We mentioned in a previous blog post that Enhanced Scanning owner Forrest Sim would be attending and presenting at the Global Damage Prevention (GDP) Summit in Dallas, Texas. He has since returned from the event and reports that the event was very successful on many levels!
This event is always very well attended and well organized, but Forrest noticed that this year, there seemed to be a greater emphasis on practical applications for reducing damages than in years past. This was a welcome change, from Forrest’s perspective, who, as many of you know, is extremely passionate about helping the industry as a whole improve in the area of safety. Many of the locating methods that were highlighted at the summit were those that could be immediately implemented by utility locators.
Forrest had the chance to talk with many different vendors at the summit, who were there to educate attendees on their latest equipment offerings. Of particular interest was the Vermeer company and their line of vacuum excavators. This equipment would allow us to perform “soft digs,” which is a safer means of excavation that is often used around utility lines. Soft digs is a service we have been considering offering to our clients for a while. We will let you know if this is a direction we decide to go in the future!
Forrest also had the opportunity to present at the event. His talk was centered on utility locating for large-scale projects. Enhanced Scanning has quite a bit of experience on projects that involve scanning many acres, and our team has developed some methods to help streamline the process, while still providing our clients with reliable results. Forrest went over some of our methods, as well as the equipment we use on large projects. He also emphasized that utility locators can’t get locked into one way of doing things. Some projects that are exceptionally large or that have difficult terrain require utility locators to think outside the box or partner with other locators (like Enhanced Scanning) who have the capabilities to take on more complex projects.
Overall, the event was well worth attending! Events like these do so much to keep the industry moving in positive directions. Forrest was able to make some great new connections with other utility locators, trainers, equipment manufacturers, and industry thought leaders. He was grateful to be able to share his expertise with others and provide tips and ideas that will hopefully help them become more efficient in their work.
If you were at the event and you didn’t get a chance to connect with Forrest, he would love to hear from you. You can reach him through our online form, or through his LinkedIn profile.