Print Page   |   Sign In   |   Register
IAMU Informer
Blog Home All Blogs

COVID-19 Guidance on Ventilation in the Workplace

Posted By IAMU, Monday, November 9, 2020
OSHA is committed to protecting the health and safety of America’s workers and workplaces during these unprecedented times. The agency will be issuing a series of alerts designed to keep workers safe.

Ensuring adequate ventilation throughout the work environment can help to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. Employers should work with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional to consider steps to optimize building ventilation. An HVAC professional can ensure that the ventilation system is operating as intended. The following tips can help reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus:
  • Encourage workers to stay home if they are sick.
  • Ensure all HVAC systems are fully functional, especially those shut down or operating at reduced capacity during the pandemic.
  • Remove or redirect personal fans to prevent blowing air from one worker to another.
  • Use HVAC system filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating of 13 or higher, where feasible.
  • Increase the HVAC system’s outdoor air intake. Open windows or other sources of fresh air where possible.
  • Be sure exhaust air is not pulled back into the building from HVAC air intakes or open windows.
  • Consider using portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) fan/filtration systems to increase clean air, especially in higher-risk areas.
  • When changing filters, wear appropriate personal protective equipment. ASHRAE recommends N95 respirators, eye protection (safety glasses, goggles, or face shields), and disposable gloves.
  • Make sure exhaust fans in restrooms are fully functional, operating at maximum capacity, and are set to remain on.
  • Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov/coronavirus or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

Tags:  COVID-19  OSHA 

PermalinkComments (0)
 

Interim OSHA Enforcement Response Plan for NCoViD 19 Webinar

Posted By IAMU, Wednesday, April 22, 2020

IAMU’s Margret Meade, Safety Outreach Coordinator, has recorded a webinar to explain recent OSHA memos that affect the workplace and employees.  This 35 minute webinar will cover employer and employee responsibilities during this pandemic on their potential exposure, and how OSHA will assess workplaces in regards to employee exposure.  

  • How do these memos affect my workplace and employees?
  • What responsibilities do I have as an employer regarding my employees and their potential exposure to SARS CoV 2?
  • How will OSHA assess my workplace/working conditions in regards to employee exposure to SARS CoV 2?
  • What resources do I have to help me through this pandemic?

To watch the webinar, click here. (use passcode - 1c!F@984)

To download a PDF of the PowerPoint slides, click here.

Tags:  COVID-19  OSHA 

PermalinkComments (0)
 

Four Iowa Utilities Earn APPA Award

Posted By IAMU, Tuesday, April 21, 2020

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.

Tags:  APPA  OSHA  Safety 

PermalinkComments (0)
 

Use of Half-Mask Respirators

Posted By IAMU, Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Over the past couple of days I have had several members asking about the feasibility of wearing half-mask respirators for protection against CoVid while picking up garbage, working at the wastewater plants and near lagoons and reading meters. Most do not have filtering face pieces, or commonly known as dust masks, available. Filtering face pieces, when worn properly, provide good respiratory protection against certain sizes of particulates. While OSHA’s respiratory protection standard (1910.134) does allow half masks to be worn on a voluntary basis, it requires the employee to be medically cleared before they are used. The filtering face piece type does not require that clearance because it does not tax the pulmonary system like a half mask. The questionnaire for the medical evaluation is Appendix C of 1910.134; this questionnaire is to be completed by the employee and a licensed health care provider will use this document to evaluate the employee’s capability to use the respirator. The employer must also provide the employee with Appendix D of 1910.134 when allowing the employee to wear respiratory protection on a voluntary basis. If you have any questions regarding respiratory protection, please call or email Margret Meade at mmeade@iamu.org or call 515.210.6617.

Tags:  COVID-19  OSHA  Respirators 

PermalinkComments (0)
 

Free Noise Hazard Training From ISU

Posted By IAMU, Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Free Noise Hazard Training for 2020, this training is supported by OSHA’s Susan Harwood Program.

The training is free and is specially aiming at facilities with 250 or less employees.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/training-for-understanding-evaluating-and-controlling-noise-hazards-registration-96102251421

Click here for the brochure.

Please contact Wendy Van Dyke at ISU for more information.

Here is a list of future training:

Date

Host

City

Thursday, March 19

Iowa Western CC

Council Bluffs

Wednesday April 22

Northeast Iowa CC

Peosta

Thursday April 23

Northeast Iowa CC

Calmar

Tuesday, May 26

Hawkeye CC

Waterloo

Thursday, June 25

CIRAS

Davenport/Quad Cities

Tuesday, August 4

IISC

Des Moines

Tags:  ISU  OSHA  Safety 

PermalinkComments (0)
 
Page 5 of 14
1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  >   >>   >| 
Membership Software Powered by YourMembership  ::  Legal