The Association for Energy Efficiency (IAEE) is excited to head back to an in-person Iowa Energy Summit. This year's Summit is scheduled for November 9-10, 2021 at The Meadows Events and Conference Center in Altoona, Iowa. The IAEE conference committee invites you to submit your presentation abstract(s). If you have any questions, please contact Meggan Boyle at [email protected] or 515.778.3112.

The deadline for submitting an abstract is Friday, June 25, 2021.

Abstract Submission

IAMU will hold its 27th Annual Water and Wastewater Operator’s Training Workshop on November 17-19, 2021. As we prepare for this yearly training that brings together municipal water and wastewater operators from around Iowa, we are asking for presentation proposals. The presentations must provide educational content and must not be sales pitches for specific products or services because members will be receiving continuing education credit for their time at the workshop.
 
If you are interested in presenting, download, complete, and return the Call for Presentations Form to [email protected].
 
If you have any questions about the Call for Presentations Form or the workshop, please contact Steve Marsh at 515.289.1999 or by email at [email protected].
 
Once completed, the Call for Presentations Form may be emailed to Steve. 

Please take the time to fill out IAMU’s 2021 Rate Survey! Currently only 11 of our 160 (6.8%) electric and gas members have taken the survey.
 
As a thank you for your help, completed questionnaires submitted by June 23rd will be entered into a drawing for one of two $50 Casey’s gift cards. You will need to provide your name on the questionnaire question 1 to be entered into the drawing. The 11 members who have already completed the survey are entered to win!
 
IAMU is committed to supporting and strengthening Iowa’s municipal utilities. To help us do that, we are asking our electric and natural gas members to take a few minutes to complete the online 2021 IAMU Rate Survey questionnaire. The rate study results will be anonymized and provided to all members to better understand municipal utilities in Iowa. Any quotes or anecdotes included in the rate study will be submitted to the survey respondent for approval.
 
IAMU will use the study results to:

• Better serve our members.
• Develop long-term projects to support our members’ needs.
• Provide feedback to utilities that want or need comparisons from peers.
• Shape legislative priorities at the statehouse.
• Identify associate members that could support our utility members.

We know you are extremely busy, but IAMU would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to provide your answers. By completing the questionnaire, you will help to shape how IAMU can better serve you and other members. We hope to have completed questionnaires submitted by June 23rd.
 
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jeff Gorrie at [email protected] or 309-678-5579.
 
Again, thank you for your time and attention to this requisition. IAMU truly appreciates it.

With the ongoing drought conditions in Iowa, chances are you have either already implemented water-use restrictions or likely could soon. Make sure you communicate the need for the restrictions to your customers in multiple ways and in multiple formats again and again.
 
Not everyone goes to the same outlet for their information, so you want to get the word out in as many places as possible. Here are a few places to consider:
 

• A media release to local newspapers and radio stations
• Posts on social media, if you have accounts such as Facebook
• Small, 8.5-inch x 11-inch posters that you post throughout your community. Ask local businesses and other community-gathering places such as parks to post the message in high-traffic areas.
• Public Service Announcements (PSAs) at youth ball games and other community-wide events.

 
Try to get the message out multiple times in these outlets, as long as the restrictions are needed. Not everyone gets the information the first, or even second or third, time that you share it.
 
Think about including a visual – a photo or illustration -- with your message to get people’s attention and encourage them to read the important information.
 
If you need help with your communication efforts, IAMU contracts with Jen Cronin of Cronin Communications to provide PR assistance to our members. If you need help conveying the importance of water conservation during this time, please reach out to her at: [email protected]

Don't let common mistakes turn into a trip to the hospital. Follow these tips to stay protected and productive on the job.

