Volume 9 Issue 3
March 2018
COMMON-SENSE
SAFETY at the Salt River Project
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CONTENTS MARCH 2018 Volume 9, Issue 3
Irrigation Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for July/August and November/December by Water Strategies LLC 4 E Street SE Washington, DC 20003 STAFF: Kris Polly, Editor-in-Chief John Crotty, Senior Writer Tyler Young, Writer Julia Terbrock, Graphic Designer Capital Copyediting LLC, Copyeditor SUBMISSIONS: Irrigation Leader welcomes manuscript, photography, and art submissions. However, the right to edit or deny publishing submissions is reserved. Submissions are returned only upon request. For more information, please contact John Crotty at (202) 698-0690 or John.Crotty@waterstrategies.com. ADVERTISING: Irrigation Leader accepts one-quarter, half-page, and full-page ads. For more information on rates and placement, please contact Kris Polly at (703) 517-3962 or Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
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Common-Sense Safety for a Community Asset: Canal Safety at the Salt River Project
5 The Safety Issue By Kris Polly 6 Common-Sense Safety for a Community Asset: Canal Safety at the Salt River Project
20 Managing Safety at Elephant Butte Irrigation District: Delyce Maciel 26 SAI’s Philip Ball on Creating a Culture of Safety in the Workplace 32 Promoting Vegetation Management Safety at Alligare
16 Canal Safety at Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District By Daren Coon
IN MEMORIAM
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39 William Theodore “Ted” Diehl
Copyright © 2018 Water Strategies LLC. Irrigation Leader relies on the excellent contributions of a variety of natural resources professionals who provide content for the magazine. However, the views and opinions expressed by these contributors are solely those of the original contributor and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or positions of Irrigation Leader magazine, its editors, or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of advertisements in Irrigation Leader do not constitute a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC or Irrigation Leader magazine regarding the products, services, claims, or companies advertised. /IrrigationLeader
@IrrigationLeadr
COVER PHOTO: From left: Mike Patrick, Shepard Jackson, John Evans, Megan Strecker, Ron Dobbin, and Lynda Garcia Perez. Photo by Mike Eller, Salt River Project. IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SALT RIVER PROJECT.
12 Canal Safety at Roosevelt Water Conservation District By Shane M. Leonard
CIRCULATION: Irrigation Leader is distributed to irrigation district managers and boards of directors in the 17 western states, Bureau of Reclamation officials, members of Congress and committee staff, and advertising sponsors. For address corrections or additions, please contact our office at Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
The Safety Issue By Kris Polly
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SALT RIVER PROJECT.
I
n today’s workplace, employee and customer safety is job number 1. Irrigation districts are no different. With miles of canals, fast-flowing water, heavy machinery, potent chemicals, and the potential for isolated working conditions, irrigation district managers must contend with a number of challenges to ensure the safety of their workers and the people they serve. We begin our safety issue in Arizona, where the intersection of robust housing growth and active irrigation canals and ditches has necessitated embracing a culture of safety and innovation. The Salt River Project (SRP) delivers water to residents in the greater Phoenix area via 131 miles of canals. With maintenance roads on each side of those canals, there are numerous points of entry into canals. SRP, however, has come up with a unique approach to safety: It has made the canals a community asset, creating recreational opportunities along its canals for Phoenix residents. Mike Patrick, who directs water facility construction and maintenance activities for SRP, brings a common-sense approach to canal safety that has enabled SRP to make the most of its water transmission infrastructure. Mr. Patrick sums up SRP’s safety program with three basic practices: ”One, conduct regular reviews of the system to identify and correct potential safety hazards. Two, train your employees to look for and report safety hazards. And finally, install barriers at high-risk facilities.“ Just east of Phoenix, in and around the rapidly growing town of Gilbert, the Roosevelt Water Conservation District (RWCD) takes a different approach. General Manager Shane Leonard explained, “The public perception is that canals are the closest things we have to rivers and the activities rivers would provide for under normal circumstances. People want to walk their dog along the edge, sit on the bank to reflect on the workday, or fish in the canal, but these are the very activities that pose a tremendous safety risk. A canal system is not conducive IRRIGATION LEADER
to both public entertainment and public safety as a matter of routine design.” Mr. Leonard preaches diligence and positive interaction with the community to steer people to safer alternatives to activities along the RWCD canals. In Idaho’s sprawling communities of Nampa and Meridian, the challenge is similar to that in the greater Phoenix area. There are hundreds of miles of canals and ditches and numerous points of entry. For Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District Secretary-Treasurer Daren Coon, canal safety is imperative and personal. “It is imperative that we continue to spread the public safety message to all who will listen. Parents and children must look at canals the same way they do an interstate highway and know to stay out. I am entirely too familiar with tragedy involving irrigation ditches, and I look forward to the year that the tragedies end.” In this issue, we also hear from Elephant Butte Irrigation District’s Human Resources and Safety Director Delyce Maciel about employee safety for irrigation districts. She said, “At the end of the day, our goal is to ensure that employees stay safe and go home to their families.” That is also the message of Philip Ball and Dave Blodget, who discuss personal safety and herbicide application safety, respectively. Mr. Ball cuts to the core of the issue when it comes to workplace safety. “Good leaders respect and care for the people they oversee.” That kind of leadership drives safety for irrigation districts. IL Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.
