Reaching for the Stars and Installing Decorations!

   Cities have increased the Flags, Banners, and Flower Pots that help decorate our downtowns, add seasonal colors, and help celebrate holidays. With this increase of decorations, we increase the number of possible injuries for our maintenance employees. When climbing a ladder 10-20 times while installing decorations; are we always making sure the ladder is secure and on a flat surface? How about a bucket truck? Are we following all the regulations for fall protection, harnesses, and climbing in & out of the bucket each time? What else do we already have that we could utilize for installing these decorations with safety in mind and reducing the repetitive motions?


   The city of Cleveland, MN has a wide variety of decorations for their downtown and surrounding areas that they change several times a year. Their Public Works Department designed Steps and a Platform they install on their loader to minimize the hazard of ladders and the expense of a bucket truck. The loader operator is now able to load the decorations on the platform, drive to the location, park, leave the operator’s seat, climb the steps, secure himself with fall protection, and install the decorations. The steps and platform are removable for winter plowing operations and can be reinstalled when needed!
  
   Evaluating operations and finding a way to reduce injuries is critical in daily operations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Troy Walsh

 
 
 

MN OSHA Safety Grant Update

(New) Application is On-Line Only

For years, LMCIT Loss Control has been encouraging cities to utilize a MN OSHA Safety grant to defray costs associated with making safety improvement, and that won’t change. What has changed is the requirement to complete and submit the grant application on-line.

Numerous cities in MN have received the grant, which is a match grant up to $10,000, saving cities thousands of dollars.  Items include: manhole cover lifting devices, truck tailgate lift, confined space entry equipment, fall protection equipment, personnel protective equipment, and the list goes on…..

Lastly, if you have already received a grant, but it’s been two years, you are now eligible to apply again. And since the grants are reviewed every two months, you don’t have to wait long to find out the results.

Program overview and criteria:

http://www.doli.state.mn.us/wsc/Grants.asp

Online presentation.

http://www.doli.state.mn.us/wsc/PDF/grantpresentation1214.pdf

 

Information you need to complete the application.

http://www.doli.state.mn.us/wsc/PDF/grant_information2gather.pdf

On-line application.

https://secure.doli.state.mn.us/grants/

As always, if you need help or have questions, in addition to OSHA Consultation, you can always contact your LMCIT Loss Control Consultant.

By: Joe Ingebrand

MN Bleacher Safety Law

When was the last time you inspected your bleachers?  The law requires recertification every 5 years.
Around the year 2000, in addition to “Y2K disaster” looming on the horizon, the MN legislature passed a law to improve bleacher safety.  The law defined the types, specification, and application of bleacher guardrails and other openings. Shortly after that, most cities made improvements and inspected their bleachers as required, but that was 15 years ago!

Bleachers Effected

In places of public accommodation using bleacher seating, all bleachers or bleacher open spaces over 55 inches above grade or the floor below, and all bleacher guardrails if any part of the guardrail is over 30 inches above grade or the floor below must conform to the following safety requirements:

Railings

The open space between bleacher footboards, seats, and guardrails must not exceed four inches, unless approved safety nets are installed. Guardrails must have vertical perimeter guardrails with no more than four-inch rail spacing between vertical rails or other approved guardrails that reduce the ability for a person to climb the railings. Chain link fencing can be added to existing guard railing systems, or used in place of vertical supports, to meet this requirement.

Openings

The open space between bleacher footboards, seats, and guardrails must not exceed four inches, unless approved safety nets are installed, except that retractable bleachers already in place as of January 1, 2001, which can have open spaces less than 9”.

Certification

The certification shall be prepared by a qualified and certified building official or state licensed design professional and shall certify that the bleachers have been inspected and are in compliance with the requirements of this section and are structurally sound. For bleachers owned by a school district or nonpublic school, the person the district or nonpublic school designates to be responsible for buildings and grounds may make the certification.
http://www.dli.mn.gov/ccld/PDF/bc_bleacher_certification_0407.pdf

Re-inspection

Bleacher footboards and guardrails must be re-inspected at least every five years and a structural inspection must be made at least every ten years. Inspections may be completed in the same manner as provided in subdivision 4. This section does not preclude a municipal authority from establishing additional re-inspections under the State Building Code.


by Joe Ingebrand

RETURN OF THE FROZEN LINES…BLOGS

It’s almost time to start bracing ourselves for the cold weather again. Are your water and sewage lines prepared? Over the past few years we’ve written quite a few blog posts to help you get ready and we thought it would be a good idea to put them all in one easily accessible place, so here you go!

1) Dealing with Frozen Water Lines? Do not use electric current to thaw the lines!

2) Water Line Freeze Ups - Guidance to Residents

3) What cities may say to residents who have frozen water lines

4) This issue will be with us for awhile - frozen water lines

5) Sanitary sewers and frozen water lines...What goes around comes around.

6) Frozen water lines and sewer lines don't mix!

7) Frozen Water Lines....... Take 2 ???

8) Frozen Water Lines....A "golden opportunity" to plan

9) Frozen Water Lines - Educate the Public

10) Link on Waterlines – Minnesota Rural Water

By: LMC Loss Control

Snow Plow Policy

Does your snow plow policy need a Fall tune-up?