Click here to read the EMC Loss Control Insights article

The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s (IEDA) Iowa Energy Office is seeking your input as we develop the requirements and framework for a new energy program, the Energy Infrastructure Revolving Loan Program (EIRLP). Our previous energy loan program, the Alternate Energy Revolving Loan Program (AERLP), was discontinued in the 2021 Iowa Legislative session by Division XII of 2021 Iowa Acts, Senate File 619. If enacted, the changes go into effect July 1, 2021. The legislation replaces the program with the EIRLP for projects that include land, buildings, physical plant and equipment, and services directly related to the development of projects used for, or useful for, electricity or gas generation, transmission, storage, or distribution.

The EIRLP broadens the projects and borrowers that were previously eligible for assistance and emphasizes the mission of the Iowa Energy Center and the outcomes sought from the projects. A few highlights include:

• In addition to Iowa businesses and individuals, municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives are eligible borrowers.
• Unlike the AERLP, the EIRLP does not specify zero interest on the loans, which would allow interest to be charged.
• Eligible projects could include support of electric or gas generation, transmission, storage, or distribution; electric grid modernization; energy sector workforce development; emergency preparedness for rural and underserved areas; expansion of biomass, biogas, and renewable natural gas; innovative technologies; and the development of infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles.

Your expertise is uniquely valuable as we formulate administrative rules, policies and procedures. The Iowa Energy Center Board seeks to support impactful projects developed by borrowers that are well-positioned for implementation and loan repayment.

We created a survey for stakeholders to provide input on how the loan program can best meet the demand for energy infrastructure opportunities in Iowa. Please complete the following survey by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.

In response to an executive order issued on January 21, 2021 by President Biden, OSHA submitted an emergency temporary standard regarding employee protections against COVID-19. That standard is now in effect, meaning all employers whose employees provide healthcare services or healthcare support services, must comply with the new 29 CFR 1910 Subpart U — COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. Examples of that work environment includes skilled nursing homes and home healthcare. There are some exemptions to the standard; first aid provisions conducted by an employee who is not a licensed healthcare provider; dispensing of prescriptions by pharmacists in retail settings; non-hospital ambulatory care settings where all non-employees are screened prior to entry and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not permitted to enter those settings; well-defined hospital ambulatory care settings where all employees are fully vaccinated and all non-employees are screened prior to entry and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not permitted to enter those settings; home healthcare settings where all employees are fully vaccinated and all non-employees are screened prior to entry and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not present; healthcare support services not performed in a healthcare setting (e.g., off-site laundry, off-site medical billing); telehealth services performed outside of a setting where direct patient care occurs.

With the publication of the standard came new guidelines or recommendations, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 for all other businesses. The CDC's Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People explain that under most circumstances, fully vaccinated people need not take all the precautions that unvaccinated people should take. For example, CDC advises that most fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing. People are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks or more after they have completed their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States. However, CDC suggests that people who are fully vaccinated but still at-risk due to immunocompromising conditions should discuss the need for additional protections with their healthcare providers. CDC continues to recommend precautions for workers in transportation settings.

OSHA recommends that employers take the following steps to protect at-risk or unvaccinated workers:

1. Grant paid time off for employees to get vaccinated.
2. Instruct any workers who are infected, unvaccinated workers who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and all workers with COVID-19 symptoms to stay home from work to prevent or reduce the risk of transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.
3. Implement physical distancing for unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers in all communal work areas.
4. Provide unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers with face coverings or surgical masks, unless their work task requires a respirator or other PPE.
5. Educate and train workers on your COVID-19 policies and procedures using accessible formats and in language they understand.
6. Suggest that unvaccinated customers, visitors, or guests wear face coverings.
7. Maintain Ventilation Systems.
8. Perform routine cleaning and disinfection.
9. Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths.
10. Implement protections from retaliation and set up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19-related hazards.
11. Follow other applicable mandatory OSHA standards.

Under anti-discrimination laws, workers who cannot be vaccinated because of medical conditions, such as allergies to vaccine ingredients, organ transplant or certain religious beliefs may ask for a reasonable accommodation from their employer.

