Marine Safety Efforts Recognized

Safety excellence in the U.S. dredging, marine construction and the pipeline industry took center stage in Washington, D.C. in September when the Council for Dredging and Marine Construction Safety (CDMCS) held its 5th Annual Leadership in Safety Awards Dinner in conjunction with its quarterly meeting and National Pipeline Task Force (PTF) Meeting.

Joint industry members, partners, and representatives, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), celebrated those who have been deemed by their peers to go above and beyond every day, embracing safety as a culture and leading by example without hesitation. The CDMCS Pipeline Task Force meeting was a continuation of the great conversation that’s been had over the last few years regarding marine safety. Specifically noted, over 2,000 people have gone through the Coastal and Marine Operators Pipeline Industry Initiative (CAMO) online training that has helped drive down safety incidents. 

Online locate tickets and the process was discussed in detail, as an effective way to serve notice of the location for marine or waterways construction activity, providing operators with the information they need to mark and communicate potential assets in the work area. 

The topic of locates in federal waters was discussed, noting how assets in these waters are not required to be listed in an 811 system. Offshore wind infrastructure will be installed in federal waters; thus a larger discussion needs to be had with the industry to identify what can be done to protect the assets and those working around them. 

Abandoned lines were also identified as a problem, from safety concerns to preventing downtime. The conversation will continue, as there is an effort for all utility operators to mark abandoned lines and keep accurate records both on land and offshore.