Hand hygiene is an easy, affordable, and effective way to prevent the spread of germs and keep employees healthy. Promoting clean hands within your workforce—whether your employees work in a classroom, in a retail store, in an office, at home, or any other setting—can improve the health of your employees, customers, workplace, and even your community.
 
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/handwashing-corporate.html​

If you’re planning to wish your customers “happy holidays” – whether in a utility bill, on social media, or on poster you display in your office – and aren’t sure what to write, here are 50 ideas that Shutterfly.com has come up with.
 

• We wish you a very Happy Holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
• Wishing you a Happy Holiday and a joyful New Year. Best wishes from your friends at [utility name].
• Happy Holidays and warm wishes for the New Year!
• Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.
• Happy Holidays from everyone at [utility name]. We hope your holidays will be filled with joy and laughter through the New Year.
• Season’s greetings from the entire crew at [utility name].
• Wishing you a joyous holiday season with peace & cheer in the New Year.
• Wishing you all the best in the New Year.
• Wishing you great success in the year to come.
• Cheers to the New Year! Wishing you a Happy Holiday season from the team at [utility name].
• Season’s greetings from the very merry team at [utility name].
• We wish you joy and peace in the upcoming year.
• Wishing you all the joys of the season and happiness throughout the coming year.
• We are so grateful to have customers like you in our lives. Happy New Year from [utility name].
• May you have a spectacular New Year!
• Wishing you a season of joy and looking forward to continued success this year.
• Wishing you a bright New Year from your friends at [utility name].
• Wishing you a Happy New Year! We hope it’s your best year ever.
• May this good cheer last throughout the year.
• We appreciate your business and wish you the best in the coming year.
• May the holiday spirit be with you and your family today and throughout the New Year.
• We’re so glad to have you as a client and look forward to serving you in the future.

Mark your calendars for the 2022 IAMU Electric Superintendent and Foreman’s Meeting.  The workshop is scheduled for January 12 – 14, 2022, at Prairie Meadows - The Meadows Events Center in Altoona, Iowa.  This workshop is specifically designed to cover topics of interest to electric superintendents and foremen.
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Also returning is the Product Show & Reception.  Come socialize with fellow utility personnel and meet with exhibitors to see their latest products, technology, and services.

Hotel Information

Prairie Meadows is the designated hotel for accommodations at this upcoming meeting.  Please mention the Group Code - “01122022IAMU” and Password – “863000102” when booking.

The room rate is $111+tax per night.  Book early!  Reservation block deadline is December 13, 2021.

Prairie Meadows
1 Prairie Meadows Dr
Altoona, IA  50009
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To make reservations, please use this LINK

Registration & Cost
IAMU Members - $425
Non-Members - $480

Registration is open.  The registration deadline for the meeting is January 5, 2022.  For additional information in regards to the meeting, including full agenda and registration, please click HERE.
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For questions about the workshop, please contact Jared Masker, IAMU Director of Electric Services at (800) 810-4268 or jmasker@iamu.org.

The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities will be holding mobile crane certification and examination classes for digger derrick, service truck, and mobile crane operators.  OSHA’s updated crane standard REQUIRES that operators of lifting equipment be trained, evaluated and tested in order to obtain certification.

Background Information:
Although the new standard, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, specifically exempts the digger derrick and the operator from meeting the requirements of the standard, the exemption applies only when it is used for work within the provisions of the power generation, transmission and distribution standards, or for construction work within the telecommunications standard.  The exemption does not apply if the digger derrick is used for lifting materials or to operate in working environments outside the scope of the standard because the equipment is essentially being used as a mobile crane.  For example, unloading materials from a truck, lifting a motor from a pump house to assist your water department, or providing assistance to any other city department will mean that the exemption no longer applies.  When equipment is used as a mobile crane, all provisions of the standard apply, including the operator certification rule.  OSHA also now requires that an operator be certified in specific areas when they operate equipment outfitted with a boom and winch and able to lift at least 2,000 pounds.  This includes service trucks in your public works, or water departments.