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Common-Sense Safety for a Community Asset Canal Safety at the Salt River Project
Canals account for the bulk of western water delivery systems. As communities and cities have grown around these water systems, the push to use them for purposes beyond water transmission and delivery intensifies. The Salt River Project (SRP) provides irrigation water and power to the greater Phoenix metro area. Over the years, SRP has worked with cities and developers to provide recreational and commercial development opportunities along its canal banks. In fact, SRP has permitted recreational use of its canal banks since 1964. For SRP, safety is part and parcel of both the water delivery and recreational components of its canals. While SRP does not warrant or represent safety along its canals, it undertakes a variety of community programs to foster a culture of water safety. For example, SRP coordinates water safety events and swimming lessons across the Phoenix metro area. Mike Patrick manages SRP’s water facility construction and maintenance activities. He has been involved with SRP’s water operations for 31 years. Mr. Patrick spoke with Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, about SRP’s safety protocols, its integration of recreation into canal operations, and the need for community outreach. Kris Polly: Please provide a brief overview of SRP’s canal safety program.
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when issues are reported. There are four officers on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—which was implemented within the last 10–15 years. Prior to that, security officers were only used during the summer season. Kris Polly: What kind of safety infrastructure does SRP have in place? Mike Patrick: While SRP does not fence its canals, it does fence off areas with high exposure to risk—for example, automated trash rakes and pump sites. We also work diligently to facilitate safety in and around canals. We have installed two Worthington TUFFBOOMs upstream from two electric fish barriers and at one siphon. IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SALT RIVER PROJECT.
Mike Patrick: SRP focuses on several key areas of canal safety. One is keeping unauthorized vehicles off canal maintenance roads. Those roads are not meant for routine traffic. We have signs posted at all the major entry points near our canals. The signs indicate that no unauthorized vehicles may come onto the canal roads and that when people come on to the property, they do so at their own risk. We have 131 miles of canal with maintenance roads on each side, so we have more than 260 miles of canal roads. We install road gates as needed—if we see there is an issue with traffic, we’ll put the road gates up. I have seen situations where people try to push them open or take their truck and knock them down. We will continue to reinforce those gates with enough concrete to prevent gates from being moved that way. SRP contracts with a security firm to patrol the canals. The contract security officers are in contact with SRP’s Security Operations Center (SOC). They have an assigned region that they patrol and are dispatched by the SOC
Arizona Canal at Evergreen Wasteway.
We also set runged ladders on the side of the canals every 300 feet, alternating on either side of the canal. We address their visibility by painting them yellow at the top. We also have installed ladders at our check structures, control sites, and grates—any site where the canal goes underground. Kris Polly: How does SRP keep track of its safety hazard activities? Mike Patrick: SRP conducts an annual public access risk assessment. We take a team from our safety, maintenance, distribution operations, and transmission operations departments. The team drives the entire system to identify any hazards to the public and to ensure that all the proper IRRIGATION LEADER
signage is in place. Some sections of our canal maintenance roads have power lines running along them. The team ensures that the guide wires that provide tension to the poles have the proper guards and reflective material. The team also looks for tripping hazards, such as potholes or erosion. In addition to our annual public access risk assessment team, SRP trains all its water field employees annually to identify hazards within the canal right-of-way. Kris Polly: Does SRP permit recreational opportunities along its canals? Mike Patrick: We permit recreation along all our canals. There are 62 miles of canal multiple-use projects improved
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A Worthington TUFFBOOM provides protection from a fish barrier on the Arizona Canal.
Kris Polly: Please describe SRP’s public outreach efforts regarding safety. Mike Patrick: SRP partners with fire departments, hospitals, city aquatic programs, and schools to provide
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critical information on water safety through resources and programming. We engage with families at community events year-round and conduct a water safety campaign at valley pools during the summer months. Our efforts also include billboards, social media ads, and other media opportunities, all in an effort to educate the public and create awareness on water and canal safety. Kris Polly: What advice do you have for other water managers about best practices to help ensure canal safety? Mike Patrick: One, conduct regular reviews of the system to identify and correct potential safety hazards. Two, train your employees to look for and report safety hazards. And finally, install barriers at high-risk facilities. IL IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SALT RIVER PROJECT.
by the city [of Phoenix] with concrete paths, lights, and landscaping. There are 13 miles more in progress. In the Phoenix metro area, there is a lot of information online and on television about promoting the safety of children in and around water. The public has been very good about being aware of canal safety. It is rare that people actually fall into the canals. In addition, our public outreach team has an education and information program to address canal safety. They provide educational training by request.