Federal OSHA is authorized to set emergency temporary standards that take effect immediately and are in effect until superseded by a permanent standard. OSHA must determine that workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards and that an emergency standard is needed to protect them. Then, OSHA publishes the emergency temporary standard in the Federal Register, where it also serves as a proposed permanent standard. It is then subject to the usual procedure for adopting a permanent standard except that a final ruling should be made within six months.

Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 515.289.1999 if you have any questions about the new guidelines or the new Emergency Temporary Standard.

The Presidential Executive order may be read in its entirety here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/executive-order-protecting-worker-health-and-safety/

The new guidelines, Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace, may be read in its entirety here:  https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework

Click here for a flowchart to determine if your workplace is covered by the COVID-19 Healthcare ETS

Klein Tools is issuing a voluntary product recall on the NCVT1 in our Test and Measurement Line due to a potential safety hazard.

Why Is There A Recall?

It has recently come to our attention that one of our products, the NCVT-1 NONCONTACT VOLTAGE TESTER, has a potential safety issue that Klein Tools would like to rectify. The on/off button of the NCVT-1 is intended to be pressed down and then released. If the button remains depressed during the power on or power off cycle, the tip of the tool remains illuminated in green, indicating the tool is "ready to detect voltage," when it is not.

These affected products are sold in the following SKU numbers:

NCVT1 - 69149
NCVT1A - MPZ00052R
NCVT1E - MPZ00001
NCVT1SEN - 80018
NCVT1FP - 80023

This recall involves Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester with model numbers NCVT1 bearing date codes ending H7. The product was also sold in variations and kits listed above, all bearing date codes ending in H7.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if the product I have purchased are subject to this recall?
This recall only involves Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester with model numbers NCVT1 bearing date codes ending H7. All other active voltage tester models or NCVT1 with a date code other than H7 are not subject to recall.

I bought the NCVT1 as part of a kit. What do I do with the other pieces?
Other items in kits where NCVT1 was included, are not being recalled. These items should not be sent back for replacement and you can continue to use them.

Can I get a refund?
We will provide a replacement product as per recall regulations.

I really need this tester to do my job. Is there any way I can get my new NCVT1 sooner?
In order to comply with recall regulations we must receive the recalled unit back to ensure that it is no longer in use, before we can send out a new meter. Once we receive your returned unit, you will be sent the replacement unit when it is available.

Instructions

1. Please stop using your NCVT-1 NONCONTACT VOLTAGE TESTER, even if you have not experienced any issues.
2. Please contact Klein Tools to return your unit at no charge for replacement.
   • Web: If you are a consumer, complete the online Recall Submission Form for immediate processing of your recall request. Once the form is completed, an email will be sent with instructions and a link to print a shipping label. If you are a distributor, visit the Distributor Extranet to complete the Distributor Recall Submission Form.
     
   • Phone: Call customer service toll-free 800-527-3099 between 7:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. CT Monday through Friday.
   • Email: Email us at [email protected]. Be sure to include contact information, postal and email addresses. We will reply to your email within one business day.

In cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
Klein has an outstanding safety record and we take this matter very seriously. No injuries have been reported from the use of these testers, but Klein Tools is recalling them out of an abundance of caution. Our number one concern is the safety of our loyal Klein Tools customers. We apologize for any inconvenience and promise to redouble our efforts to continue providing you with quality tools.

IAMU is committed to supporting and strengthening Iowa’s municipal utilities. To help us do that, we are asking our electric and natural gas members to take a few minutes to complete the online 2021 IAMU Rate Study questionnaire. The rate study results will be anonymized and provided to all members to better understand municipal utilities in Iowa. Any quotes or anecdotes included in the rate study will be submitted to the survey respondent for approval.
 
IAMU will use the study results to:

• Better serve our members.
• Develop long-term projects to support our members’ needs.
• Provide feedback to utilities that want or need comparisons from peers.
• Shape legislative priorities at the statehouse.
• Identify associate members that could support our utility members.

