WTECH 183 - Utility Worker Safety

Credits: 3
Examines safety concerns for water and wastewater utilities including confined space entry, underground utility location, excavation safety, fire safety, electrical safety, hazardous energy control (lock out/tag out), machine guarding, and the chemical hazard communication standard. Personal protection topics includes back safety, safe stairway/ladder use, personal fall protection, blood borne pathogen awareness, respiratory, eye, hand, head, hearing, and foot protection. Reviews regulations and standards relating to these topics.

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Understand the significance of a safety compliance program.
Identify opportunities to mitigate occupational health and safety risks.
Implement a confined space program.
Perform underground utility locating, marking, and notification.
Demonstrate ability to implement cave-in protection program.
Implement traffic control during system maintenance, repairs, and construction.
Ability to practice lock out/tag out procedures.
Describe the elements of fall protection.
Inspect treatment plant safety equipment (e.g., fire extinguishers, AED, and gas detectors.
Interpret safety data sheets.

Program Outcomes

Identify characteristics of water used to provide public drinking water through municipal water distribution and water treatment systems.
Identify the characteristics of wastewater conveyed and treated in municipal wastewater collection and wastewater treatment systems.
Monitor, evaluate and adjust processes used in municipal water distribution, water treatment, municipal wastewater collection and wastewater treatment systems.
Monitor, evaluate, operate and maintain common types of equipment found in municipal water distribution, water treatment systems, municipal wastewater collection and wastewater treatment systems.
Apply appropriate safety procedures to operation of municipal water distribution, water treatment, municipal wastewater collection and wastewater treatment systems.
Collect samples for, perform and interpret results of laboratory analyses used to monitor municipal water distribution, water treatment systems, municipal wastewater collection and wastewater treatment systems.
Perform supporting administrative duties for municipal water distribution, water treatment, municipal wastewater collection and wastewater treatment systems.

College-wide Outcomes

Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.