With five years of locating experience under his belt Aaron Soetens, from Dynamic Hydro Excavations, decided to go to the next level and become a Certified Locator.
“With locating I’m always learning something new. So, it made sense to take the next step and get that formal recognition.”
“With the support of my workplace I’m now part of our industry’s effort to promote locating best practice and set myself apart from DIY locators,” explains Aaron.
One of the best things Aaron enjoys about locating is also one of his most challenging – and that’s distortion caused by multiple underground services.
“When there’s banks of conduits criss-crossing over each other’s path, it causes interference and overcoming that makes for a more challenging locate. But then that’s part of the problem-solving aspect that I enjoy about mapping services,” said Aaron.
“The job also takes me to some really cool and interesting places like old building sites, huge warehouses and even the odd adventure to a subtropical island,” said Aaron.
The job also has its moments. One of those was coming face-to-face with a brown snake when working in a pit. Knowing his own limits, Aaron called on the services of a snake catcher to ‘relocate’ the curious critter.
While taking care of personal safety is a priority, so too is contributing to workplace safety and making sure any locate job is carried out with care and attention to detail.
“For me it’s not just about the satisfaction of doing the job right, it’s also about keeping my workmates safe so they also get home safe. Delivering safe and best locating practice is a priority for us,” said Aaron.
When asked about any tips for others interested in locating or becoming certified, Aaron says the more training the better – and recommends obtaining certification to help cut out the cowboys in the industry.
Congratulations Aaron on becoming a Certified Locator. You’re now part of a unique group recognised for applying a high-level of locating skills and knowledge to help protect Australia’s utility network from damage and contribute to a safer workplace and community.
If you’re interested in connecting with Aaron, feel free to reach out:
Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn.
Find out more about becoming a Certified Locator here.
To contact a Certified Locator for your next project search here.