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rwcd.net
Canal Safety
at Roosevelt Water Conservation District By Shane M. Leonard
R
The Nature of the Water Delivery System The canal is doing what it is supposed to do, and it is not until the human element is introduced that it can
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become dangerous. Transportation engineers design streets and sidewalks for the movement of people and take safety precautions into consideration as a normal course of design. Canals and irrigation infrastructure are designed to move water, so the safety of the public is not a typical consideration. RWCD’s system operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, so we always have personnel in the field. However, the primary purpose of our personnel, as with the delivery system, is the safe and timely delivery of water. Public safety concerns are important to us, but it is difficult to address such matters given the large number of acres and miles of system we operate compared to the number of staff we have in the field at any given time. And when an emergency does occur, our employees are often not in the area. Coordination With Law Enforcement RWCD delivers water to farms, ranches, subdivisions, schools, and businesses across 40,000 acres. Given the size of the district and the overlapping service jurisdictions we have with local municipalities, the appropriate law enforcement authority could be one of four policing IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROOSEVELT WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
oosevelt Water Conservation District (RWCD) serves a growing customer base in and around the cities of Mesa and Chandler and the town of Gilbert in central Arizona. Urbanization and a more active population have the potential to create public safety issues in and around RWCD’s canals. In central Arizona, the public perception is that canals are the closest things we have to rivers and the activities rivers would provide for under normal circumstances. People want to walk their dog along the edge, sit on the bank to reflect on the workday, or fish in the canal, but these are the very activities that pose a tremendous safety risk. A canal system is not conducive to both public entertainment and public safety as a matter of routine design. As an organization, RWCD knows that it would be next to impossible to construct a barrier around our entire system to keep trespassers out. As such, RWCD’s public safety plan is multifaceted and constantly evolving.
Main canal at Roosevelt Water Conservation District.
agencies. As such, it can be confusing for our employees, the public, and even law enforcement at times to determine which is the appropriate agency to contact during an emergency. When we do contact the police, we have to see where we rank in relation to the local day’s activities: automobile accidents, armed robberies, and any number other serious issues may be occurring at the same time. When an irrigation district calls to say it has a trespasser on or near the canal, it may not necessarily be a priority for local law enforcement at the time. For example, during our last dry-up period, we had a substantial capital project being constructed in and around our main canal. During the course of construction, we doubled up on our posting of no trespassing signs, including erecting traffic barricades at either end of the project. Nevertheless, when our contractor returned to the site one morning, they found a man in Bermuda shorts and flip flops standing on the top of newly placed 42-inch RGRCP pipe section, in a 50-foot wide by 100-foot long by 20-foot deep construction and excavation pit. He absolutely would not leave the area, insisting that he was a taxpayer and an engineer and had every right to be on the site to investigate. We hated to do it, but we had to call the police. Thankfully, this was an isolated incident, but it does serve to illustrate the attitude of certain members of the public when it comes to canals and irrigation rights-of-way. Trial and Error In the mid-2000s, RWCD used a pilot program that installed several cameras along our canal systems and other property to monitor activity. Within a span of 30–45 days, each of those cameras had been stolen or incapacitated. More recently, we placed a camera in the public view atop a 20-foot pole. Although we could see when, where, and what people were doing, the benefits were short lived, as that camera was stolen as well. Finally, in cases where we might have been able to catch someone committing a crime in real-time on the camera, the person would be long gone by the time anyone could respond. A Workable Plan of Action If the public wants to get into RWCD’s irrigation system and property badly enough, they will find a way. It is simply a fact. Until we are able to adopt a plan to keep members of the public out completely or safely invite them onto the premises, we are investing in infrastructure to prevent potential accidents and deaths from drowning. RWCD has implemented rope systems at different points along our largest canal. The systems are adjustable based on water flow, so if someone gets in, they have the ability to grab on to the rope, move themselves across to a ladder, and get out of the canal. In addition to this capital investment, we have also created two new positions within the last couple years— IRRIGATION LEADER
neighborhood liaison and media and public outreach coordinator—to focus on increasing public knowledge of our system and facilitate community partnerships. Our neighborhood liaison works directly with our small lot and subdivision customers to provide them with a better understanding of both the private and the district irrigation systems. Our media and public outreach coordinator handles our social media accounts and works with other groups in our community to educate the public about who we are and the stewardship we provide regarding water in central Arizona. We plan to rely heavily on social media to spread the news that our system is not accessible to the public. We are also looking for opportunities to work with our local municipalities to address trespassing in a more direct manner when possible—in essence, taking advantage of opportunities to work with local organizations to educate the public with a consistent message about canal safety. For example, RWCD has been partnering with our local airport to suggest good places from which to watch its yearly airshow and places to avoid, such as the banks of our main canal. We are also engaging the public on social media to communicate what is and what is not open to the public during these types of events. Putting the Safety of the Customer First I encourage our team to make each interaction with the public a constructive one. I know it is not productive for our employees, the district, or the public to have negative interactions with each other. So, in addition to informing people that it is illegal and dangerous to be on the canal, we try to point them in a positive direction. For example, we recently had teenagers fishing in the canal. Considering everything else teenagers could be doing in today’s day and age, I believe fishing is a positive activity. Instead of just lecturing them, we pointed them to a nearby place where it is legal to fish, so they could catch bigger and better fish in a lawful manner. Overall, public safety for RWCD is constantly evolving. What might have worked a year ago might not necessarily work today. However, we try to stay ahead of what people may do, mitigate the negative effects should an accident occur, and continue to provide knowledge to the community. Public safety has become a real issue for conservation districts, and it is worth spending time to plan and reassess when necessary. Preparing for the human element, both invited and not, is imperative in canal maintenance and operations. IL Shane M. Leonard is the general manager of the Roosevelt Water Conservation District. He is the fourth generation of his family to work for the district. For more information about RWCD’s public safety program or its media and outreach program, you can reach Mr. Leonard at s.leonard@rwcd.net.