   A snow plow policy can help the city plan for the use of its resources, establishes priorities for work, and provides an explanation as to how and when snowplowing will be completed. It can also be used to inform the public about parking rules, damaged mail boxes, and specific routes. Lastly, it can support a defense of statutory discretionary immunity, allowing LMCIT to defend the city in the event of a liability claim associated with this activity.

Snowplowing and Ice Control Policy Components:

1. Introduction
2. When Will the City Start Snow or Ice Control Operations?
3. How Snow will be plowed
4. Snow Removal
5. Priorities and Schedule of Streets to be plowed
6. Work Schedule for Snowplow Operators
7. Traffic Regulations
8. Weather Conditions
9. Use of Sand, Salt, and Other Chemicals
10. Sidewalks
11. Mailboxes
12. Complaint Procedure
13. Deviation from Policy
14. Review and Modification of Policy
(LMCIT Model Snow Plow Policy) http://www.lmc.org/media/document/1/modelsnowplowingpolicy.pdf?inline=true


By Joe Ingebrand

There’s An App For That! (Inspection Edition)

While in the field recently, one of our Loss Control Consultants came across an amazingly efficient way to track different inspections throughout the City.  The CityReporter App gives you access to a multitude of varied inspection checklists at the tip of your fingers on your tablet or smart phone.


The CityReporter App reduces the inspection paperwork and filing by automatically storing the inspection checklists, photos, and notes into a file in the cloud that can be accessed later by City personnel.  After the number of times during workshops that it has been mentioned that you need to document your inspections, there is finally an easy way to do this.
The CityReporter App has a wide range of inspection checklists preformatted and available for use.  If the App does not have a checklist suited to your specific needs, CityReporter gives you the capability to create a customized inspection form.  The pre-made checklists include parks, roads, facilities, pools, new construction, fire and sport fields, to name a few.
The CityReporter App was developed with the assistance and advice of a number of municipal risk managers, playground inspectors, the director of the International Playground Safety Institute, road maintenance companies, building industry experts, fire officials and a host of other professionals.  This App makes it easy to keep up with the various inspections that the City’s should be performing on a regular basis and takes the paperwork out of the mix.
Currently in Minnesota, there are only a few cities using the App, however this number is expected to increase as word gets out on the ease of the inspection checklists.  Check out their website at CityReporter App for more information, a free demonstration and detailed information on the CityReporter Application.

By Tara A. Bursey

Restroom Access for Transgender Employees

Did you know there is a new Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) A Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers?  In addition to OSHA guidance for transgender employees and applicants, there are also a wide variety of federal laws to consider.  What's provided in your Public Works department?  

Liability lawsuits--Failure by the city to provide appropriate facilities, or failure of any employee to abide by the guidelines, poses risk for a liability lawsuit.  Applicable laws include sex discrimination protection under Title VII and the Minnesota Human Right Act.  Other federal regulations also apply including the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).

What does OSHA have to do with it?  "Under OSHA’s Sanitation standard (1910.141), employers are required to provide their employees with toilet facilities. This standard is intended to protect employees from the health effects created when toilets are not available. Such adverse effects include urinary tract infections and bowel and bladder problems. OSHA has consistently interpreted this standard to require employers to allow employees prompt access to sanitary facilities. Further, employers may not impose unreasonable restrictions on employee use of toilet facilities."

Starting the discussion  Perhaps you’ve already made your employees aware of the requirements.  If not you will need to make them aware of what is expected and what changes, if any, the city needs to make to restroom facilities. 

To simplify the discussion it’s helpful to start with understanding gender identity.  Here’s an excerpt from the OSHA Guide, an “estimated 700,000 adults in the United States are transgender—meaning their internal gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth (e.g., the sex listed on their birth certificate).

For example, a transgender man may have been assigned female at birth and raised as a girl, but identify as a man. Many transgender people transition to live their everyday life as the gender they identify with. Thus, a transgender man may transition from living as a woman to living as a man. Similarly, a transgender woman may be assigned male at birth, but transition to living as a woman consistent with her gender identity.”

What needs to be done--The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has provided some basic guidance about these requirements.  Access the link to the Guide above for information on Model Practices for Restroom Access for Transgender Employees.  Specifically “Many companies have implemented written policies to ensure that all employees—including transgender employees—have prompt access to appropriate sanitary facilities. The core belief underlying these policies is that all employees should be permitted to use the facilities that correspond with their gender identity. For example, a person who identifies as a man should be permitted to use men’s restrooms, and a person who identifies as a woman should be permitted to use women’s restrooms. The employee should determine the most appropriate and safest option for him- or herself.

The OSHA's Best Practices Guide also provides options which employers may choose, but are not required, to use. These include: Single-occupancy gender-neutral (unisex) facilities; use of multiple-occupant, gender-neutral restroom facilities with lockable single occupant stalls.

 Regardless of the physical layout of a worksite, all employers need to find solutions that are safe and convenient and respect transgender employees.

Under these best practices, employees are not asked to provide any medical or legal documentation of their gender identity in order to have access to gender-appropriate facilities. In addition, no employee should be required to use a segregated facility apart from other employees because of their gender identity or transgender status. Under OSHA standards, employees generally may not be limited to using facilities that are an unreasonable distance or travel time from the employee’s worksite.

 

By Troy Walsh