Digging Deep: An OKIE811 Podcast

This week Senior Education & Outreach Liaison M.G. Govia sits down with our newest teammate, Luis Rendón, to cover: Luis’s first 75 days & his debut 811 webinar (in English and Spanish) A practical walk-through of the 5 Steps to Safe Digging Behind-the-scenes prep for upcoming Safety Days in Altus and beyond Thunder playoff buzz, OU softball magic, and why Oklahoma sports are thriving The...

Join host MG Govia and new bilingual co-host Luis Renon as they reflect on Luis’s first ever safety presentation, live lessons from Safety Days, what it means to present in a second language, and the importance of real-life examples in excavation safety. They cover everything from white lining basics to trenching dangers, emergency response tips, and how even a Thunder game delay can turn into a t...

I had a great conversation with Louis Panzer, Executive Director of North Carolina 811, on the latest episode of Digging Deep! We dove into the topic of Imposter Syndrome—how it shows up in the Damage Prevention industry and leadership roles, and why acknowledging it can make us stronger leaders and teammates. Excited to share this important and often overlooked discussion. Give it a listen and le...

In this episode of "Safety Scoops," we explore the critical role of soil mechanics in excavation safety. We delve into the importance of understanding soil properties and classification systems, such as the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) classification. The episode covers essential soil properties—cohesi...

Join us as M.G. and Kelly, the Communications Director for the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), delve into the world of damage prevention and safety in the excavation industry. In this episode, we explore the evolution of the 811 system, the history and growth of CGA, and the critical role of technology and data in improving excavation practices. Discover the innovative strategies CGA is employing to...

Excavation work is really important for many construction projects, like building foundations and putting in utility lines. However, there are many hidden dangers underground that could threaten the safety of workers and the project if they are not properly identified and addressed. This is why it is crucial to thoroughly assess the site before starting any excavation work.

In the debut episode of "Safety Scoops," delve into the crucial topic of trench collapses. Learn about the inherent risks, safety measures, and real-life case studies that underscore the importance of prioritizing safety in excavation projects. Join us as we dig deep into the essential knowledge needed to ensure every excavation is a safe one.

Join us for a conversation with the OKIE811 Education and Outreach Department. Become a partner with OKIE811 in damage prevention events! Learn how to stay connected with the latest damage prevention news and happenings

For this episode, we take a look at imposter syndrome, how it can affect our work, and ways to overcome it to support safety when on the job

In this episode of Digging Deep, we sit down with the leadership team of OKIE811 and talk about some of the accomplishments of the last year and some exciting new projects we have coming up. You won't want to miss out!

We all know the importance of 811 to have facility operators locate and mark underground assets that are near excavation. Often times, there are also private lines at the worksite that also needs protected like sprinklers, propane and additional service runs of water, electricity, gas. Jordan Partlow, with Blood Hound, shares why it is important to make a second call after 811 for private line loc...

Chris Stovall is President & CEO of Texas811, as well as Co-founder & CEO of Line-Scape. Chris shares his thoughts on the damage prevention industry and highlights some exciting technology for the future of damage prevention. Check out this episode to learn about how this new technology could impact your next project. You can reach Chris at Chrisstovall@line-scape.com

In this special episode of Digging Deep, we take a look at one of our recent webinars that covers the importance of the difference between Remark vs Extend Update tickets.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In this podcast, M.G. and Jamie Jones, LPC discuss the importance of mental health awareness and safety in the workplace. They highlight the impact of work-related stress on employees' mental and physical health and suggest strategies that companies can use to address mental health in their workplace. The experts emphasize the importance of creating a culture...

In this episode of Digging Deep we sit down with OKIE811 Education & Outreach Coordinator Stephen Shenold to discuss the various upcoming education opportunities and how you can be involved. You won't want to miss this so I hope you will join us.

Mike Sullivan joins us to discuss the history of Utility Safety Partners. They are the communication service between the digging community and the owners of infrastructure in Alberta, Canada. Over 90% of all locate requests made through USP are done online. Mike shares the reasoning of online tickets and how they are safer and more efficient for the damage prevention process.

This month's guest is Allissa Sims with Kimbel Mechanical Systems. Alissa sheds some light on what excavators can do to ensure safety and damage prevention during their jobs. Our discussion covers the importance of communication on jobsites with other stakeholders and what to do if damages do occur. It was a great discussion and we are thankful of Kimbel knowing the importance of 811.

CGA Hall of Famer, Tracey Bryant of CenterPoint Energy joins us to talk about the evolution of damage prevention and the role of 811 centers.

NuStar Energy's Keely Hosmann joins us to talk about our partnership in damage prevention. Keely is the One Call Coordinator for NuStar. We discuss the importance of 811 and how facility operators work with OKIE811 to promote safe digging and damage prevention.

We had a great discussion with the guys of  Cross Timbers Brewing Co.  They are the brewers behind OKIE811's beer this year! In this episode we talk about our partnership, and how using beer to market 811 to the general public works.

Texas 811 and OKIE811 discuss damage prevention efforts in our states and how we work together to keep excavators safe.

In this episode, we are joined by Tyler Dunlap and Renelle Freeman as we discuss the culture and benefits of working for OKIE811 as well as highlight some current opportunities

April is National Safe Digging Month. Shane Palmer with USIC talks about the importance of 811 and how the locating industry works.