Being able to locate any part of North Queensland is paradise says Russell Fry, Managing Director at Groundvac.
“We’ve got so many beaches. It’s my favourite place to work. Although, I get very conflicted about being at work when the weather is excellent for fishing,” said Russell.
Unfortunately, not all locations are quite so paradisaical. Sometimes Russell and his team have to locate live water lines where they can get thoroughly drenched trying to sonde or get a traceable rod into position.
Despite some of the environmental challenges, Russell loves being a locator.
“I enjoy the problem solving and using the variety of techniques required to achieve as much certainty as possible. I also like to see how accurate we are – we use our vac trucks to then do the physical locate to check.
Safety is also a very important aspect of our job. If you don’t work safely – nothing else matters,” said Russell.
Russell has been a locator for two years and recently took the next step to become a Certified Locator. He saw this an opportunity to not only expand the range of services the business offers but to also provide a more comprehensive range.
In preparing for the certification process, Russell said the most challenging part was the idea of doing the assessment.
“While preparing for an assessment can be daunting, if you put in the effort and follow the procedure, you’ll be fine,” said Russell.
Russell’s other tip for locators interested in becoming certified is to get experience.
“Practical experience is a must, there is no substitute,” said Russell.
Congratulations Russell on becoming a Certified Locator. With as little as 860 Certified Locators across Australia, 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.
Find out more about becoming a Certified Locator here.
To contact a Certified Locator for your next project search here.
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