Associated Utility Contractors Fishing Tournament Raises Safety Awareness
Usually, Gaines and Company’s Associated Utility Contractors of Maryland (AUC) members congregate in a board room for their monthly meetings. But in the early morning hours of May 1st, they’re on a boat near Kent Island Maryland, taking part in the organization’s 18th annual fishing tournament.
“Our yearly fishing tournament is a wonderful time to get together with other members of the AUC, and to simply relax,” reads the AUC events page.
Among the Gaines and Company AUC member participants were Myrt Gaines, VP, David Gaines, VP, and Dominic Pope, Safety Director.
While this friendly competition brings members together once a year to angle for the biggest fish cash prize, it also raises statewide awareness for underground utility safety. “At some point we might all be bidding on the same job,” says Pope, “but when it comes to the safety of our employees and the public, we are unified.”
The primary purpose of the AUC is to track changes in OSHA standards and learn anything new that’s popping up in the industry. “We discuss safety issues, potential laws, anything that’s changing with our type of work,” Pope says. The AUC also has in-house legal representation, a lawyer who lobbies to enact legislation beneficial to workers in the underground utilities industry.
Sometimes vendors will attend meetings to talk about changes in existing products, such as new pipe materials.
“They will explain what the new pipe does, the reason they’re switching over to it and the type of materials we’re allowed to use — those kinds of things,” Pope says.
AUC members are one of two categories, either contractor or associate. It boasts a network of almost 60 members from different regions of Maryland that gather nine times a year to share information.
“Fifty sets of ears are hearing different things and bringing it to one meeting for members to discuss and be aware of,” says Pope “That’s the big benefit of it.”
Gaines and Company, a leading underground utility contractor with headquarters in Maryland, and an office in North Carolina has been involved with the AUC since its inception in 1950. W.L. Gaines Sr., Gaines and Company’s founder, joined as an AUC member in 1954. Lee and Myrt Gaines have both served as past AUC presidents. Keith Eagle, Gaines and Company Project Manager is the current AUC VP.
Visit the AUC page for member eligibility and additional events throughout the year.
Gaines and Company is an ENR top-rated turnkey site development company with excavation, storm water management, paving, road work and underground utility services in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C. and Delaware.