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A clip from Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District’s canal safety YouTube video.
Canal Safety at Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District By Daren Coon
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IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NAMPA & MERIDIAN IRRIGATION DISTRICT AND THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.
The incidence of accidental adjacent to NMID canals or ditches drowning in Idaho is too high. Idaho are often in the best position to also has the unfortunate distinction install and maintain fences. The of having the second-highest licensing process ensures that the accidental drowning rate for children district has access to its canals and ages 1 through 5 in the United ditches for maintenance and the States. fence meets appropriate district For over two decades, Nampa standards. & Meridian Irrigation District There have been some efforts (NMID) has worked with our to institutionalize private fence taxpayers and community to foster maintenance; however, those efforts a culture of safety around district are difficult to maintain over time. canals and drains. Several years ago, concerned citizens NMID delivers irrigation water formed groups to look at areas where to 69,000 acres of farms and lawns high numbers of drowning incidents in southwestern Idaho via the more occurred. The groups constructed than 500 miles of canals and drains fences around schools and parks From Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District’s canal safety YouTube video. it operates and maintains. Given that bordered canals. However, the size of the district and the maintenance is a challenge because variety of properties through which its canals and ditches the groups rely on private donations and involvement to course, enclosing those canals and ditches in pipes or maintain these structures, and many have fallen into disrepair. with fencing is not viable at this time. The cost of erecting More recently, the increased use of the land near and maintaining fences around 500 miles of canals and canals and ditches for recreational purposes has made the drains would not only be implausible, it would increase maintenance of safety a challenge. Several years ago, due the risk of lawsuits: By constructing a fence, the district to an increase in requests, the district began licensing the is communicating a duty to keep people away from a use of land adjacent to drain ditches to neighboring cities dangerous object (almost like a beware of dog sign.) to open recreational pathways. Our drain ditches are very By using the proper licensing process, property owners deep, the banks are extremely steep, and there have been
Otto Otter of Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest Region shared canal safety tips at the See Spot Walk event in Boise, Idaho.
some drowning deaths that have occurred due to access from the trails that run near canals and ditches. Anytime the public is introduced to these areas, the possibility of accidental drowning increases. In an attempt to help curb accidental drowning in its canals and ditches, NMID has implemented a tool to help people get out of our canals and ditches should they get into the water. In our main canal, NMID has installed grab bars to help people out of the fast and cold water. Little else can be done to help an individual who has fallen into a ditch, especially when no one is present to witness the accident. Outreach on the Airwaves Prompted by an increase in the number of drownings, NMID’s public safety efforts started in the early 1990s. We researched effective communication strategies, and we produced a radio advertisement. In those days, radio was more viable for public service announcements and a good forum for our message. Later, the district began looking at different ways to get our message out. It became apparent that television would be the best forum. As a result, we have made several commercials to be released in summer, the peak time for children and adults to use the canals. Based on viewer statistics, the commercials were placed to run with particular programs; in the beginning, the Oprah Winfrey Show was the time slot we targeted due to the high number of young parents viewing the program. IRRIGATION LEADER
Our Message to Kids (and Their Parents) While the focus of NMID’s outreach is communication with parents, we also run programs for children. In conjunction with the Bureau of Reclamation, we run the Otto Otter program. Otto is a mascot that we send to local festivals and grocery stores. Kids love going up and seeing Otto as he hands out coloring books about canal safety. In addition, when offered, we take the opportunity to speak to kids in the classroom. We target third and fourth graders because at that age, the students are old enough to absorb and retain the information presented to them. The best message we have for our campaign can be credited to a third grader. During one of my classroom presentations, a young girl explained our safety message to her friends by asking, “Well, would you go out and play in the middle of a road? That’s what he’s trying to say.” Our message is as simple as that. What we are asking is for parents to treat canals and highways with equal regard. Unfortunately, there have been instances in which we have encountered parents playing in and around our canals. While a mother and father may believe they know how to act around a canal, children do not. In addition, although it is difficult, adults may have the strength and ability to get out of a canal in an emergency, while children do not. Educating New Residents Each year, farm work brings a number of migrant workers to the fields of the Treasure Valley. There have been a few instances in which NMID staff have encountered migrant farm workers cooling off in or by our canals. A few summers ago, a man got into one of our canals after work. He went from working in 104-degree temperatures to near frigid water around 38 degrees. Due to the significant temperature change, his body went into shock and he drowned. As a result, NMID now educates migrants, in addition to all new residents in our community, about the dangers of canal water. Preventing Tragedy Through Education It is imperative that we continue to spread the public safety message to all who will listen. Parents and children must look at canals the same way they do an interstate highway and know to stay out. I am entirely too familiar with tragedy involving irrigation ditches, and I look forward to the year that the tragedies end. IL Daren R. Coon is the secretarytreasurer of the Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District. For more information about the district’s canal safety program, you can reach Mr. Coon at dcoon@nmid.org.
