The latest edition of IAMU's Toolbox Talks - What's the big deal about 'swarf' 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.

The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities is pleased to offer the Utility Pole Climbing Workshop.  This workshop will focus on the fundamentals and technique of climbing. This workshop will be a combination of classroom & hands-on training.

Course Overview
This course will identify the personal protective equipment, pole climbing equipment, inspection process and techniques needed to climb wooden poles. Besides learning about each piece of climbing equipment, participants will learn how to inspect each component to assure it is in good condition and safe to use.

In the hands-on portion of the course, participants will learn how to inspect a pole to ensure it’s safe to climb; this will also include identifying items such as signs attached to poles, or objects (i.e. fence posts, etc.) located near the pole that may pose as a potential hazard. Participants will learn proper foot placement on the pole, practice using a fall protection safety strap to ascend and descend a pole; learn how to climb a pole (clockwise and counterclockwise) and the proper technique for climbing over attachments on the pole.

The course will conclude with participants learning some basic knots, how to use a hand line and attempting to achieve the climbing certification criteria currently being used by the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities.

Who Should Attend
This workshop is beneficial for anyone that is interested in learning how to climb. Apprentices in Module A of the IAMU Electric Line Maintainer Program are encouraged to attend. Registration is limited to 10 registrants.
 
*COVID-19 precautions will be in place.

When & Where
October 7 – 9, 2020
IAMU Shop Building
1735 NE 70th Avenue
Ankeny, IA 50021

Cost
$250 per IAMU Member participant
$325 per Non-Member participant
 
Click HERE for registration and additional information.

Questions?
Contact Jared Masker at [email protected] or (800) 810-4268.

One of the provisions of the reauthorized 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) required the state develop and implement a capacity development (also called viability assessment) plan to ensure that public water supplies provide safe drinking water to their public at a reasonable cost for the foreseeable future.

Iowa DNR’s Drinking Water Capacity Development program is designed to helping water supply personnel continually develop and improve their ability or “capacity” to serve their customers. There are three main elements of water system capacity, also known as “TMF.”

• Technical: Adequate amounts of water, well maintained infrastructure, current technology, and qualified and knowledgeable staff to operate the system.
• Managerial: An effective organization and governance, accountability, properly certified operators, and good relationships and communications between boards, councils, management and staff.
• Financial: Enough revenue to cover current costs and future needs, fiscal controls, and credit worthiness.

Every three years in September, DNR issues a “Report to the Governor” that describes the capacity development program and activities the accomplishments, challenges, and ongoing activities. This report has been developed for this three-year period, and is available at the Viability Assessment/Capacity Development website.

Public Power Week and Public Natural Gas Week is October 4-10, 2020.  APPA and APGA both have free resources available for utilities to utilize in their communities. These resources include press releases, social media posts, graphics, and videos.

APPA resources

APGA resources

IAMU has received a supply of infrared thermometers from the State of Iowa for distribution to our members. We have set up the link below for members to request them. We will work on getting them either delivered or shipped to you.

https://members.iamu.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=16625940

Iowa's Drinking Water and Wastewater operators, pre COVID19, took proctored, standardized certification exams either at DMACC Southridge Computer Lab or, by appointment, at one of the IDNR Regional Field Offices.   Due to the ambiguity of when these venues will again be open to the public, Iowa is offering "remote proctoring".   On November 20th an operator will be able to take their Drinking Water or Wastewater certification exam on any computer that has a camera and microphone. 

Once they log in on the link provided by the testing company via email their browser is frozen; a proctor can see them through the camera; their surroundings are monitored for extra materials or cheating;  and the test session is recorded for future reference if there is any cheating suspicions or accusations.  The testing company will provide a YouTube Video and live customer support for any technical issues arising during a "remote" session.  Once we are up and running all our backlogged exams could be cleaned up pretty quickly, potentially within a couple of days,  and if we have to shelter in place again down the road there will be no interruption in examination services. 

Post Covid19, our operators will have two options for exam delivery:  "remote proctoring" and our traditional method of on-line at an IDNR Field Office or Community College computer lab.  

How do operators get signed up for a remotely proctored exam?

• To Register to take your exam remotely, email the following information to [email protected]:
  1. Name
  2. Operator ID#
  3. Exam Category and Grade you have IDNR approval to sit for.  Remember: you must have been issued an IDNR Eligibility Letter prior to registering to take a remote exam.
• You will receive an automatic reply from the IDNR confirming our receipt of your request
• Next Step: Keep an eye out for an email from PSI Customer Service - [email protected] - This email will include the following:
  1. Detailed instructions for exam scheduling and procedure
  2. A link for the scheduling and rescheduling of your unique exam(s). You will have complete control over this. Remote Proctoring is offered twenty four hours a day, seven days a week
  3. A tutorial video
  4. an 800 customer service number you can call anytime, 24/7, with any questions concerning the Remote Proctoring process or for any technical assistance.