The new standard has very specific operator requirements, one being to obtain operator certification from an independent testing organization accredited by a nationally recognized organization.  OSHA’s updated crane standard, 1926.1427 in Subpart CC, requires that for a testing organization to be considered accredited to certify operators, it must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency based on that agency’s determination that industry recognized criteria for written testing materials, practical examinations, test administration, grading, facilities/equipment and personnel have been met.  IAMU is an Accredited Assessment Center through theNational Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER). We areauthorized to conduct both hands-on assessments and practical examinations which are part of our Mobile Crane Operator Certification Program.  Additionally, we are offering Qualified Hand Signal Person and Qualified Rigger programs (available at a future date).

Who Should Attend:
Digger derrick and service truck crane operators who do not currently hold a mobile crane operator’s certification.

What Do These Classes and Certification Consist Of:
Classes will be a week long, requiring classroom instruction, an on-line exam that has a 80% pass requirement, a practical exam for certification of mobile crane, and then finally a short class and practical exam for the signalperson and rigging qualifications. Students who pass the written and practical exams receive nationally recognized certification from the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER).

Where Do These Classes Take Place:
IAMU Training and Office Complex
1735 NE 70th Avenue
Ankeny, IA  50021

When Will Classes Be Held:
Dates have been scheduled for 2022 at the IAMU complex.  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates.

January 24th - 28th
February 21st - 25th
April 25th - 29th (Registration coming soon)
May 31st - June 2nd (Re-Certified class) (Registration coming soon)
June 20th - 24th (Registration coming soon)
August 22nd - 26th (Registration coming soon)
September 27th - 29th (Re-Certified class) (Registration coming soon)
October 25th - 27th (Registration coming soon)
December 13th - 15th (Re-Certified class) (Registration coming soon)

Mobile Crane Operator Certification/Examination Class Schedule:
 
Monday
9:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Classroom

Tuesday
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Classroom

Wednesday
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Classroom/Exams

Thursday
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Practical Exams

Friday (if needed)
8:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Retake Exams
Class/Exam
Examination retakes are $100 and may be taken during any scheduled exam date.

Additional Notes:

• There is a maximum of 8 participants per class session.
• Lunch will be provided Monday through Thursday.
• All participants will attend classroom days. Exams will take place on the Thursday of each class session. Depending on the number of participants, Wednesday evening and Friday may also be used for exams.
• Each participant will need to create an account with NCCER before class; step-by-step instructions are included with the study guide.  Please bring your account number with you to class.

For additional information about the classes and online registration for each event, click HERE .
Questions?

​If you have any questions in regards to the classes, or requirements, please contact:
​
Margret Meade, IAMU Safety Outreach Coordinator (mmeade@iamu.org )
Phone:  (800) 810-4268

Time: Wednesday, December 8, 2021 | 1:00 - 2:00 PM CST
 
This one-hour webinar will introduce the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s new Energy Savings and Impacts Scenario Tool (ESIST) to be launched the same day. ESIST is a customizable and transparent Excel-based planning tool for analyzing the energy savings and costs from energy efficiency programs and their impacts on emissions, public health, and equity. Users can generate energy efficiency scenarios from 2010–2040 at different geographical resolutions, ranging from national- or state-level analysis to different customer sectors within specific utilities.
 
ESIST enables users to develop scenarios and estimate the multiple benefits of electric customer-funded energy efficiency investments–including avoided emissions, public health benefits, peak demand impacts, and energy burden reductions–and review customer demographic data.
 
ESIST is a scenario planning tool that balances complexity and relative ease of use, combining several publicly available and peer-reviewed data sets. Users can customize data assumptions or use default values. During this webinar, EPA will provide an overview of the tool, describe use cases, and a perform a demonstration for users.
 