We know you are extremely busy, but IAMU would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to provide your answers. By completing the questionnaire, you will help to shape how IAMU can better serve you and other members. We hope to have completed questionnaires submitted by June 23rd.
 
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jeff Gorrie at [email protected] or 309-678-5579.
 
Again, thank you for your time and attention to this requisition. IAMU truly appreciates it.

Mark your calendars for the IAMU Wastewater Collection System Workshop sponsored by CIT Sewer Solutions.  This IAMU workshop will take place on Tuesday, July 13 at the IAMU Training and Office Complex.
 
Training topics will include:

• I&I Issues
• Maintenance 101 / Asset Management
• New Technologies in Sewer Rehab

 
Live demos will include:

• Vac & Camera Truck – Municipal Pipe Tool
• Robotic Cutter – CIT Sewer Solutions
• Barnes Low Pressure Sewer Demo – Electric Pump
• Starnet Building Demo – Electric Pump

 
0.5 CEUs available for Wastewater only.
 
Cost:
IAMU Members - $50.00

Non-Members - $70.00

(Includes CEUs and provided lunch)

 
Registration is open.  For more information about the workshop, brochure, and online registration, click HERE.
 
Questions?  Contact Steve Marsh ([email protected]) at (800) 810-4268.

Effective communication requires more than using one type of media. Unfortunately, many organizations rely on a “go to” media to deliver messages. Perhaps it’s a quarterly newsletter or a monthly email.
 
Breaking through the communication clutter means reaching customers tactfully — with relevant information delivered in multiple formats. The key is to create a cohesive mix of content to maximize the effectiveness of your messaging.

• Answer “print or electronic?” with “yes.” You don’t have to choose one medium or the other. Each person retains information in preferred styles (some by hearing, some by reading and studying, etc.). A sensory blend is most effective.

 

• Launch a social media component if you haven’t already. Social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn enable immediate and ongoing interaction with your customers.

 

• Make resources available online. Create specific pages on websites to serve as valuable information repositories from which customers can access answers to common questions.

 

• Blog: A blog is a simple and effective way to deliver ongoing content to customers.

 

• Podcasts: Podcasts are non-confrontational, informative, and casual.

 

• Video: Video creates the sense of approachability, and lets customers view, see, and hear things not possible with other formats. Users consider video the most credible, most engaging form of online content, with a high “pass-around” value.

 
TIPS:

• Don’t discount the power of print. To maximize its effectiveness, make print more timely and customized.
  

• Print enhances the impact of other media. Direct mail, poster campaigns, and brochures can lead people to websites, videos, and social media sites — and vice versa. Even digital technologies such as Quick Response codes (“QR codes”) co-exist with print.

Here are some communication tips quotes by famous (and some not so famous) people throughout history. Maybe some of them will ring true for you.

• “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker
  
• “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway
• “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communications with others.” – Tony Robbins
• “Effective communication helps to keep the team working on the right projects with the right attitude.” – Alex Langer
• “Make sure to communicate your idea quickly and keep it straight to the point.” – Paul Bailey
• “Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of our life.” – Brian Tracy
• “Words and pictures can work together to communicate more powerfully than either alone.” – William Albert Allard
• “The words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.” – Sydney J. Harris
• “Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” – Walt Disney
• “I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.” – Albert Einstein
• “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca

Registration is now open for the 2021 IAMU Golfin’ Fore Scholars Event. Join IAMU at Pleasant Valley in Iowa City for a fun-filled day on one of Iowa’s great golf courses. All proceeds will go towards the IAMU Scholarship Program.
 
Purchase a raffle ticket at the event for your chance at walking away $1,000 richer! Thank you to Jester Insurance for their donation of the gift card.

Click here for more information.

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 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 the remainder of 2021 at the IAMU complex.  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates.

June 14th - 18th
July 19th - 23rd
August 23rd - 27th
September 27th - October 1st
October 25th - 29th
November 8th - 12th
December 6th - 10th

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 ([email protected] )
Phone:  (800) 810-4268