Remote field operations present the safety organization with a myriad of challenges when it comes to ensuring the safety of the people that you send out to work in the field every day. Without a doubt, this includes the line workers, but it also includes nearly every member of the staff whose duties are performed outside of the controlled confines of your facilities. Certainly, many of the hazards are identifiable and risk mitigation procedures and...
How technology is changing testing and performance monitoring BY AARON RUDGER, Keynote North American electric utilities are experiencing a rapid shift to a mobile- first environment. Numerous research firms are confirming that the sale of smartphones and tablets has overtaken personal computers....
Many fleet executives working at electric utilities have doubts about implementing global positioning system (GPS) tracking technology into their fleet operations. A number of doubts exist. For example, GPS technologies are designed to track a vehicle’s whereabouts; this can lead to trust issues...
How managers and field technicians can benefit from global positioning BY RYAN DRISCOLL, GPS Insight The global positioning system (GPS) was originally designed for the U.S. military so that soldiers could easily find their objectives and to coordinate troop and supply movement. Now, the...
Valuable information from managers and directors BY PHILL FELTHAM, Executive Editor Electricity Today Magazine Electric utilities are facing operational cutbacks and lower budgets due to the recent economic downturn. However, many of these same utilities are taking a fresh approach to maintaining...
Remote field operations present the safety organization with a myriad of challenges when it comes to ensuring the safety of the people that you send out to work in the field every day. Without a doubt, this includes the line workers, but it also includes nearly every member of the staff whose...
In reports analyzing the response of power utilities to incidents such as Hurricane Sandy, or the more recent ice storms on the east coast, one item has been remarkably consistent—the conclusion that communication requires improvements. The concern is not hard to fathom. Knowing accurately when...
Fleet managers working at electric utilities know that for crews to be successful on any jobsite, they need to have access to tools that will help them work safer, smarter, more efficiently and more profitably. In the electric utility industry, a utility truck, whether an aerial device, such as a...
Many fleet executives working at electric utilities have doubts about implementing global positioning system (GPS) tracking technology into their fleet operations. A number of doubts exist. For example, GPS technologies are designed to track a vehicle’s whereabouts; this can lead to trust issues...
Integrating GPS tracking software to improve business operations BY JENNY MALCOLM, GPS Insight Software integration, the process of combining individual computing systems into a unified whole is important to electric and utility companies because it provides the full picture into all fleet...
Field data management: The value and challenge of asset health insight BY PAUL BARNETT, JOHN STEWART, Tennessee Valley Authority & PAT BROWN, Electric Power Research Institute Intelligent management and operation of assets is of major importance to electric utilities. In an era where assets are...
