisters can lead to blood poison, and generally in medical circles the draining of blisters is frowned upon. You should try to let the infected area breathe. If you do wrap it, keep the dressing as clean as possible, as weeping blisters are a hot bed for infection.

There are a variety of over-the-counter oral and topical products that can ease the symptoms of poison ivy (but won’t cure it). Good old-fashioned calamine lotion, zinc oxide ointment, baking soda paste (one tablespoon of baking soda to one teaspoon of water), hydrocortisone cream, baths in oatmeal soap or medicated oatmeal based products like Avenno, and taking oral Benadryl can help ease the symptoms. Soaking in a baking soda bath can also help with broad rashes.

Only extreme cases generally require you to see a physician for a poison ivy, oak, or sumac related rash. If the rash covers a large area of your body, is on your face, in your mouth, in your eyes, or your genitals, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. If after exposure to poison ivy there is swelling in the throat, tongue, and/or lips or if the victim has a hard time breathing, is weak or dizzy, has blue lips and mouth, or falls unconscious, he or she could be having a very severe reaction requiring immediate medical treatment. Self-medication without a physician is never recommended. If you have an adrenaline kit, know how to use it, and are qualified, you can administer adrenaline as needed.

In about 10 percent of cases where there is a rash outbreak, the skin can become extremely red and swollen, pus can ooze from the skin, and the rash can spread very rapidly. This is one of only a handful of truly urgent dermatological emergencies that needs treatment.

If you were exposed to the smoke of burning poison ivy, oak, or sumac and you believe you may have breathed in the fumes, you must seek medical treatment immediately. Some people can have life-threatening reactions from inhaling urushiol vapors into their lungs. In some states, it is illegal to burn poison ivy due to the health risks it represents. With exception to the exposure to the vapor in smoke, most folks do not have these severe reactions, but they do get the vexing annoying itch and rash.

The best way to prevent a rash or infection is to know what the plants look like. “Leaflets of three, let it be” is pretty smart advice. If you come in contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac, take a hot shower as soon as possible using strong soap and wash any clothing or equipment that came in contact with the plants. Be careful where you rest, sit, and relieve yourself. As always, understanding and common sense can keep you from having a bad experience with these annoying but necessary plants.

Altec Industries
American Augers, Inc.
American Pipe & Plastics, Inc.
ARNCO Corporation
Bethea Tool & Equipment Company
Cable Placing Equipment
Clifford of Vermont
Compass Equipment Leasing
Craftworktools.com
Hogg & Davis
McQueary Henry Bowles Troy
NESCO
Osburn Associates
Roland Machinery
Sherman & Reilly
Terra Tape
Trencor
Utility Equipment Leasing Company
Vac-Tron