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Managing Safety at Elephant Butte Irrigation District: Delyce Maciel Safety is a key concern for irrigation districts all over the world. With employees working outdoors near swift water and with large equipment, a number of things could go wrong. Delyce Maciel has been serving Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) as the human resources and safety director for 91/2 years and has been successful in reducing the number of serious injuries. In a recent interview, Ms. Maciel discussed EBID’s approach to safety vand how it strives to improve year over year. Kris Polly: Please tell our readers about yourself. Delyce Maciel: I have been involved with human resources and safety for over 25 years. These two areas seem to go hand in hand with smaller organizations. I previously worked with ConAgra Foods, the red chile plant here in Las Cruces for 4 years, and prior to moving to Las Cruces in 2000, I worked with Bechtel, Inc., a worldwide construction company; Wouldenberg Enterprises, Inc., a construction barricade company; and Motorola in Phoenix. On a personal level, I have lived all over the Southwest: Arizona, California, Texas, and now New Mexico. I graduated high school in San Antonio, Texas; finished my bachelor’s degree at the University of Phoenix; and am currently working on my MBA at New Mexico State University. I have a 14-year-old son getting ready to start high school next year, and he likes to tease me about being in college again! We enjoy hanging out together; watching movies; camping; and traveling with our border collie/blue heeler mix, Rex. Kris Polly: Please tell us about your responsibilities for EBID.
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During orientation with new employees, I focus on the safety aspect of their jobs. Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and the managers work with me to make sure sites, facilities, and equipment are all in safe working order. I also manage the workers’ compensation, safety training, and safety manual, and I ensure we are compliant with all OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] safety regulations. I’m constantly working with managers because they are the ones out in the field on a regular basis. The human resources side of my role keeps me in the office sometimes more than in the field. When I get out to the IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELEPHANT BUTTE IRRIGATION DISTRICT.
Delyce Maciel: I am the human resources and safety director for EBID, and my role as safety director allows me to work with our management team and employees to make our workplace safe. One of the areas I have been working with our managers on is the security of our facilities. After several thefts, we realized we need better security. We have installed cameras and proxy access to buildings, and we will be looking to add security to our outlying facilities. Managing our facilities after hours is important, and we constantly look for areas of improvement. Whenever I get called out, my trusty canine partner, Rex, and I join forces to check out the facilities.
TOP: Delyce Maciel, EBID human resources and safety director. ABOVE: EBID-issued personal protection equipment.
field to job sites, I do not police the employees. I prefer to make recommendations to and ask questions of the employees onsite to ensure they are thinking about safety instead of depending on someone to do it for them.
Delyce Maciel: The New Mexico Self-Insured Fund is an organization of smaller government municipalities that came together as a self-insured group fund. Through this program, they provide safety training that we schedule each month with our employees. We can request more if we feel Kris Polly: Do you ensure that district employees have the it is necessary. The trainings are 2 to 4 hours on a subject equipment they need? of our choosing. We put together an annual list of required trainings for our employees so that we can ensure the Delyce Maciel: Yes, we have a standard equipment list training is pertinent to our organization. The fund requires that employees are issued once they are hired. Any time our employees to have 16 hours of safety training each year. they need other items, their respective manager will work The fund also is our workers’ compensation insurance, to obtain additional equipment. Any personal protective which provides us a rating each year based on the number equipment they need is available to them. Once irrigation and severity of our injuries. We strive to keep this score season starts, we are operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a as low as possible. The fund looks at a rolling 3 years to week, so during that time we have a night shift. Those determine our score. Long-term injuries can affect the workers are issued flashlights and lamps for their trucks. rating. The higher the rating, the higher the rates. If the One of the employees came in and rating gets above a certain level, OSHA said, “It would be nice to have a will come in to assess the facilities and Proposed EBID Training Classes headlamp so I do not have to hold the make recommendations. from March 20 to May 24, 2018 light.” I love when employees come We do annual reporting to OSHA in and make recommendations that and remain in contact with our insurance March 20 Drug and Alcohol benefit everyone. I try to emphasize administrator to maintain proper Awareness, Electrical Safety, 4 hours that safety is everyone’s responsibility. information about any occurrence. Our March 22 Haz Com: GHS, Heat If employees see something that may rating has been improving over the past Stress and Safety, 4 hours not be right, we want them to speak up, 2 years, and we are always looking for double check everything, and assess the ways to keep our employees safe. The March 26 Special Request Week situation. rating is reassessed each year based on an April 26 Backs/Lifting Proper I was recently at a job site during annual audit report that walks through Techniques, Welding Safety, 4 hours a concrete