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This supplemental report to the DIRT Report for 2018 provides background and history of near-miss data collection in DIRT, and compares near-miss versus damage reports submitted by the top reporting stakeholders: Excavators, Natural Gas, Liquid Pipeline, and Locators.
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Four Iowa municipal electric utilities were part of the list of one hundred twenty-five utilities that have earned the American Public Power Association’s Safety Award of Excellence for safe operating practices in 2019, APPA reported on April 20. Congratulations to Coon Rapids Municipal Utilities, Independence Light & Power, Lenox Municipal Light and Power, and Waverly Utilities.
More than 335 utilities entered the annual safety awards, which is the highest number of entrants in the history of the program. Entrants were placed in categories according to their number of worker-hours and ranked based on the most incident-free records during 2019. The incidence rate, used to judge entries, is based on the number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses and the number of worker-hours during 2019, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Strong safety programs are essential to ensuring that electric utility employees are informed and trained on safe work procedures,” said Brandon Wylie, chair of APPA’s Safety Committee and director of training & safety at Electric Cities of Georgia. “The utilities receiving this award have proven that protecting the safety of their employees is a top priority.” The safety awards have been held annually for the last 60 years. Dave Swanson, IAMU Electric Training & Program Specialist
The cleaning of personal protective equipment has always been an important factor in maintaining the wearer’s health and the equipment’s maintenance. Currently we know that social distancing, hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer is critical in preventing the spread of COVID19. But what about those us wearing or even sharing, rubber gloves and sleeves. Is alcohol-based sanitizer safe to use to clean our hands? Should it be used to clean rubber gloves and sleeves? A recent article provided by e-Hazard, a company that specializes in the testing and care of arc flash personal protective equipment and voltage-rated gloves and sleeves, addresses these questions. The article was written by Hugh Hoagland, an expert in arc flash and testing of protective equipment. Hugh states alcohol based sanitizer is acceptable to use in certain conditions and gives other alternatives to clean VR gloves. Please take the time to read the entire article at the link below. I also contacted David Skarshaug with Skarshaug Testing Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. This is his response to me: “The information you sent all appears to be valid information. I know both Hugh and the V.O. (the Salisbury expert referenced in the article) from ASTM. I tend to caution on the use of bleach, but everything else (the use of mild detergents, hand sanitizers, alcohol wipes, etc.) seems to follow. We also offer a Rubber Goods Cleaner cleaning wipe (RBG-1, sold individually or by boxes of 144) made by Polywater that can be used for cleaning gloves as well. When in doubt on using any other products on the rubber goods, make sure the contents have no petroleum product in them.” You can read the entire article at this link. IAMU currently has a career opening for anyone looking to join our talented staff. For more information and to apply, click the link or submit cover letter, resume and references to: Dawn Hyler, Director of Finance Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities 1735 NE 70th Ave. Ankeny, IA 50021-9353 recruiter@iamu.org Regional Safety Coordinator
The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) is seeking a qualified applicant for the position of Regional Safety Coordinator. Plan now to attend WaterISAC’s three-part webinar series titled How to Develop an Emergency Response Plan on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 1:00-2:00 pm CST.
In the three webinars, WaterISAC, in coordination with Arcadis U.S., Inc., will present water utility best practices to comply with the new requirements of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act for emergency response plan (ERP) updates. Community water systems serving more than 3,300 customers are required to update their ERP in accordance with the deadlines based on utility size. The presenters will provide a structured and progressive approach outlined in the webinar series. Presenters: Sarah Moore, CEM; Susan Wyatt; and Mary Jacques, Arcadis US, Inc. The first webinar, which is open to nonmembers, will focus on AWIA ERP requirements, developing a planning team, planning resources, and the planning process. Presenters will discuss the importance of establishing a schedule for completion and provide an overview of how to set up planning meetings to accomplish the tasks ahead. Resources available for your ERP Planning Team will include how to coordinate with your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and your Emergency Management Agency (EMA). Parts 2 and 3 are open to WaterISAC members only. Click here to register. IAMU has made the decision to cancel the scheduled CCR Workshops that were to be held later this month.
