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What do two clipped fibre optic cables have in common with a $77 million disaster? More than you think.

Mike Sullivan recounts a personal travel nightmare that snowballed into a hard-hitting reflection on the staggering societal costs of utility damage.

What began as a delayed flight turned into an eye-opening experience involving 1,800 disrupted flights, 235,000 stranded passengers, and millions in lost productivity, business, and environmental damage—all traced back to a simple infrastructure mishap.

Mike breaks down the direct and indirect costs of such incidents, explores the gaps in utility protection and reporting laws, and emphasizes the critical importance of submitting locate requests.

Listen for:

1:05 How Did a Travel Delay Reveal a Bigger Safety Issue?

4:13 How Does Buried Utility Damage Impact Society at Large?

08:27 What Does $77 Million in Damage Look Like in Real Life?

17:29 Why Do Airlines Operate on Razor-Thin Profit Margins?

25:08 Can Repeat Offenders in Utility Damage Be Held Accountable?

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What if one simple change could slash utility damages to near zero?

Mike Sullivan brings together a powerhouse panel from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to celebrate and dissect the incredible first year of the Alternate Locate Provider (ALP) program.

With only two reported damages out of over 30,000 ALP locates, this initiative is rewriting the rules of damage prevention.

Industry leaders—including Jamie Andersen, Iain Stables, Lance Norman, Wayne Jensen, and Ron Peterson share insights on how ALP is driving efficiency, improving safety, and changing the landscape of utility locating.

From enhanced collaboration to future scalability, this episode offers a blueprint for transforming infrastructure safety practices.

Listen For:

11:28 Why the ALP Had to Happen
16:15 Game-Changer for the Digging Community
20:44 Why This Could Go Global
53:34 Confronting the Controversy
59:21 The Future of ALP and Utility Safety

Guests:

WAYNE JENSEN

Website | Sign Up Page

IAIN STABLES

Email | Iain’s LinkedIn | Website | ATCO LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

JAMIE ANDERSEN

LinkedIn | Website| Facebook

LANCE NORMAN

LinkedIn | Website| Facebook | Instagram

RON PETERSON

LinkedIn | Website

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What does it take to turn unimaginable tragedy into a global movement for safety?

Mike Sullivan sits down with Carl Weimer, former executive director and current advisor to the Pipeline Safety Trust, to revisit the devastating 1999 pipeline explosion in Bellingham, Washington.

Carl shares his unlikely journey from environmental nonprofit leader to one of the most influential safety advocates in the pipeline industry.

Together, they explore the ripple effects of that tragic day, the formation of the Pipeline Safety Trust, the evolution of public engagement, and the ongoing challenges in pipeline safety across North America.

It’s a powerful conversation about accountability, transformation, and the lives behind the headlines.

Listen For:

2:03 - Unlikely Advocate

7:03 - The Day Bellingham Exploded

18:47 - $4 Million and a Mission

33:10 - Pushing Industry to Be Better

55:27 - Where Do We Go From Here?

Connect with guest Carl Weimer

LinkedIn | Pipeline Safety Trust

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