IAMU is once again offering the Electric Utility System Operation Short Course (EUSO) presented by Skip Collier of Professional Training Systems, Inc.
 
Skip is highly regarded and has an extensive background in electric utility design, construction, maintenance and operation.
 
EUSO Short Course:  July 23 – 25
The EUSO Short Course is designed for any employee whose job performance will benefit from a basic understanding of the operations side of the business.  This includes those from legal, rates, engineering, purchasing, computer application, marketing, customer service, inventory control, finance, accounting, safety, risk analysis as well as those from generating plants.  One goal for this class is to have students leave with the ability to easily identify all of the electrical equipment they see in a substation as they walk by, along with all the equipment found on the poles in a residential area.  Non-electrical engineers are often at a disadvantage in the electric utility environment due to a lack of familiarity with technical issues.  The better you understand the utility’s product – electrical energy – and how it is created and distributed, the better you can serve the utility and your customers.  This course assumes no electrical background, and builds on the basics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the equipment and operations.
 
*Line Maintainer apprentices will receive 21 Basic OJT hours for taking the EUSO Course.*
 
***Registration coming soon***
Registration fees for the course are below.
 
(*If you are planning on sending more than one participant from your organization, please make sure to share this with multiple departments so that you qualify for the reduced cost with the initial registration.)

• EUSO Course - $950 for a single registrant OR $850 each for two or more participants from the same utility/organization

For additional information, please click HERE.

The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Safety Services department 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 the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER).  We are authorized 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 2019 at the IAMU complex (unless otherwise noted).  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates.

April 29 – May 3
June 10-14
June 24-28 (NW Iowa Region)
August 19-23
October 7-11
December 9-13
 
Mobile Crane Operator Certification/Examination Class Schedule:
 
Class Day
Times
Classroom/Exam

Monday & Tuesday
9:00 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:

Registration for each class will open according to the following schedule:

o   April Class – Registration now open!
o   June #1 Class – Registration now open!
o   June #2 Class – Registration open April 29
o   August Class – Registration open June 24
o   October Class – Registration open August 12
o   December Class – Registration open October 14

There is a maximum of 16 participants per class session.

Lunch will be provided.

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.

Study guides will be mailed for each participant to review before class.  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.

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

As part of the Iowa Energy Workforce Consortium initiative, IAMU’s Bob Hiatt and Dave Swanson conducted an “energy awareness event” on April 9 and 11 with students from Indian Hills Community College (Ottumwa campus). Fifteen students participated on the first day and 12 students participated on the second day. The event consisted of a host of hands-on activities both in the classroom as well as on the training field. The activities consisted of activities that would be typical to the electric utility industry.

IAMU Safety Specialists hear about work-related injuries and near misses all the time. Often, injuries could have been or were avoided by following specific safety procedures and/or having the proper equipment.
 
To help share these teachable moments, IAMU Safety Specialist Margret Meade has created a new publication called “Lessons Learned.” The goal is to provide real-life examples of what can happen and what should happen when it comes to workplace safety.
 
The “Lessons Learned” highlight sheets will be available as downloadable PDFs. Feel free to print and post the highlight sheets in employee gathering areas, hand them out during employee meetings, and/ or distribute them electronically to others.
 
If you ever have any questions about the highlight sheets or have lessons to share for publication, you may contact Margret at mmeade@iamu.org or 515.289.1999. All individual and organization names will be removed before distribution.
 
To view and download the first “Lessons Learned” on Chainsaws and Kevlar, click here.

When members need help, they know they can count on colleagues from around the state. It’s the power of Mutual Aid (MA).
 
IAMU Director of Member Services Dave Hraha was contacted by Brad Willemssen, Electric Superintendent from City of Sibley, last Thursday morning at 5:09 a.m. At that time, he was calling in with 45 poles down on their rural line to Bigelow. More poles went down during the event. 
 
Hraha then contacted Roger Morris, Spencer Municipal Utilities Electric Manager and IAMU MA Primary Coordinator in Region 1, and John Bilsten, Algona Municipal Utilities General Manger and Secondary Coordinator in Region 1, along with Rod Vitchum, Algona Electric Line Superintendent. Morris and Vitchum led the response.  
 
Those members that assisted included:

• Spencer 
• Algona
• Sioux Center
• Sergeant Bluff
• Hartley
• Alta
• Aurelia
• Webster City
• Atlantic (equipment)
• Orange City (stand-by)

 
Power was restored Saturday night.
 
“Thank you cannot be said enough,” Willemssen wrote in an email. “Everyone worked hard to get it done. Crews took different tasks on the project and worked together well. It is obvious that the Mutual Aid program is very organized by how smooth everything went.”

Do these warmer temperatures have you itching to get out on the golf course? Get in some practice now so you’ll be ready for the annual IAMU Golfin’ Fore Safety event on June 24. This year, the golf outing will take place at Bos Landen Golf Club in Pella, Iowa.
 
For more information or to register, click here.
 
Proceeds from the event go toward purchasing materials and equipment for the IAMU Training Field.
 
Don’t worry if you don’t have a foursome; we can pair you up with others.
 
If you’re an associate member and are interested in helping to sponsor the event, IAMU has several options available.

The two-day workshop will be held May 22 and May 23 at the IAMU Office and Training Complex in Ankeny, Iowa. Each day of the hands-on training is eligible for 0.6 CEUs for Water Distribution.

Day 1 rotating sessions include:

• Fire hydrant maintenance
• Water main tapping/HydraStop
• Water main installation/repair & fittings

Day 2 rotating sessions include:

• Water leak detection
• Line locating
• Trenching & shoring
• Fittings

For more information or to register, click here.

Do you need help completing the Consumer Confidence Report? If so, this workshop is for you! The goal of the workshop is for each participant to leave with an understanding, or refresher, of what the CCR is and why it needs to be completed.

The CCR workshops will be held on the dates/locations below:
(Please click the dates for more information & registration)

April 16: Alta
Community Building, 27 N. Lake St. (N. of Hwy. 7, W. of Buena Vista Raceway)

April 17: Mason City
Lime Creek Nature Center, 3501 Lime Creek Rd. (N. edge of Mason City off Hwy. 65)

April 18: Independence
Falcon Civic Center, 1305 5th Avenue NE

April 19: North Liberty
(*New Location) North Liberty Water Treatment Plant, 433 South Front St., North Liberty, IA 52317

April 24: Ankeny
IAMU Training & Office Complex, 1735 NE 70th Ave

May 3: Atlantic
(*New Location) Cass County Community Center, 805 West 10th St., Atlantic, IA 50022

 Important! Please bring the following items to the workshop:

• IDNR Draft CCR mailed in March 2019
• If you operate a surface water system: You must bring your turbidity information. Highest single measurement and the lowest monthly percentage of samples meeting turbidity limits from 2018 calendar year
• If you add Fluoride, bring the highest and lowest lab results from 2018
• Jump (flash) drive for ease of saving
  
  

Hope to see you there!

The latest edition of IAMU's Toolbox Talks - Sleep Deprivation is now available.  Click here to download it.

Other Toolbox Talk articles are available here.

If you have a Toolbox Talk idea, please send it to Margret Meade.

IAMU accomplished a lot in FY2019 (March 1, 2018 – February 28, 2019). To get a glimpse at some of the notable achievements in our various departments, check out “Year in Review.” The annual report is available as a PDF on our website. You must be logged in as a member to see the Annual Report option under the About IAMU section. IAMU will also have printed copies available at our office. If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to reach out to any of the IAMU staff. We look forward to serving and supporting you in FY2020.