If you hadn’t registered, but still need assistance completing your report, we can help. IAMU is offering CCR completion on a fee for service basis for those that need assistance. The fee is the same as the workshop ($50/members & $75/nonmembers). Please fill out this form and send to ccr@iamu.org if this service is being requested. If you need a copy of your draft in Microsoft Word to make changes to on your own, send that request to: ccr@dnr.iowa.gov. Remote monitoring systems for hydrants utilize always-on sensors in the lower valve plate to send water pressure and temperature feedback in real time over a secure wireless connection. Our short webinar will discuss how remote monitoring systems can lead to significant savings for your utility without compromising your ability to fight fires. Join us for an invite-only informational webinar. Q&A session to follow.
Here’s what will be discussed:
April 9, 2020 @ 11:00AM Central Time. Sign up at ihydrant.com/rsvp Click here for more information. Due to the Covid-19 virus and the State of Iowa Public Health Disaster Emergency, the Iowa Department of Human Rights, Division of Community Action Agencies has extended the application period for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through May 31, 2020.
Iowa families are facing many challenges to cope with the Covid-19 virus. Some have lost jobs or had their hours of employment reduced. These circumstances could lead to difficulty in paying your utility bill. If you find yourself in that situation, there is help available through the State’s network of local community action agencies that have offices in all 99 counties. Families can apply for the Energy Assistance program at their local community action agency. This program can help pay a portion of an eligible household's utility bill. Eligibility is based on household size and income. Anyone facing difficulty in paying their utility bill is encouraged to contact their local agency. Community action agencies have other types of help available, such as food and clothing pantries, and other services. You can find a link to information about your local community action agency by going to the Iowa Department of Human Rights' website at https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/where-apply. In addition, the Division of Community Action Agencies appreciates the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) order restricting all electric and natural gas utilities, including municipal, cooperative, and investor-owned, and all investor-owned water utilities from disconnecting any customers until the public health emergency is lifted by Governor Kim Reynolds. The Iowa Utilities Board also strongly encourages that all water utilities, including rural, municipal, and cooperative, suspend disconnecting any customers until the public health emergency has been lifted by written statement of Governor Kim Reynolds. Provided by EMC Insurance
Mowing grass is such a common activity that business managers may not realize it’s a skill workers need to be properly trained on before using company equipment. If your business falls into this category, just remember that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also views lawn care as a work activity requiring workers to have proper training, safe equipment and the necessary personal protection equipment (PPE). Because of the false assumption that all workers have the knowledge and skills to operate a mower safely, managers may assign anyone available to perform a mowing task. The supervisor may not take the time to verify that the worker knows the operation and safety precautions for the equipment they’ll use for the job. And employees often do not stop to ask questions because they assume they know enough to handle the machine and the task. It’s also possible employees are afraid to admit they have doubts about their ability to handle the machine. Safe Mowing Basics In addition to proper training, safe operation of a mower consists of making sure the equipment is maintained and safe to use. Both components are necessary for a strong safety program. Keep equipment in tip-top shape. This includes adhering to a maintenance schedule following all manufacturer’s instructions and ensuring that the roll over protection system (ROPS), guards, seat belts and shields are in place and secure. Train all operators on the equipment and safety rules. This encompasses knowing how to handle the equipment and understanding safety features. But it also covers the basics of safe mowing (speed, inclines, stability, checking for hazards before starting the machine, etc.), proper apparel (a tight fit so nothing can be caught in the equipment) and PPE (heavy boots, safety goggles and hearing protection). Find more information and illustrations of proper and improper techniques in Mowing and Trimming Safely, an OSHA manual. Common Mistakes to Avoid Check to be sure these mistakes aren’t popping up in your landscape:
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