Some of you may know 390...

**390** · January 31st, 2009, 03:09 PM

Hi all of you folks doing the duty these days, that includes you folks doing the real duty in far away dangerous places. Some of you old timers may know my call name from a time long ago. After a long and sometimes turbulent tenure in the industry, I am now able to take it a little easier, but am still not bored and am doing lots of constructive stuff. Where I am in Germany, there isn't much for locating marks, as far as I can tell, the German way of being highly organized means that when URD construction takes place, they pretty much know where things are. If not, well let's just say that I have seen some splices in the trenches. No major outages or people getting hurt, so far. I still don't know where the locating industry in America is going, or where it will end up, of course. But, from the perspective of the European worker, I would say that what I had, and still do, believe is true. Namely that the work that Locators do, whether in the USA or Europe, or wherever, is worth a lot more than what Locators in the States are being paid. And, assuming that management may be reading this at some point, I would say to them, you need to find a way to get more money to the people in the field. (And more people in the field as well.) In my humble opinion, the days are numbered where things can continue as they are now. Maybe the person who posted regarding Obama being elected was right: there will be lots of money dumped into infrastucture rebuilidng, etc., and that the locating industry will benefit mightily from that, one can only hope. OK, I will get off my soapbox, hi to you all, I will see how often I can check in; be safe.

**yahoo** · January 31st, 2009, 03:48 PM

again........welcome back to the vine 390!!! post often to your fellow locaters!!!!

**beyond help** · January 31st, 2009, 05:28 PM

Welcome from us across the pond.

**Wingfoot** · February 1st, 2009, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by 390

Some of you old timers may know me from a time long ago. The work that Locators do is worth a lot more than what Locators are being paid. Management, you need to find a way to get more money to the people in the field. In my humble opinion, there will be lots of money dumped into infrastructure rebuilding, one can only hope.

Hmmmmmmmm. Sounds like you may be for a little more justice for the American locator. I wish you well.

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**headcipher** · February 2nd, 2009, 12:39 AM

Welcome! It's good to hear from someone who lives accross the pond.

I was wondering if what someone told me was true:
Is there locators for facility owners or are contractors responsible for locating thier own jobs?

**390** · February 2nd, 2009, 01:20 AM

I don't know what the specifics are, but my impression is that each facillity owner locates, or tells the contractor, where the facility is, that is if they are aware someone is digging. No One Call System that I know of. I think too that they hand dig a lot to get past the utility depth zone. Also, for example, there are lots of post placements with measurements as to where the facility is. (www.locatec.de shows what my be a coming thing here, looks like contract locating sort of, but on this site they are looking to sell franchises.) Also as I said, things are buried in a more orderly way, and much can be found under the walkway, bike trail, etc. Also lots of caution tape over the facillity. That's the way it goes around here, and they take their time, = less damages.