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. Jun 3

    REPLAY - Lines in the Sky: The Overhead Risk You’re Overlooking

    Send us Fan Mail This is a REPLAY of an episode first published in May 2025. What if the next big thing in utility safety isn’t underground—but overhead?  Mike Sullivan sits down with Nathan Coutu from ATCO Electric to spotlight the groundbreaking "Lookup and Live" application, a collaborative initiative aimed at reducing overhead power line contacts.  Nathan shares how this Alberta-wide, GIS-based mobile and web app helps users visualize and safely navigate around energized overhead lines—especially crucial for agricultural, construction, and utility workers.  Drawing inspiration from similar successes in Australia and Saskatchewan, he reveals the collaborative journey of Alberta utilities working together for public safety, the staggering contact statistics that prompted action, and the powerful simplicity of a solution that could save lives.  If you’ve ever thought "I knew the power line was there—I just didn’t see it this time," this episode could be a game-changer. Listen For: 3:48 The Birth of “Lookup and Live” in Alberta 5:16 From “Where’s the Line” to a Province-Wide Collaboration 7:22 The Overhead Threat You Keep Ignoring 16:51 50% Fewer Incidents: What Australia Taught Us 24:52 The Push for Simplicity and Adoption 27:20 Breaking Through Data Sharing Barriers Connect with guest Nathan Coutu LinkedIn   Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    36 min

  2. May 20

    The Safety Conversations That Started with Coffee

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when a pandemic coffee chat accidentally becomes one of the most respected podcasts in the energy industry?  Mike Sullivan sits down with James Cross, co-creator of Coffee with Jim and James, to unpack the origin story behind the show that connected an entire industry during COVID.    James shares how a simple Zoom conversation evolved into a powerful platform for collaboration, storytelling, and safety advocacy across the natural gas and damage prevention world.    From his roots in West Texas and a passion for public speaking to taking the podcast live on the road and into the field, James reflects on the lessons learned from hundreds of conversations with frontline workers, industry leaders, and safety professionals. The discussion dives deep into safety culture, near miss reporting, industry collaboration, and whether podcasts truly make a difference.     Emotional, funny, and deeply human, this episode is both a celebration of community and a reminder that the most impactful conversations often start with a cup of coffee.    Listen for: :40 How Did A Pandemic Coffee Chat Turn Into A Hit Industry Podcast? 7:53 Why Was Convincing The First Podcast Guest So Difficult? 13:39 What Happened When Coffee With Jim And James Went Live At A Conference? 26:40 Are Safety Metrics Measuring The Right Things In The Industry? 47:07 What Dangerous Situation Did PG&E Workers Face In The Field?   Connect with Guests:James Cross, Chief Experience Officer | EWN LinkedIn| Website | Podcast  Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    54 min

  3. May 6

    The Absence of C-suite Ownership of Damage Prevention Culture

    Send us Fan Mail Every day across North America, workers excavate near buried infrastructure that could kill them and most of the people who built the system protecting them can't explain how the whole thing fits together.  Mike Sullivan sits down with Scott Landes, a four-decade figure in North American damage prevention who co-founded Rhino Marking & Protection Systems and the Excavation Safety Alliance.  Scott and Mike explore what the industry has built and what it is still failing to do, the absence of C-suite ownership of damage prevention culture, the near-impossible challenge of changing state-level legislation even when it's broken, and why Scott believes a simple cultural shift at the top of major utility companies could eliminate 99% of damage incidents.  The conversation closes on a practical challenge: what is the one action every listener could take tomorrow to immediately reduce the risk of a strike?   Listen for: 6:35 What does Jimmy Buffett's brand genius have to do with how damage prevention companies succeed or fail? 17:31 Why did it take 40 years for someone to write the first comprehensive book about the damage prevention industry? 21:32 Who is Holding Back Disaster actually written for — and what does it hope to change? 37:42 If you rewrote this book in ten years, what would you hope the industry had finally solved? 44:24 What is the one action every person in damage prevention could take tomorrow to immediately reduce the risk of a strike?   Connect with Guests: Scott Landes, CEO, Excavation Safety Alliance, LLC Minneapolis LinkedIn | Website  Follow The Safety Moment via Utility Safety Partners  X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   Got an episode idea? info@utilitysafety.ca

    50 min

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 12/10/2025

    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
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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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