The Safety Moment by Utility Safety Partners

Stories and Strategies

In our modern culture, the safety moment has evolved as brief and casual conversations in which to share. They are the perfect time to bring up safety topics in a non-threatening (though potentially lifesaving) way. The Safety Moment Podcast is produced by Utility Safety Partners – a non-profit corporation that has been providing communication service between the digging community and the owners of buried facilities since 1984. Let’s talk about damage prevention, excavation safety, locating and marking, watching for overhead powerlines, and legislative matters to ensure contractors and neighbours can all do their work safely. Let's talk safety - it's always a good conversation.

  1. APR 15

    REPLAY - Measuring Absence in Damage Prevention

    Send us Fan Mail This is a REPLAY of an episode first published in August 2024. How do you measure what didn’t happen?   In this episode, Mike sits down with Wayne Jensen to explore the fascinating concept of quantifying the absence of damage in the damage prevention industry.   They discuss the evolution of safety practices, the challenges of relying too heavily on regulations, and the importance of recognizing proactive behavior in preventing accidents.   The conversation dives deep into the human side of safety, celebrating the unsung heroes who ensure nothing goes wrong – and the complexities of proving that their efforts were the reason why.  Listen For: 3:19 - The Origin of Monthly Damage Prevention Meetings 8:09 - The Effectiveness of Public Awareness Programs 20:56 - Are We Too Reliant on Legislation? 28:33 - Responsibility and Accountability in Damage Prevention  Guest: WAYNE JENSEN Website | Sign Up Page   Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    53 min

  2. APR 1

    It's Not a Safety Problem. It's a Human Problem.

    Send us Fan Mail What if the most powerful safety speaker is the one without a dramatic scar to explain?   Mike Sullivan sits down with Wylie Davidson, motivational speaker and safety culture specialist behind the Leaving a Safety Legacy program, to explore what it actually takes to make a safety message stick.  Wylie built his career not on a dramatic injury story or a near-miss, but on a fundamental conviction: safety culture isn't a program, it's a human problem.  The conversation digs into why experienced workers take shortcuts (hint: it's wired into us), how leaders can influence behaviour without micromanaging, and why a single presentation, no matter how powerful achieves nothing without a plan for the day after.  Listen for: 12:04 Why do experienced workers keep taking shortcuts? 17:28 What does it actually mean to make a safety message sustainable? 21:19 How do you reach the person in the back row who doesn't want to be there? 37:53 What has a decade of speaking across North America taught you about people? 42:38 What separates leaders who build lasting safety culture from those who erode it?   Connect with Guests: Wylie Davidson, Keynote Speaker | Workplace Culture Specialist LinkedIn | Website  Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    55 min

  3. MAR 18

    What It Takes to Build a Safer Canada Underground

    Send us Fan Mail Canada's underground utility infrastructure sustains billions of dollars in damage every year... and the data needed to stop it keeps slipping through the cracks.  Mike Sullivan is joined by CCGA Executive Director Todd Scott for a wide-ranging conversation about momentum, leadership, and the future of damage prevention in Canada.  They unpack the success of the Halifax event, why bringing the industry together in person still matters, how a new generation is stepping up across the board and committees, and why that leadership transition feels so encouraging.  The episode also digs into the hard realities behind DIRT reporting, the challenge of collecting useful national data, the need for stronger municipal engagement, and the growing role AI could play in mapping, quality assurance, and field safety.  At its core, this is a thoughtful and optimistic discussion about where the Canadian Common Ground Alliance is headed next and what it will take to build a smarter, stronger, more connected damage prevention community.   Listen for: 18:29 Why is voluntary DIRT reporting Canada's biggest damage prevention blind spot? 23:24 What does a 99% damage reduction in ALP locates tell us about the future of best practices? 33:48 How could AI transform notification centres and field locate quality and what has to come first? 38:18 What did the Sereno societal cost analysis reveal and why did the number drop so dramatically? 46:32 What is Todd Scott most looking forward to at the 2026 CCGA Symposium in Calgary?   Connect with Guests: Todd Scott, Executive Director of Canadian Common Ground Alliance Todd's LinkedIn | Todd's Email | CCGA LinkedIn | CCGA Website   Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    51 min

  4. MAR 4

    Excavators Are Choosing Safety…and the Numbers Prove It

    Send us Fan Mail What if excavators could take control of their own locate process…and as a result, the number of utility strikes nearly vanished? That's not a hypothetical. It's what's happening right now. Mike Sullivan sits down with Ron Laidman and Iain Stables. Together, they unpack 18 months of real performance data showing that ALP adoption has grown by nearly 300% year-over-year, that more than 50,000 locate requests have flowed through the program with only three reported damages, and that the program's damage rate per thousand notifications is a fraction of the provincial average.  Perhaps most striking is the mechanism behind the safety gains: it's not a technical fix… it's the relationship between a dedicated locator embedded in the crew and the excavator who now has a stake in the outcome.   Listen for: 3:57 Why are ALP episodes by far the most downloaded on a podcast about safety? 8:19 What does a near-300% year-over-year adoption increase actually mean for a program in its infancy? 14:26 With only three reported damages across 50,000+ locate requests, what is the ALP damage rate compared to conventional locating? 31:23 Is the ALP's damage reduction driven by technology, training, or something far more human? 33:50 What does it actually take to become a registered Alternate Locate Service Provider in Alberta?   Connect with Guests: Ron Laidman, Founder and Principal Advisor at Enertia X | Website | LinkedIn | Email Iain Stables, Manager, Damage Prevention at ATCO Gas and Pipelines Email | Iain’s LinkedIn | Website    Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    43 min