pour with a pumper all the trainings and safety changes we May 22 Drug and Alcohol truck. It was amazing to watch how do on a yearly basis. Prevention for Supervisors, 4 hours all our employees worked together Apart from the trainings that are May 24 Accident Investigation for to make this process seamless. As provided through the fund, we also bring Supervisors I watched this process, one of the in other trainers to keep the employees things that I didn’t understand was up-to-date on subjects like sexual how the employees communicate harassment, CPR, first aid, and swift with each other and the concrete pumper truck. I took this water trainings. We have had Philip Ball of the Situational opportunity to ask how the employees communicate if Awareness Institute come in and do active-shooter and there was an emergency situation. The manager onsite came situational-awareness trainings also. He was a great asset, over and explained they have a whistle system and hand walking us through a safety threat earlier this year. signals to communicate over the noise of the equipment. Once he showed me how they did it, we were able to make Kris Polly: If other irrigation districts do not have a safety some corrections and suggestions to help the employees and officer or safety program, could they contact you for manager. Improvements like these are what I strive for at information? a job site when I visit. I always want to first understand a situation before I make any recommendations. Additionally, Delyce Maciel: Oh yes, even on the human resources side! at this concrete pour, I noticed how incredibly hard it is A lot of smaller irrigation districts may not have the ability to do a concrete pour with a hard hat on. The employees to fund a safety director position, or the responsibilities may were holding on to their hat with one hand and finishing be added to other positions. It’s important to stay on top of the concrete with the other. Sometimes there is a little safety issues and regulations. At the end of the day, our goal frustration over the required safety equipment. That being is to ensure that employees stay safe and go home to their said, we continue to look to make these situations easier families. while ensuring everyone’s safety. For any questions or advice on safety for your irrigation Kris Polly: Please tell us about the New Mexico district, contact Delyce Maciel at (575) 526–6671 x 411 or Self-Insured Fund. dmaciel@ebid-nm.org. IRRIGATION LEADER
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SAI’s Philip Ball on Creating a Culture of Safety in the Workplace For irrigation district managers, issues of workplace safety extend beyond the safe use of heavy equipment and herbicide applications. They also have to account for the safety of employees. Philip Ball has spent much of his career creating a safe environment for others. After spending years as a police officer in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Georgia, he created the Situational Awareness Institute (SAI), which provides security and training to police departments and the private sector. Through SAI, Mr. Ball provides instruction in active-shooter response and survival, crisis intervention, and defensive tactics. Mr. Ball also provides workplace safety evaluations. He is a certified firearms instructor in Florida and Georgia and with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Irrigation Leader’s senior writer, John Crotty, spoke with Mr. Ball about workplace safety at irrigation districts, the connection between effective hiring practices and a safe work environment, and fostering a positive working culture. John Crotty: What is the first thing managers should do to ensure the safety of their employees? Philip Ball: Employers need to screen individuals before they are hired and given access to anything. It is a kind of quarantine. We do not want to introduce a contaminant into the environment. John Crotty: How should the screening process be conducted, and what are some things a manager should look for?
John Crotty: What should irrigation district managers keep in mind when hiring for certain positions?
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Philip Ball: Someone who is going to be a ditch rider, for example, must be good at operating with autonomy and typically is not frail and can handle an adverse situation. I like to say that they have a commanding presence. What that means is when someone approaches them, they have a confidence level that demands respect, and in turn, they will respect you. Predators will look for a frail person in a situation to exploit, which can become a problem. Having ditch riders that have a commanding presence can be a good preventive measure to ensure they do not fall victim to a predator. John Crotty: What are some ways managers can foster the safety of their employees in the workplace? Philip Ball: One of the best ways to foster safety, especially in the type of work environment many districts face, is through communication. For example, I have found that a device called SoloProtect is inexpensive and helps maintain a constant line of communication in an array of situations. It looks like an IED tag, and it monitors employees at all times. The GPS can tell where employees are and, if they have fallen, can alert the call center to send dispatch. In the case of a threatening person, an employee can show the person IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PHILIP BALL.
Philip Ball: First, employers should run a criminal history to see whether prospective employees have any isolated incidents or a pathological behavior that could harm the company. I have found that a person’s current employer is not the most truthful person to speak with during a background investigation. If the person is a problem, the current employer may give them a glowing recommendation to get rid of them. Hiring managers must go at least three employers deep to get a thorough review and to speak to a former manager who will tell you the honest, unfiltered truth about the individual.
Philip Ball.
