Page 7 - TN811 2023 Issue 1

• Know your system
• Able to communicate with others
Through my interaction with Bob, I could tell he cared about doing his job well. Bob has a wealth of knowledge and isn’t afraid to share that with his co-workers and other stakeholders. Bob is not only knowledgeable, but he has
a passion for locating. Relationships are important in every walk of life, but especially in the utility and excavation industry. Sam Andavazo said the following about Bob, “Bob’s caring personality has a positive effect on relationships with our contractors and customers. He brings value to
our company with his ability to work together with our communities.”
Brian Smith
Brian Smith has been with ORUD for 4 years and locating for 2 of those years. His first 2 years he spent as a pipe fitter. Brian gets a lot of windshield time, as he drives 200 miles a day locating gas lines in Roane County. Brian told me
a typical workday is getting the locate tickets and staying caught up from the previous day. Brian said, “Locates
never stop, it’s constant. There is no end game, there is no sense of finality. You must stay on top of the locates.” With Oak Ridge being west of Knoxville, it’s a growing area much like the rest of Tennessee. Just in the 2 years Brian has been locating, he has seen an increase in locate requests. Brian told me, “If
you get behind on locate requests, you can’t be afraid to ask for help. We all work together so well here at ORUD. You must stay driven, keep moving. There is always something to do.” Brian mentioned some hazards when locating, he mentioned safety routinely in our interview.
Brian gave me an outline of safety precautions he takes on every locate request:
• Safety first, stay hydrated and be visible to others
• Traffic control, make sure other motorists see you
• Make contact with any workers on the job
• Locate accurately and safely, the clock is ticking
When interviewing Brian for the magazine article, I noticed how confident he was in his job. Brian
told me, “You have to be confident in yourself and you have to be confident in your training.” Brian told me a
good analogy that goes hand in hand with confidence in locating, “A locator is like a field goal kicker in football, you’re expected to go out and hit that kick every time. That’s your job, it’s
not glorified. But, that one time you miss a kick...it’s the same in locating, you’re expected to locate each ticket correctly.” Sam said the following about Brian, “Brian is a respected young
man who gives his best day in and day out. He represents ORUD well with
his character and work ethic. Those attributes are a tremendous asset to
our company and the community.” Both locators bring so much to the table for the industry and ORUD, so I’m happy to recognize them as our Damage Prevention MVPs. Remember, always Call or Click 811 before you dig!
If you’d like to nominate a Damage Prevention MVP, email jfryer@ tennessee811.com.
Brian Smith, ORUD
2023, Issue 1
Tennessee811 • 5