Over 120 water and wastewater utility staff joined OCWA for a day of networking and education at our Fourteenth Annual Operator Training event for safety. Up to 6 Safety Contact Hours were available to those who attended the six state-approved trainings presented during the day-long event.

As they do each year, the topics covered a wide-range of timely topics. We began the morning with OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations, presented by Eric Garcia, an OSHA authorized trainer with UC San Diego Extended Studies. This was followed by Peter Kuchinsky, California State Water Certified Safety Professional, who presented an Introduction to the Energy Wheel, or ‘Stuff That Can Kill You’ (STCKY). The morning’s presentations were capped by Jose Guzman with Reliance Safety Consultants, who provided an illuminating look at Why a Trench is Not a Confined Space . . . or Is It?

The afternoon sessions were kicked off by Aron Taylor, M.S., PG, CEG, with GMU Engineers & Geologists, who spoke about Pavement Construction, Inspection, and Safety, followed by Michael Nagaoka, CHMM, Pacific EH&S Services, Inc., who provided a thoughtful look at Does Your Safety Training Go Far Enough? And finally, the day’s training was brought to a close by Jason Call, President, TINOSI, Inc., who spoke about The Big Hole in Confined Space Entry Training . . . Gas Monitor Training.

All of the attendees walked away with new tools and resources they can use to protect themselves and the communities they serve, as well as a greater appreciation for their roles as “shepherds” of public health and safety.

A full page of photos can be found here.

Instrumental in helping pull this together were the OCWA Board members who formed the SafetyFest Committee. Ably lead by OCWA Secretary Todd Dmytryshyn, Moulton Niguel Water District, the committee consisted of OCWA Vice President Taryn Kjolsing, South Coast Water District, Sarina Sriboonlue, Municipal Water District of Orange County, and Michelie Little, MKN & Associates. Together, the committee organized and orchestrated the whole day, made arrangements for all the presenters, and ensured the program ran smoothly.

Also, special thanks to Joone Kim-Lopez, Moulton Niguel Water District General Manager, and her Staff, for all the signage, the setup of the room, and the cleanup afterwards. Our event owes its success in large measure to their generosity and support.

Hydrant Hysteria pits teams of two water workers against each other in a contest to assemble a hydrant as fast and as accurately as possible. With parts of the hydrant weighing over 100 pounds, multiple nuts and bolts, and two distinct segments, Hydrant Hysteria challenges both the physical stamina and the dexterity of the contestants as each team rushes through the assembly, mindful throughout how the segments must properly align when finished. The coach of one team described it as “an intricate dance” as the teammates work their way around the hydrant multiple times, each focused on their specific tasks.

In addition, the following people and organizations earned our gratitude for the help they provided coordinating the many facets of the day’s events: OCWA Treasurer Dave Jones, Hazen, for overseeing registrations and assisting with the day’s event; Sarina Sriboonlue, MWDOC, for coordinating CEUs with the State Water Board; and the good people at A’s Burgers, who provided the breakfast burritos, and Panini Kabob, who catered lunch.

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the 14th Annual Orange County Water Association SafetyFest. See you next year!