SAI Lead Instructor Philip Ball presents Active Killer Prevention and Survival Training to government employees in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
their tag. While it may appear that the employee is only showing them a badge, the employee is actually pressing a button opening up a two-way call to headquarters. All sorts of groups in cities and rural areas are using it effectively. In my opinion, a device like this is the most cost effective, convenient, and unobtrusive. Additionally, when employees have a basic understanding of self-defense, they will project confidence that repels attacks. Predators make their living off reading people and will sense that confidence. If they know someone is confident, they typically do not want to mess with them. Employees can also be trained in preattack indicators, to notice nonverbal signs and be aware of the danger. The first step in avoiding a trap is to recognize it. People’s actions are truer than what they are saying.
are several instances I have responded to in which an employee was going through a rough patch in life. Most of the time, it is triggered by a departure of a significant other. The employee may try to self-medicate with alcohol or prescription medications or may overuse a stimulant, like caffeine. The employee no longer can cope with events that they normally would have coped with. They tend to overreact, violate company policies, avoid work, and display other behaviors of depression. If employers are watching for the signs, distressed employees will indicate that an attack is imminent.
John Crotty: Apart from having sufficient, easy communication devices and training, what other areas are critical to workplace safety?
Philip Ball: Active shooters often prefer open areas with large groups of people who cannot defend themselves. One of the security risks I’ve seen lately is the open work environment. Some companies do not have different rooms or cubicles—it is just one large, undefined space. I was just at an office in Atlanta, Georgia, with this exact setup. I walked into an area and could see 40 employees
Philip Ball: We now see that workplace violence is a greater threat than a school shooting. Knowing the indicators violent employees display before an attack is helpful. There IRRIGATION LEADER
John Crotty: In terms of the work environment itself, what things should a manager be thinking about to foster a safe workplace?
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Philip Ball presenting Active Killer Prevention, Response, and Survival training to government employees at The Historic Davenport Hotel in Washington.
Phil Ball: The safest districts I have seen are the ones in from where I was standing. For a shooter, it could be a which the manager considers the employees to be extended prime target—a large group in an open area with few exits. Having individualized workspaces that can be secured when family. The manager has a personal concern with his or her employees’ well-being and works to establish a relationship needed is important and can serve as a deterrent. with them. Additionally, employers need to be close to their Good leaders respect and care for the employees. Not technologically connected, people they oversee. When the world of one but close the old-fashioned way. When employee is destabilized, the good leader managers physically talk to employees, knows it and can handle the situation. Good they can read nonverbal queues to know leaders make contact with their employees if someone is down. The end goal is for every week, if only for a few seconds to say them to notice the cues, comfort them, and hello. When treated this way, employees offer assistance. It can be the first step in think of themselves as important. This simple avoiding a deadly situation. action can be the best antidote to a negative Encouraging communication will situation. We need to get back to fostering allow others to detect potential violence. a sense of community. It will help us all People will feel comfortable coming to their manager without being labeled a —PHILIP BALL individually and will help businesses. What is done to one affects all. troublemaker. I would much rather see I tell businesses everyday that hope is not a plan, and employees communicate too many false alarms than not chaos is not a strategy. Irrigation districts and water agencies enough and be left with casualties. In most active-shooter scenarios, there were warnings and indicators, but they went have to actively create a safer work environment. IL unreported. If your district is interested in learning more from Philip Ball about workplace safety, he can be reached at (954) 292–5592 or John Crotty: If an irrigation district manager could do one saitactical@gmail.com. thing today to improve safety, what would it be?
Encouraging communication will allow others to detect potential violence.
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Alligare training workshop on March 13, 2018, in Bakersfield, California.
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Promoting Vegetation Management Safety at Alligare
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proper equipment we provide.” Alligare provides full-service training to its customers from the get-go. New MAGNACIDE H customers receive classroom and field training. According to Mr. Blodget, the application “is not difficult, but there are certain steps an applicator has to go through to do it properly. We want to make sure that each user is comfortable performing those steps before we leave.” Customers are trained once a year in product application and safety during regional training events. Just this year, Alligare started full-day workshops to help its customers obtain additional continuing education credits. These full-day events focused on the use of chemicals around water, including ditch bank and in-water management, rotational programs to mitigate weed resistance, and product use. IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALLIGARE.
