The Council for Dredging and Marine Construction Safety (CDMCS) recently held its quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C., with an excellent turnout from both the dredging industry and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dredging Contractors of America said in its release.
According to the official announcement, the agenda was dynamic and forward leaning, addressing hot topics with a variety of key stakeholders, including the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the National Safety Council (NSC), the American Waterways Operators (AWO), and Texas Water Infrastructure Network.
CDMCS Co-Chair Devon Carlock was enthusiastic about the progress the group is making and thanked Michael Gerhardt, CDMCS Treasurer and Dredging Contractors of America Assistant Executive Director, for locking-in the keynote speakers and promoting the council at key industry meetings around the country.
Mr. Carlock said: “ CDMCS is entering 2018 on an aggressive growth trajectory, leveraging its self-produced, professional hand safety awareness video; its modern, rebranded website replete with critical safety resources, and new key partnerships with federal agencies, national safety organizations, and leading manufacturers of safety equipment.”
USACE Shifts from Compliance to Risk Management
Mark Atkins, USACE HQ Chief of Safety, stressed USACE’s senior-level support for the CDMCS and was pleased to announce that USACE is shifting its safety approach from compliance to risk management.
The CDMCS and dredging industry were enthusiastic to learn of this shift in safety culture at USACE. Atkins also said that USACE will publish a guide that will help contractors know how to get their APP’s approved more universally and consistently.
Tiffany Burroughs, USACE HQ Coastal Program Manager, discussed USACE actions on the submerged utilities/pipelines issue.
USACE’s Pipeline Location Observation Verification Enterprise Repository (PLOVER) is not active yet, for USACE is still working to resolve potential regulatory ramifications, legal issues and national security concerns.
Perry Fowler of the Fowler Group Texas and the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, spoke on the importance of improving utility locations and agreed to partner with the CDMCS on this issue. Coastal and Marine Operators (CAMO) has agreed to speak at the next CDMCS quarterly meeting on May 16.