Page 11 - Texas

Atmos Energy Committed to Safety and Damage Prevention
At Atmos Energy, safety is our highest priority, informing how we work with each other, interact with our customers, and operate more than 79,000 miles
of natural gas pipelines in the 1,400 communities we are honored to serve. In response to third-party excavation damage that continues to be a primary risk to the safety of our system and communities, we champion damage prevention year-round by promoting safe digging information to our customers, communities, and excavators, educating them on the importance of contacting 811.
This year on Aug. 11, better known as 811 Day, we amplified our safe digging message by introducing a new award – The Gold Cup of Safe Digging – which was presented to contractors, municipalities, and other third-
party excavators that demonstrate a commitment to meet the gold standard of safe digging practices and procedures in the communities we serve.
“Natural gas safety is a partnership, and this award is an outstanding way to recognize those community partners who share our conviction that the safety of our customers, employees, and communities is the highest priority,” said Kelly Biegler, Atmos Energy
vice president of public affairs. “We congratulate the winners of this year’s award and look forward to making this an annual event in the years to come.”
The common theme among the companies selected for this award is the emphasis they place on safety. It is safe digging practitioners like Texas’ Bell Contractors, Silas White Construction, Ace Fence, Standard Utility Construction, Driver Pipeline Company, Standard Utility Construction, Mid-Plains Rural Telephone, AW Broadband, J Tucker Construction, and Saunders Construction, to name a few, that help prevent third-party damage our system and all utility lines. Overall, Atmos Energy awarded 29 Gold Cups of Safe Digging throughout its enterprise in 2024, celebrating the safe digging of excavators in our communities.
Atmos Energy also conducted an internal Damage Prevention Ambassador Contest to inspire
employees to spread our safe digging message among homeowners, professional excavators, and the broader public. Throughout the month of August, employees who performed
and then fully documented a damage prevention ambassador stop were entered into a random drawing for
a weekly prize. A grand prize was also awarded at the end of the month to the employee from each Atmos Energy division with the most stops. These ambassador stops provided
us with another great tool to actively monitor our system, engage the public in a conversation about safe digging practices, and help us further achieve our vision of being the safest provider of natural gas services. Nearly 1,000 Atmos Energy employees participated in the contest and made stops at over 11,200 excavation sites.
It has been said that you celebrate
what you value. In 2024, Atmos Energy worked 2.6 million line locates – over half a million more than in 2023. At Atmos Energy, the Damage Prevention Ambassador Contest and Gold Cup
of Safe Digging trophies are ways to celebrate what we highly value: safety. Our commitment to safety excellence is vital to pursuing our vision of being the safest provider of natural gas services. In August, we displayed our passion for safety by hosting events that educated stakeholders about the importance
of safe digging, recognized those who upheld the standard, and inspired others to follow suit. While 811 Day has come and gone, our commitment to safety and damage prevention is year- round.
2024, Issue 4
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