afety in vegetation management is a primary concern for irrigation district managers. For Alligare, a leader in aquatic vegetation management, safety is built into all its services. The company provides in-depth product safety information, application protocol, and in-the-field training to customers to ensure the best outcome for the environment and the applicator. Alligare’s Western U.S. Regional Manager—Aquatics Dave Blodget is familiar with the anxiety many applicators face when they first use an herbicide such as MAGNACIDE H. He said, “Usually, this stems from the person having heard a story from another person about the product. We listen to their fears and demonstrate that they can safely apply the product with training by following the necessary safety guidelines on the label and by using the
Training involves updates to any confusion or questions. “We like to Upcoming Alligare Safety changes to U.S. Environmental meet with customers in the field.” Training Workshops Protection Agency requirements for Although it is important to follow chemical labels or personal protective safety precautions during application, equipment. For example, when managing the treated water can be just March 29 Modesto Irrigation Mr. Blodget started working with as important for irrigation districts. District, Modesto, California MAGNACIDE H, the label only “We don’t want treated water to get required applicators to wear goggles out of the irrigation system and into a April 9 South Columbia Basin and gloves to make applications. Today, natural water course. To prevent this, Irrigation District, Pasco, applicators must wear a full-face air we have a good look at the system to Washington purifying respirator and full personal determine where the water is going protective equipment to conduct to go,” said Mr. Blodget. This is just the very same procedures. “We have one way that Alligare helps irrigation April 12 Gauge Canal made modifications to the equipment districts mitigate any risk of damage to Company, Riverside, California over the years, adding redundant the surrounding ecosystem. check valves to make the application For Alligare, it is critical that each April 24 St. Mary River equipment as safe as possible for the and every customer knows exactly Irrigation District, Lethbridge, applicator. We build all our equipment how to apply and manage its products. Alberta, Canada in-house, and the label specifies that Mr. Blodget explained, “Treatment only our equipment can be used.” solutions like MAGNACIDE H only “Basically, we want them to be pose a danger to an applicator if used April 26 South Saskatchewan prepared to address any potential safety incorrectly; in fact, there is no better River Irrigation District, Outlook, issues,” said Mr. Blodget. product for the control of submersed Saskatchewan, Canada Mr. Blodget explained that Alligare aquatic weeds and algae. It is one of the would do whatever is necessary to few aquatic herbicides that an irrigation get a customer up to speed on safety issues. Company district can apply during the water season and immediately representatives can be reached by phone or email 24 hours use to irrigate any crop.” IL a day, 7 days a week, to answer any questions. Additionally, Alligare representatives conduct one-on-one onsite visits For more information, please contact Dave Blodget at where MAGNACIDE H is being applied to resolve any dave.blodget@alligare.com. IRRIGATION LEADER
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Hiring: General Manager Fresno Irrigation District Job Location: Fresno, CA Application Deadline: 05/18/2018
The General Manager position at the Fresno Irrigation District will be opening in early fall of 2018 due to the forthcoming retirement of the incumbent after more than 30 years with the District. We are looking for the next General Manager to lead our team in the continued efforts of developing and managing water resources. For more detailed information about this exciting opportunity, and to apply for the position, please visit our “Employment Opportunities” link located on our webpage at www.fresnoirrigation.com.
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BOISE PROJECT BOARD OF CONTROL IS HIRING: PROJECT MANAGER The Project Manager of the Boise Project administers and implements the policies, programs and rules adopted by the Boise Project’s Board of Directors. The Project Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of operations and successful leadership of the Boise Project. For more information, please visit boiseproject.net. IRRIGATION LEADER
In Memoriam
William Theodore “Ted” Diehl February 16, 1926–February 20, 2018
W
“I’ve associated with some great people and had a real wonderful life. I’m very appreciative of it. We are all very lucky to live here in the United States, and I am proud of it.” —Ted Diehl
Irrigation Leader magazine, 2014
IRRIGATION LEADER
illiam Theodore “Ted” Diehl, 92, a long-time resident of Jerome, Idaho, passed away Tuesday, February 20, 2018, at his home, surrounded by family. Born in Twin Falls on February 16, 1926, he was the first child of William Travis and Beulah Edith (Hanes) Diehl. Ted was the eldest of four siblings, followed by Jerry, Les, and Dorothy. All have preceded him in death. Ted attended school in Jerome, graduating from Jerome High School in 1944. He excelled in sports, especially football and boxing. After graduating, he joined the Navy in the latter part of World War II, and he trained as and became a Navy fighter pilot. During his time in the Navy, he also played football and became the Navy Golden Glove boxing champion. After 2 years of service, he left the Navy and started his agricultural engineering education at the University of Idaho. He continued his boxing and football careers at the university and graduated in 1950. After graduation, he farmed and became a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent. Ted joined the North Side Canal Company (NSCC) as manager in 1969. He guided the NSCC for 44 years. He was known as a passionate champion for Idaho water rights and was awarded and recognized with all the water awards an individual could obtain. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Beverly Jane (Eggers); his daughters, Jennifer Diehl and Marilee (Steve) Allison; his sons, Wade (Joanne) Diehl and Jerry Diehl; eight grandchildren: Dusty (Cortney) Allison, Stephanie (Dustin) Wells, Elizabeth (Jeff) Boardman, Hannah Diehl, Trevor Diehl, Jessica Diehl, Quinn Diehl, and Gharret Diehl; and four great grandchildren: Britt Wells, Brazon Wells, Brynlee Allison, and Leighton Allison. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Presbyterian Church of Jerome, Jerome School District Foundation–High School Athletics, or the University of Idaho–Vandal Athletics. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family on Ted’s memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.
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