Page 16 - Mississippi 811 Magazine 2020 Issue 3

Bert Pickard on the Purpose
of the AVR
wanting to “get anyone in trouble,” but bringing understanding to the process will hopefully alleviate some of the uncertainties about a system that has been put into place for the purpose of preventing disasters.
Bert explains, “AVR is an acronym that stands for ‘Alleged Violation Report.’ What it does is give any stakeholder the ability to identify (in his opinion) someone who has or is violating Mississippi’s dig law. Remember, a damage does NOT have to occur in
Bert Pickard
MS811 Damage Prevention Coordinator South Region
order to submit an AVR. It is designed to identify someone who is violating the law as opposed to someone who has damaged a utility. Remember, you can have a damage without a violation, and you can have a violation without a damage. The AVR gives the stakeholder the opportunity to let the Damage Prevention Board work for them to prevent future violations.”
There are many reasons one may
feel hesitant to file an AVR. They
may have worked with the individual committing the violation and it feels disloyal; they may sympathize because of the workloads everybody has in the
MS811’s newest Damage Prevention Coordinator, Bert Pickard, brings years of expertise with him
as he represents the southern part
of the state. “My goal is to apply my background experience with utility operators and contractors and to be an asset to the MS811 team,” says Bert who retired this past January from the Cable TV industry after 37 years. His background experience includes aerial and underground construction from new build, cable replacement, to locating and repairing damaged UG cables. He has supervised Service and Installation departments, promoted Damage Prevention, handled Damage Investigation Claims, Billing, and Collections.
Bert’s passion for safety and damage prevention spans back to his time in the Cable TV industry:
In 1999, the Mississippi One Call Center, as it was known prior to MS811, had radio and TV spots (Public Service Announcements) running throughout Mississippi reminding the public to
call before digging. At that time, our service dept was repairing many cut cables from homeowners gardening
and planting trees. Most of these homeowners were still unaware to call before digging. In addition to the One Call Center PSAs, I initiated a campaign with our local cable advertising department, and we created 4 PSAs/
TV Spots within a five-year period instructing our customers to call before digging. I guess you could say that
I indirectly started with MS811 back
in 1999 (21 years ago) promoting Safe Digging.
Bert’s enthusiasm and dedication made him a perfect candidate for the MS811 Board. And now his work and board experience are invaluable as he seeks to educate stakeholders about AVRs in his new position.
Some stakeholders have not heard
of an AVR and those who have are sometimes hesitant to report them, not
By Melissa Hancock 811 Magazines
field; politics can play a role as well as company policy or “internal rules” forbidding the submission of an AVR.
“We have heard that some fear the table will be turned on them as the result of turning someone in,” says Bert. “What we must do is overcome the culture of not having a process for enforcing the dig law. It is about accountability and to not submit an AVR when someone
is clearly in violation is not very accountable. It is likely that stakeholder will continue to violate the law until a disaster occurs. And perhaps it could have all been prevented if we had held ourselves accountable and submitted the AVR each time a violation occurred.”
It is important to remember that
this process is in place to ensure accountability among the stakeholders. The Damage Prevention Board plays
a pivotal role in doing this. “Basically, the function of the Damage Prevention Board is to ensure that enforcement
is fair and effective. To do that,
they’ve been given the responsibility
to establish rules by which the enforcement process must follow. One of the rules that is very important to understand when filing an AVR is that it must be accompanied by documentation that verifies the alleged violation. Without supporting documentation, the board cannot act upon the AVR. The Damage Prevention Board focuses on enforcing the state’s dig law...period.
It is given the role of establishing
rules and processes to ensure that the enforcement is both fair and effective.”
In keeping with the mission of MS811, ultimately it comes down to safety. Bert Pickard has not only spent a lifetime focusing on just that but in retirement has joined MS811 in the furthering of that purpose. “I am honored to be part of an outstanding organization that works together to proactively make the state of Mississippi a safer place to live and work.”
To learn more about the function of the board, you can go to www. msdamageprevention.com.
14 • Mississippi 811 2020, Issue 3