Speakers:
• Maggie Molina, EPA’s State and Local Climate and Energy Program
• Cassandra Kubes, EPA’s State and Local Climate and Energy Program
• Patrick Knight, Synapse Energy Economics
 
Registration Link​

So, your utility has a Facebook page, now what? If you struggle to come up with post items for your page, here are some ideas to get you started:
 

• Posts showing your utility’s culture: A culture post is an image or article showcasing what your utility is all about. Think behind-the-scenes image of your employees doing something, or an article about how your utility does something a certain way.
• Question posts: Get your audience talking and engaging by asking a question. For example, you could ask, “When is the last time you changed your furnace filter?” that would always serve as a reminder to change a furnace filter if someone hasn’t in awhile.
• Photos: Take a picture of something and explain it. Maybe it’s a piece of machinery. You can then explain (in layman’s terms) what it is and how it’s used to provide customers with their utilities.
• Image scrambles: You’ll have your customers scratching their heads in no time when you post image scrambles. Image scrambles can be posts where an image is scrambled up or zoomed in, so your audience must guess what it is.
• Videos: Record a video of something on a smartphone. It could be of a crew working on a project or a simple reminder about something from someone in the office.
• Customer testimonials: Did someone have something nice to say about your utility and/or your employees? Share it. Ask if the person is comfortable sharing his or her name with the testimonial. If not, ask if you could share the testimonial without a name and simply sign it with “a satisfied customer.”
• Quick tips and advice: Everyone can use some utility tips. Even if your audience may already know something, a good reminder always helps.
• Post answers to commonly asked questions: Receiving the same questions over and over from customers? Instead of constantly responding to questions one by one, solve it once and for all by sharing posts with the answers.
• Team member spotlights: Post pictures and short bios on members of your team. Make the posts fun and share interesting, non-utility tidbits, too (if team members are comfortable sharing).
• Utility accomplishments: Share your successes with your customers on social media and celebrate together!
• Posts showing off your utility history: It’s always fun to see how far a utility has come and where it started. 

​Congratulations to Nick DeBerg of Cedar Falls Utilities on completing the IAMU Apprenticeship Program.

Brandon began the program on November 17th, 2017 and graduated September 11th, 2021.

Congratulations to Jasen Bender of Muscatine Power & Water on completing the IAMU Apprenticeship Program.

Brandon began the program on March 17th, 2017 and graduated September 4th, 2021.
​
Pictured with Jasen (on left) is Ryan Streck, Director, Utility Service Delivery

​For more information about the Apprentice Program, contact IAMU Director of Electric Services Jared Masker at jmasker@iamu.org.

​IAMU Safety Group Program Members,
 
The below link will take you to our Jester Insurance Services YouTube channel. There you will find individual video recordings of the various topics covered at our recent IAMU safety group workshop. Our speakers did an excellent job providing valuable insight on several very important topics. If you were unable to attend the workshop in person I would strongly encourage you to take time to watch each video over the next few weeks.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o63pIyJQtgs&list=PLYrmVZQvUeVldUjOqSYB13ytS4nCwbMvP
 
The IAMU safety group program exists and continues thriving because of you all. Thank you for your continued support of the program!

The first of many test results for per- and polyflyouroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals are expected to start coming in soon. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) include a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used for decades.

The DNR began sampling for these chemicals in October as part of a comprehensive plan to better understand PFAS levels in Iowa’s drinking water. DNR focused on public drinking water supplies because drinking water is the primary path for people to be exposed to PFAS.

DNR identified 102 sites where the facilities are supplied by surface water or shallow groundwater sources, and those close to a potential PFAS source. So far, DNR has collected raw and finished (or treated) drinking water samples at about 15% of the sites. Samples went to a laboratory certified to test for PFAS. As test results come in, DNR will report results to each public water supply. Results will also be posted on the DNR’s PFAS webpage.

EPA set a lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS to protect people from the risks of exposure in drinking water. If PFOA or PFOS is detected, DNR will work with the public water supply to set up a year-long sampling plan, requiring monitoring every three months.

If individual or combined test results show PFOA or PFOS levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory of 70 ppt, the water supply is required to notify its customers. And, DNR will work to identify potential sources of contamination.  Additionally, the department is working with the Iowa Department of Public Health on this issue.
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DNR is taking a proactive approach to protect Iowans’ health and the environment. By testing the public drinking water sources, DNR will gain a better understanding of the potential for PFAS levels in Iowa. Results of the testing will guide DNR’s next steps  to ensure safe drinking water. ​