Please direct any questions to the IDNR Operator Certification Program at [email protected] or (515) 725-0463.

EARTH EX is one of the largest cross-sector training and awareness exercises in the world focused on resilience and preparedness. Over 41 countries were represented in EARTH EX 2019. This year’s exercise is focused on the Electromagnetic Pulse and Cyber threats to our shared critical infrastructure. EARTH EX is free, self-facilitated and self-evaluated. There are seven Functional Areas to choose from, with one specifically for Individuals and Families suitable for everyone to play.

Click here to register for EARTH EX.

Register now and play anytime you want. The registration link will provide you with access to all of the training and exercise materials.

EARTH EX 2020 - Available for play through 31 October.

EARTH EX is a free, self-facilitated, and self-assessed exercise.

For more information email [email protected]

By Attorneys Danielle Haindfield and Carrie Weber

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA") is scheduled to remain in effect until December 31, 2020. The FFCRA provides additional paid leave for employees under certain qualifying conditions such as a quarantine order, diagnosis of COVID-19, or to care for a child whose school is closed due to the pandemic.

On September 11, the U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL") issued revisions and clarifications to its existing regulations that interpret and apply the FFCRA. This action was in response to an August federal court decision out of the Southern District of New York that invalidated parts of the existing regulations. The revisions will be effective September 16, 2020.

The court decision and subsequent DOL adjustments affect four areas of the regulations:

(1) The work availability requirement: The DOL regulations continue to require that an employer have "work available" for an employee to be eligible for FFCRA leave. Accordingly, employees who are furloughed or laid off are not eligible. The DOL emphasized that employers cannot withhold work simply to impede an employee's ability to take leave - the unavailability of work must be due to legitimate, nondiscriminatory, nonretaliatory business reasons.

(2) Intermittent Leave: Employees must still get permission from their employer to take intermittent leave under the FFCRA. Specifically, DOL noted that it was attempting to "balance the employee's need for leave with the employer's interest in avoiding disruptions by requiring agreement by the employer for the employer to take intermittent leave." Importantly however, the preamble to the new regulations specifically addresses the common situation in which an employee's child participates in hybrid learning. For example, the child might only attend in-person school Tuesday/Thursday and be home Monday/Wednesday/Friday. The DOL concluded that each day of school closure "constitutes a separate reason for FFCRA leave that ends when the school opens the next day." Accordingly, employees are entitled to leave consistent with their child's hybrid school schedule, and do not need employer consent. This leave is not considered "intermittent" because it is due to the school's hybrid schedule and not the employee's choice. If, however, a school is closed and doing virtual learning, and the employee indicates a need to be home with his/her child only some of the days because the employee has daycare the other days, then the employee's use of leave on those specified days would require employer consent and be considered "intermittent leave." These leave days are intermittent because they are at the election of the employee and not directed by the school's schedule.

(3) Documentation and Notice Requirements: Employees are not required to provide necessary documentation prior to taking applicable leave. Instead, documentation must be provided "as soon as practicable, which in most cases will be when the employee provides notice of" the need for leave. The DOL noted that if the leave is foreseeable, the employee should generally provide notice before taking leave. However, the DOL has reiterated that some leave is not foreseeable.

(4) Definition of "health care provider": The DOL has significantly narrowed the definition of "health care provider" to include only employees who: (1) meet the definition of "health care provider" under existing FMLA regulations; or (2) are "employed to provide diagnostic services, preventive services, treatment services or other services that are integrated with and necessary to the provision of patient care and, if not provided, would adversely impact patient care." Health care providers are not entitled to FFCRA leave. Under the revised DOL regulations, health care providers include nurses or employees providing diagnostic, preventative, treatment, or other services "under the supervision, order, or direction of, or providing direct assistance to" a health care provider.

Detailed information regarding the updates to the DOL's regulations is available here.

The DOL's updated FAQ concerning the FFCRA is available here. 
 
If you have any questions about these changes or the application of the FFCRA generally, feel free to contact one of our Employment Law Practice Group attorneys.

Due to the continued concerns related to the Covid-19 virus, the Electric Safety and Training Committee and IAMU made the decision to cancel the Underground Electric Workshop that was originally scheduled for this week. The committee and IAMU will continue to monitor the ongoing activities related to the virus and determine whether or not additional trainings scheduled for the future will be cancelled. Thank you for your patience during this challenging time.

The latest edition of IAMU's Toolbox Talks - When Does a Telehandler Become a Mobile Crane? 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 has resumed the Mobile Crane Operator certification classes and you may register @ https://members.iamu.org/events/event_list.asp  or contact Margret Meade @ 515.210.6617 or [email protected]