Milford Municipal Utilities employees are showing their support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed each year during the month of October, by wearing pink hardhats. Something such as changing up the color of a hardhat can show your community that you are behind everyone who is battling a certain condition. Many medical issues have “observation” days/weeks/months and have a designated color associated with them. A quick online search can provide a list of various dates, conditions, and colors. Even if you don’t switch out hardhats, you might consider having everyone wear a certain color shirt one day or provide simple ribbons that they can attach to their clothes.

There is still time to register for the IAMU Energy Pre-Conference Workshop that focuses on preparing for and guarding against a physical or cyber security threat or natural disaster. IAMU is bringing in leading experts in physical and cybersecurity and emergency preparedness to share their knowledge and help members as they develop or revise their security and emergency plans, processes, and procedures.
 
How Prepared is Your Utility for Security Threats & Emergencies?
Wednesday, Oct. 10, 1 – 5 p.m.
Prairie Meadows
Altoona, Iowa
 
For more information or to register for the pre-conference workshop, click here.
You may also contact Russ Saffell, IAMU Director of Member Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection, at rsaffell@iamu.org.

IAMU will be offering a Gas “Boot Camp” Operator Qualification Training Workshop at the end of October. The workshop will take place October 1st-5th, 2018 at the IAMU Training & Office Complex.

This workshop is geared towards:  New operators, dispatchers, on-call personnel, and operators who would like to qualify or re-qualify on the covered tasks being presented.  Hands-on and written evaluations will be offered.  Participants may attend only Monday or all week.  This training is also very valuable for dispatch personnel answering phone calls.

Qualifications will be offered for all topics covered.

Click here to register.

Mark your calendars for the IAMU Electric Utility Billing Workshop.  The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, in cooperation with Denison Municipal Utilities, is offering a one-day training workshop to aid municipal personnel in the unique challenges faced in performing electric utility billing.  This course is targeted to all new office staff, billing clerks, customer service representatives, those needing continued training, and a light refresher for experienced staff.  A networking breakfast and a catered lunch will be provided.

The training will take place on Thursday, October 4th at Denison Municipal Utilities in Denison, Iowa.

The following topics will be covered during the workshop:

• Electrical Terminology
• Electric Equipment
• Electric Procedures
• Multipliers
• Meter Reading
• Meter Data
• Processing Data
• Billing Accounts
• Customer Issues
• Data Processing
• Software
• LIHEAP
• Winter Moratorium
• Rates (Setting & Applying)

Cost:
IAMU Members: $109
Non-Members: $159   
   
Workshop Location:
The workshop will take place at:

Denison Municipal Utilities
721 Broadway
Denison, IA  51442
Utility Phone Number – (712) 263-4154

Registration is open!

Registration is available online by visiting our website at www.iamu.org and clicking on the workshop under the “Events” link.  You may also mail, or fax the registration form in.  For additional information including brochure and registration link, please click HERE.

Questions?  Contact Dan Llewellyn at (800) 810-4268 or email at dllewellyn@iamu.org.

Confined spaces (CS) - such as manholes, crawl spaces, and tanks - are not designed for continuous occupancy and are difficult to exit in the event of an emergency.  CS’s with life-threatening hazards (e.g. toxic substances, electrocutions, explosions, and asphyxiation) are reclassified as Permit Required Confined Spaces.

DNR has approved 0.2 CEUs for WT, WD and WW.

Who Should Attend:
This workshop is designed for city and utility employees and outside contractors employed by a city, or anyone working around or in Confined Spaces.  The training received will cover the overall requirements of the standard, including:

• Confined vs. Permit Required Confined Space
• Effective Confined Space evaluation
• Monitor calibration and “Bump” testing
• Proper ventilation
• Hands-on manhole entry
• Emergency preparation & hands-on emergency extraction

*If you hire Contractors:  Contact the contractors that work for your city / utility and encourage their attendance.
 
Location:
IAMU Training and Office Complex
1735 NE 70th Avenue
Ankeny, IA  50021

Cost:
$140 per IAMU Member participant
$195 per Non-Member participant
(Maximum of 40 participants)

Questions?
Contact Larry Banwart at (800) 810-4268 or lbanwart@iamu.org.

Click HERE for registration and additional information.

Star Equipment & the Bowman Family invite you to join them at their Open House to celebrate their 50th Anniversary!

Location:
Des Moines Office
1401 2nd Ave
Des Moines, IA 50314

Time:
Saturday, September 29 - 3:00 - 7:00 PM

Food & Beverages will be provided.

Click here for more information.

According to Liberty Mutual Insurance’s Workplace Safety Index, injuries related to pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, or throwing material cost employers $13.7 billion. Consider these additional back-related injury statistics from Liberty Mutual:

• 1 million workers suffer back injuries each year
• 1 out of 5 workplace injuries are back related
• 4 out of 5 back injuries are to the lower back
• 3 of those 4 injuries occur when lifting

Several factors increase the risk of a severe injury from lifting or handling materials. These factors are related to the differences in the load, the organization of the work, the work environment , and the worker. The load may be too heavy or too large. We may work on unstable or uneven surfaces.

The human factor also plays a role in ergonomic injuries. These factors include the lack of experience, training, familiarity with the job, and age. The risk of low-back disorders increases with age and with the number of years at work, our physical dimensions, and
capacity (such as height, weight, strength, and prior history of musculoskeletal disorders – back disorders in particular).

Conducting a risk assessment will identify hazards and individuals at risk and provide guidance on correcting those hazards. Consider the work being done, identify what may cause or increase the risk of ergonomic injuries, and whether a mechanical aid may be used to handle, carry, or stack materials.