Traffic Management
“÷us’ – Utility Services has started their own traffic management group to deliver safety and convenience for its clients, workforce and the public.
A fully equipped fleet of vehicles with the latest solar powered “C” class arrow boards utilise computer generated Traffic Management Plans for the relevant authorities and clients. Accredited traffic controllers produce qualified performance, backed up by their management team with 18 years experience in the industry.
Burst-Aid
Burst-Aid is an easy to assemble, lightweight filter bag system to address dewatering issues when discharging into gutters that lead into stormwater drainage networks.
The Burst-Aid has two filter bag mediums on the frame, an inner coarse mesh bag and an outer finer mesh bag. After the repairs and pumping operations are completed the sediments can be emptied into the excavation or onto the truck for disposal.
Burst-Aid reduces the many issues associated with the dewatering of excavations straight into gutters that lead into storm water drains and creeks. Burst-Aid minimises additional silts entering the waterways and is an approved apparatus by the EPA for these activities.
Easy lift lids and safety grates
“÷us’ – Utility Services is improving work safe practices by installing easy lift lids and safety grates on water and sewer valve pits across South East Water’s operating network. Existing concrete lids can place enormous strain on the body and expose employees to potential back injuries. Once lids are removed from pits they can also become a serious tripping hazard.
The new generation manhole lid is designed to be lightweight, ensuring minimal stress is placed on the body, especially the back. The lid is spring-loaded, allowing the handler to open it with ease. To prevent falls into sewers and water pits, and to comply with new legislative requirements relating to falls from heights, “÷us’ – Utility Services has also installed stainless steel safety grates designed to sit beneath the lid. This gives additional safety for both our employees and other services that require access.
The grates are designed to allow pumps and other items to be raised or lowered into the manhole while they are safely in place. The grates also open upward for wider access.
The Easy Lift Lid and Safety Grate have a wide application and should be of interest to councils, industrial customers, metropolitan and regional water businesses alike.
Out of hours call answering services
“÷us’ – Utility Services operates for South East Water an in-house 24-hour, 7 day a week telephone call centre that provides rapid and reliable responses to 550,000 properties for water and sewerage service issues.
Since the formation of South East Water in 1995, there has been an overall reduction in emergency system issues, particularly during out-of-hours periods. Accordingly, “÷us’ is now able to offer telephone call answering services to other authorities and companies. This service is currently provided to a large metropolitan municipality, several rural water authorities, and an Australia wide Commonwealth department. All of these organisations have been very pleased with the level of service provided by “÷us’.
A group of experienced telephone operators has been trained to provide high levels of customer service for a wide range of customers in often challenging situations. The Call Centre also provides SCADA monitoring and an alarm analysis service for the South East Water service area as well as for the other businesses.
Confined space awareness
There is always a risk that procedures are not being followed or adhered to. We all have to build up a greater acceptance and awareness about safety. It has to start with our fellow workers, contractors who are on the job and access sites. Owning and exercising awareness is more effective than rules and regulations.
South East Water together with their alliance business, “÷us’ – Utility Services have created a first set of flyers and posters to share, communicate and emphasise our responsibility for each other. We all want to return home after a good days work to our loved ones and if only one incident can be prevented because of this campaign and information, “÷us’ say they have had a 100 per cent success rate.