Features
Louisiana “Dig Law” To Change October 1, 2011
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, June 22, 2011 – Governor Jindal has signed into law significant changes in the Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Act R.S. 40: 1749, otherwise known as the state’s “dig law.” These changes become effective October 1, and they will affect everyone involved in excavation in Louisiana, including homeowners, contractors and [...]
Trenching and Excavation Safety Part four: Protective Systems
This is the fourth and final article covering the basics of trenching and excavation safety. To recap the previous articles: Part 1 discussed the role of the “Competent Person” on the job site. Part 2 presented the importance of following the “General Requirements” section of OSHA’s 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P – Excavations. Part 3 [...]
Federal Legislation Proposed to Address Pipeline Safety Issues
Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chairman of the US Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security recently urged their colleagues to support legislation to strengthen pipeline safety oversight. Their call for [...]
Shell Revs Up its Commitment to Damage Prevention in 2011
For the third consecutive season, Shell and the Common Ground Alliance are teaming up to raise awareness of 811, the national ‘Call Before You Dig’ number. Shell will leverage its partnership with Penske Racing in an effort to protect America’s underground infrastructure. During National Safe Digging Month in April, the 811 logo will run on [...]
Pipelines… Your Quiet Neighbor
Millions of people all across the country share the same neighbor. This neighbor does not intrude where it’s not wanted and simply goes about its business helping all of us every day. Pipelines are the energy lifelines of many of our daily activities, from driving our children to school, heating our homes, to buying groceries [...]
Dig Law Advisory Committee Update
Recently, the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published the results of an extensive evaluation of state one-call programs. Their criteria for evaluating the programs were the nine elements of effective damage prevention programs. It is not surprising that Louisiana’s program is one of only eight programs in the nation to receive the highest possible [...]
Publisher’s Perspective, Volume 3, Issue 1
In a recent press release dated April 4, 2011, we were reminded that Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D – WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D – NJ), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and [...]
Master of Zing, Volume 3, Issue 1
It’s not often that you meet someone wearing a sign on their chest – or is it? I’m suggesting that everyone you and I meet has a huge imaginary sign on their chest that says “Make me feel important.” Sigmund Freud, the noted psychologist, said that everything we do springs from two motives: the sex [...]
The Doctor is In, Volume 3, Issue 1
As you know, elephants are large animals. Consequently, they are readily seen when in the room. Yet, while they can bring pleasure to those of us who visit them in their habitats, they can also be very destructive. What do people see when they look at you? About a year ago, I worked with a [...]
Me and Dillard, Volume 3, Issue 1
Even if it wasn’t an uncommonly cold and snowy winter, going swimming in the Hood-N-Pile in the middle of February might seem a bit extreme to the uninitiated. Aunt Beulah always told me that those older kids were going to keep me in trouble and that I needed to find kids my own age to [...]
