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ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE |
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1. |
CONSIDER EXPENDITURE OF
BUDGETED FUNDS FOR CONFINED SPACE TRAINING |
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Meeting
Date: |
August 8,
2011 |
Budgeted: |
Yes |
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From: |
Darby
Fuerst, |
Program/ |
Personnel Costs/ |
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General
Manager |
Line Item: |
Staff Development |
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Prepared
By: |
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Cost Estimate: |
$2,700 |
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General Counsel Review: N/A |
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Committee
Recommendation: The Administrative
Committee reviewed this item on August 8, 2011 and recommended
___________________. |
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CEQA Compliance: N/A |
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SUMMARY: The District has currently identified three “confined spaces” on its premises. All are located at the Sleepy Hollow Fish Rearing Facility. The first is the pump gallery. This is a concrete pit housing the Sleepy Hollow Facility pumps. The second confined space is the cold well, a shallower pit that houses the pumps for the cooling tower. On occasion, an employee must climb down a ladder to the bottom of these pits in order to work on the pumps. The third confined space is the cooling tower itself. Employee entry there is required on an annual basis for maintenance. Due to the safety hazards posed by the possibility of a disabling fall down the ladders in both pump housings or the inability of an otherwise injured person being able to negotiate the climb up and out of the pits, or out of the cooling tower, all three are considered “permit-required confined spaces.”
The District’s Confined Spaces Policy specifies that only authorized persons are allowed to enter these spaces. These individuals must document their entry, notify the Senior Fisheries Biologist, Water Resources Manager, or General Manager, wear a safety harness and have “attendants” waiting to be able to extract them in the event of an emergency. Federal and State of California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for Confined Spaces mandate annual training for both authorized entrants and attendants. The firm Lee and Associates Rescue Equipment, Inc. has been providing this training to District employees for several years.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize funds for the OSHA-mandated annual Confined Space Training performed by Lee and Associates.
IMPACTS TO STAFF/RESOURCES: The FY 2011-2012 Budget includes $33,400 for employee training under Staff Development. None of these funds have yet been spent.
BACKGROUND: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard for confined spaces, Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910.146 "Permit-Required Confined Spaces," effective April 15, 1993, contains requirements for practices and procedures to protect employees in general industry from the hazards of entry into permit-required confined spaces (i.e., permit spaces). California OSHA requirements, as stated in Article 108 of the General Industry Safety Orders mirror the federal requirements. Both federal and state standards require employers to develop a written confined space entry permit program. The District has done so as part of its Injury and Illness Prevention Program. OSHA standards regarding confined spaces also require annual employee training.
EXHIBITS
None
U:\staff\word\committees\Admin\2011\20110808\01\item1.docx