Wayland updates firefighter physical procedures

BY KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

WAYLAND ? Workers compensation policy and procedure were at the forefront of Wednesday night?s meeting of the Wayland City Council.

City Clerk Beverly Conrad said following a recent workers compensation site visit, a procedure and policy change would need to be made.

?The biggest one was firefighters? physicals,? Conrad said as to the procedure change. ?We are currently doing well with those, but we don?t do the pulmonary function test and that is now required for workers (compensation).?

Conrad said the local medical clinic does not offer a pulmonary function test so firefighters would either have to be referred to Mercy Hospital or the University of Iowa Hospitals.

However, Conrad said she was given contact information for Med Compass, which does OSHA-mandated medical testing. Med Compass would bring the equipment necessary for the pulmonary function testing to Wayland for the physical. Conrad said at least 10 firefighters would have to be tested at a time for Med Compass to come. ?This is more comprehensive than what we would typically get,? Conrad added.

Councilman Greg Rich asked how soon the testing would have to be done since it?s mandatory.

?They will work with us as long as we have a planned schedule,? Conrad answered.

Conrad suggested having half the firefighters tested within the next year and the other half the following year. The firefighters would then be on a five-year schedule for having to be re-tested.

The council approved the testing unanimously.

The policy change recommended by workers compensation involved adding a seatbelt policy for equipment with rollover protection. The policy change was also approved.

In other business, the council approved the purchase of a large meter AC800 gas meter for $1,235. This gas meter would be a spare.

On Wednesday night, the council also authorized Allen Blasting and Coating to sandblast and coat the iron filter on the water plant, above the roofline. The quote was for $3,545. Conrad said there was no timeline on the quote, but they hope to get it done as soon as possible.

Lastly, the council approved sending Conrad to the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association meeting in Des Moines on Oct. 19-21, 2016.

The next meeting of the Wayland City Council will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., at Wayland City Hall.