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]

• A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on "Fall Hazards" and reinforcing the importance of "Fall Prevention".
• Employers of companies not exposed to fall hazards, can also use this opportunity to have a conversation with employees about the other job hazards they face, protective methods, and the company's safety policies and goals.
• It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall and other job hazards they see.

The linked flyers can be printed and reviewed in a 10 minute tailgate or office safety meeting.  Note – Most of the information refers to construction; however, it can easily be reviewed and discussed in the context of shop, office, library, and even at your home.

• Slips, Trips, & Falls - General
• Office/Shop Safety: Fall Prevention
• Step Ladder & Stool Safety
• Reducing Falls in Construction: Safe Use of Stepladders
• Reducing Falls in Construction: Safe Use of Extension Ladders
• Aerial Lifts: Proper Use Prevents Falls
• Preventing Falls From Equipment

The following ZOOM meeting recording link is on Step Ladder safety.  The recording will be available for 30 days.

Topic: “Stand-Down for Fall Safety” - Step Ladders
Meeting Recording: 
https://zoom.us/rec/share/n-FAYbuN8SKtq7Z-7grBF_Rm-gqRiTjWlTD93O1oZxp7cKVgxZn6Fr5djyxt90PI.vrA-RISbj_EurJND
Access Passcode: X@6c&21Q

Keep it safe and don’t hesitate to contact IAMU Safety Services if you have questions – [email protected]

Several OSHA standards—including those relating to construction and manufacturing—refer to the need for a “competent person” as a safety component.

What Is a Competent Person?

While this is a commonly asked question, the answer isn’t always cut and dried. Companies usually have to make their own decision on which employees can serve as a competent person. That’s because there are no specific OSHA standards regarding competent persons. But OSHA’s definition of the term does offer a glimpse of what is expected of a competent person.

A competent person has both the authority and experience in the job to evaluate and make critical changes in dangerous situations. These are often life-or-death occurrences so it’s vital that your company chooses competent persons carefully.

Click here to read more in the latest EMC Loss Control Insights article.

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 2020 at the IAMU complex.  Please click HERE or visit the IAMU website for available dates.

September 21-25
October 19-23
November 9-13
December 14-18

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:

• Registration for all dates is open
• There is a maximum of 12 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

We are excited to announce that our annual golf outing will now be a fundraiser for the IAMU Scholarship Program (details will be announced in the coming months), and will award scholarships beginning in 2021.

Registration is open for the IAMU Golfing Fore Scholars fundraiser. This event, formerly Golfing Fore Safety, will be held at Briggs Woods Golf Course on Monday, September 21, 2020. Registration information and sponsorship opportunities can be found here.  Sponsorships must be in by September 11th.  See you there!

For More Info: Contact IAMU at 515.289.1999 or email [email protected].

Purchase a raffle ticket at the event for your chance at walking away $1000 richer! Thank you to Jester Insurance for their donation of the gift card.

Steve Bernard may chuckle when he reveals what is the biggest reason employees leave Cedar Falls Utilities, but he’s not joking.

“We have so many long-term employees with decades of experience, I often say the most common reason staff leaves is retirement,” says the general manager.

Bernard attributes this to a dynamic, collaborative workplace culture, job security and the opportunity to work for a high-profile employer.

Read more on CFU's featured article in The Courier here.