SHARING SAFETY CULTURES On a cold and cloudy afternoon, over two dozen traffic control professionals stood in a warehouse with their eyes fixed on burning gas. Stephen Thomas, the Damage Prevention Execution Leader for Columbia Gas of Virginia, facilitated a knowledge exchange with Flagger Force to help connect the two companies’ strong safety cultures. Safety is the shared priority of both the utility and traffic control industries. When partners share the same risks, it’s critical that both understand the other’s perspectives on safety. Taking the time to learn from each other creates a work relationship that fosters clear communication and mutual respect. This kind of relationship is the foundation of a safe job site. With this mentality in mind, Thomas spent an afternoon with Flagger Force’s Richmond Operations and Training Facility, educating them on the rules and regulations of fuel maintenance, the prevention of natural gas damage, the material science behind what can happen when gas is released, and how gas can act and react in the atmosphere. “Taking advantage of face-to-face educational opportunities, especially those with our industry partners, creates strong relationships. We want people to internalize and take a personal interest in the safety of clean-burning fuel sources, and this presentation fosters that kind of engagement,” says Thomas. “These demonstrations are becoming more popular and offer a more meaningful and interesting way to stay engaged with our partners. It means a lot to me personally, and Columbia Gas, to bring more awareness on how to safely handle and manage these reliable fuel sources.” THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS —  HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER BETTER Cross-training among industry partners has numerous benefits, especially when that training is centered on safety cultures. This collaborative approach ultimately leads to safer job sites, including work zones. “To operate safely and effectively, utility companies need to commit their full focus to their specific work and leave traffic safety to the traffic control partner. This allows the utility crew to focus on the job at hand,” says Flagger Force’s Safety Manager, Josh Foltz. “When a traffic control partner has a solid understanding of their client’s work, they are able to better anticipate their needs, which naturally leads to safer work zone environments.” Having a traffic control partner better understand the end goal and safety risks of their utility partner gets more eyes in the field that can spot potential hazards. The key to sharing our safety cultures is to understand each other’s safety needs so we can all accomplish one common goal — to keep our communities moving. “On a job site, there are a million pieces working together forming one puzzle — a job well done,” says Thomas. “Not having to focus on traffic control takes the worry off of the client, so they can perform their job better. Having a partner with the ability to notice something is wrong and how to properly address it also aids in this concept and is one of the goals we strive to achieve through our education opportunities.” T W O Stephen Thomas, the Damage Prevention Execution Leader for Columbia Gas of Virginia, led this knowledge exchange with Flagger Force. With over a decade of experience in the damage prevention field, he is well experienced as an educator and safety advocate for his industry. Columbia Gas of Virginia delivers clean natural gas to over 262,000 customers. As an energy company, they prioritize educating customers and partners on not only the safety aspects of natural gas and propane, but also on understanding the material and chemical properties of these clean- burning fuels.