“Being a member of GSS has helped us establish procedures that will lead to a reduction in damages and the metrics provided will allow us to measure ourselves for continuous improvement in excavation safety.”
Kevin Miller
President, Miller Pipeline
“For me, Gold Shovel Standard certification has been a badge of honor.
“I’m a 43-year veteran of the field, and I developed a strong passion for safety in the 1970s. The union asked me to take control of safety and I take the responsibility very seriously.
“I have seen an immediate positive impact thanks to our GSS certification. There has been a significant decline in underground damage. GSS has proven to be a very effective program. It’s win-win for everyone. A win for employees, a win for customers and a win for the public.
“As GSS spread across the country, and more people sign-on, it’s a movement that will continue to improve workplace and public safety.
“Our safety management program was accepted with just minor tweak. We started training just after redelivering our certification. And our training was well accepted! Employees loved the form on personal responsibility. There has been a significant reduction in damages – all of our incidents have been due to improper locates. We now are only impacted largely by stuff that is beyond our control.
“In my 40+ years in the business, I can point at successes and I can point at failures, and Gold Shovel Standard is a success.”
Dan Morales
SPE Utility
“Dimension Energy Services acquired Gold Shovel Standard certification in early 2017.
“The certification is desired by many owner companies, several of which our company performs services for.
“We would recommend that all pipeline-related companies gain Gold Shovel Standard certification.
“By obtain Gold Shovel Standard certification, a company has been verified to have client and industry accepted safety and operations procedures in place and actively tracking them.
“The Gold Shovel Standard also tracks and trends the safety performance of a company and identifies risk factors regarding the excavation related practices of a company.
“A company measured by the Bench Mark of the Gold Shovel Standard and receives a Gold Shovel Certification can be viewed as a lower than average risk related company than others.
“In conclusion, the benefit of obtaining the Gold Shovel Certification says a lot about the way a company carries out their day to day operational practices regarding safety and compliancy.”
Robert Mitchell
Corporate Safety DirectorTim. H. Nesier
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dimension Energy Services
“Gold Shovel Standard isn’t just about having another certification. It’s not about having a certification because a Client may say we must have it. The safety of our employees, the public, and damage prevention are of the utmost importance to us. The GSS application process has helped us to refine our training process for our employees.”
Keith Cottle
Davey Resource Group
