Safety is key in the drilling business, according to Benjamin Wright, safety director at Dig-It Inc., a telecommunications, power and utility contractor that specializes in horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and foundation drilling.
“I tell new guys all the time when they come in here that this is a dangerous job. You’re working around live utilities. You’ve got environmental hazards in terms of cold weather, hot weather, wildlife, plant life, poison ivy, traffic hazards, all sorts of stuff,” Wright says. “If you can’t keep your guys safe, there’s no point in doing any of this.”