During our last few Executive Committee meetings, discussions included the topic regarding the partnership continuing to provide our employees with the entire 10‐hour refresher course. There was an agreement at the onset of the partnership to go above and beyond the federal requirements to improve industry safety results. At that time there were no requirements for follow‐up training for the OSHA 10‐hour and there was discussion about implementing a full 10‐hour every five (5) years. Yet, in following partnership meetings participants inquired and explored another pragmatic method

The consensus conclusion and direction was to find an effective method to deliver the “refresher” 10‐hour course and create continuing education to retrain partnership employees. The intent of this is to better address current challenges and enhance the knowledge of our current best practices, injury trends from the partnership and industry, introduce Human Performance Improvement (HPI) tools, as well as refresh the retention of our current best practices and training.

Effective immediately, there will no longer be a requirement to conduct the full 10‐hour course as a refresher within five (5) years of initial class. Instead, beginning in 2016, the task teams will produce quarterly continuing education training materials, to be delivered in module form, which will total one hour. The delivery of this revised quarterly training will surpass the original 10‐hour refresher time and will result in a total of 20‐hours of training over a five (5) year span.

Task Team II (training) will spearhead the development of this training with support from Task Team I (data), Task Team III (best practices) and Task Team IV (communication). The Q1 2016 training materials are tentatively targeted for delivery in December. Grounding will be included in the initial training.

We are excited to have agreed on a better, consistent method of delivering a more comprehensive and pertinent education to our workers. Thanks to those involved in the preparation and creation of these continuing education materials and all those who will teach and implement this throughout our industry.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at jeff.thiede@mdu.com or by phone at (503) 880‐1450

Sincerely,

Jeff Thiede

Executive Committee Chairman, 2015‐16

ET&D Partnership