  5. 2025-12-10

    How AI Can Improve Utility Safety

    Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest threat to underground safety is not technology, but our refusal to change? Mike Sullivan talks with long time damage prevention consultant and investor Jemmie Wang about why the industry feels “safe enough” even as enormous hidden societal costs pile up from every cut fibre and broken line.  Together they explore how advances like affordable high accuracy GPS, smarter ticket management, online locate requests, deep AI mapping, and Alternate Locate Provider models are already proving they can slash damages, yet are still held back by rigid legislation, misaligned incentives, and risk averse culture. They compare Canadian and US approaches, question whether current 811 structures actually serve the people who use them, and ask if slogans like “call before you dig” and “50 in 5” are distracting from the real work of changing the rules of the game.  The conversation circles back again and again to one challenge for boards, executives, locators, and contractors alike: finding the courage to embrace new tools, new models and more flexible laws before the next crisis forces their hand.   Listen For: 4:10 What damage prevention technologies have changed the game in the last decade 7:11 Why does the industry keep doing more of the same instead of embracing new tools 16:31 Should damage prevention rely on more legislation less legislation or something in between 30:10 Why is click before you dig safer and why is it still a hard sell in the United States 56:58 What can Alternate Locate Providers and an Uber style model do to transform locating and reduce damages  Jemmie Wang Website | LinkedIn | Email    Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    1h 5m

  6. 2025-10-15

    How FNCA is Reshaping Utility Notification Across North America

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when an entire industry decides it’s time to build a new home from the ground up?  Mike Sullivan sits down with Bruce Campbell, Mark Frost, and Roger Lipscomb—the visionary team behind the Facility Notification Center Association (FNCA).  This passionate conversation traces the FNCA's superhero-style origin story, born from the ashes of older systems, into a modern, unified trade association serving 80% of North American notification centers.  From candid reflections on industry fragmentation to the power of collaborative leadership and servant-driven innovation, this episode dives deep into the necessity of FNCA, its mission, and its bright future.  It's a rich exploration of how facility notification centers are banding together—not just to adapt, but to lead.   Listen For: 6:10 What is the history behind North America’s One Call centers? 13:07 Why did One Calls of America and OCSI need to evolve? 29:36 What were the hurdles in transforming OCOA into the FNCA? 37:15 What goals are driving the FNCA’s strategic plan forward? 48:20 How is FNCA future-proofing for AI, volume spikes, and industry change? Facility Notification Center Association (FNCA) Connect with guest Mark Frost Website | Instagram | Facebook | X Bruce Campbell Email| LinkedIn | Website Roger Lipscomb Website | LinkedIn    Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    1 hr

  7. 2025-10-01

    How a Cut Cable Caused $77 Million in Damage

    Send us Fan Mail What do two clipped fibre optic cables have in common with a $77 million disaster? More than you think. Mike Sullivan recounts a personal travel nightmare that snowballed into a hard-hitting reflection on the staggering societal costs of utility damage.  What began as a delayed flight turned into an eye-opening experience involving 1,800 disrupted flights, 235,000 stranded passengers, and millions in lost productivity, business, and environmental damage—all traced back to a simple infrastructure mishap.  Mike breaks down the direct and indirect costs of such incidents, explores the gaps in utility protection and reporting laws, and emphasizes the critical importance of submitting locate requests.    Listen for: 1:05 How Did a Travel Delay Reveal a Bigger Safety Issue? 4:13 How Does Buried Utility Damage Impact Society at Large? 08:27 What Does $77 Million in Damage Look Like in Real Life? 17:29 Why Do Airlines Operate on Razor-Thin Profit Margins? 25:08 Can Repeat Offenders in Utility Damage Be Held Accountable?   Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    37 min

  8. 2025-09-03

    ALP’s 1st Year Success: Near ZERO Utility Damages

    Send us Fan Mail What if one simple change could slash utility damages to near zero?  Mike Sullivan brings together a powerhouse panel from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to celebrate and dissect the incredible first year of the Alternate Locate Provider (ALP) program.  With only two reported damages out of over 30,000 ALP locates, this initiative is rewriting the rules of damage prevention.  Industry leaders—including Jamie Andersen, Iain Stables, Lance Norman, Wayne Jensen, and Ron Peterson share insights on how ALP is driving efficiency, improving safety, and changing the landscape of utility locating.  From enhanced collaboration to future scalability, this episode offers a blueprint for transforming infrastructure safety practices. Listen For: 11:28 Why the ALP Had to Happen 16:15 Game-Changer for the Digging Community 20:44 Why This Could Go Global 53:34 Confronting the Controversy 59:21 The Future of ALP and Utility Safety Guests:  WAYNE JENSEN Website | Sign Up Page IAIN STABLES  Email | Iain’s LinkedIn | Website | ATCO LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram  JAMIE ANDERSEN LinkedIn | Website| Facebook  LANCE NORMAN LinkedIn | Website| Facebook | Instagram RON PETERSON LinkedIn | Website  Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    1h 10m
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Ratings & Reviews

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About

In our modern culture, the safety moment has evolved as brief and casual conversations in which to share. They are the perfect time to bring up safety topics in a non-threatening (though potentially lifesaving) way. The Safety Moment Podcast is produced by Utility Safety Partners – a non-profit corporation that has been providing communication service between the digging community and the owners of buried facilities since 1984. Let’s talk about damage prevention, excavation safety, locating and marking, watching for overhead powerlines, and legislative matters to ensure contractors and neighbours can all do their work safely. Let's talk safety - it's always a good conversation.

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