This issue of NYSWDA's newsletter will combine our news from September through November.  We have not committed to publishing a newsletter on a monthly basis but only when we feel that that we have useful information for the network.

New for NYSWDA's Website

     We have published our yearly training calendar for all WAP related trainings.  The calendar will be a page you should bookmark and check often as it will be constantly updated. 
There will be trainings from NYSWDA, DHCR, OSHA, BPI, Affordable Comfort, NYSERDA, and any other relevant trainings listed on the calendar.  Also the trainings listed will be clickable for links to registration forms etc. 

CLICK HERE to view the calendar. 

NY Agencies in the Spotlight

How many New York Borough presidents does it take to change a light bulb?

Sunset Park Redevelopment Committee has submitted their press release for the well attended event for National Weatherization Day.  Click Here  for press release and photo from their event for Weatherization Day. 
Congratulation to Nelson Ramos and his staff on the good job.

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Opportunities for Otsego, Delaware Opportunities, and Community Environmental Center

Click Here for pictures of the crew competition and again congratulations to all agencies.

As you are aware, NYSWDA has been working on developing a pollution liability program for the New York Weatherization programs.  Our first attempt of requesting proposals from insurance brokers for the coverage came back with no response.  We then extended the Request for Proposal submission date because their was a broker who was talking to the insurance underwriter and felt that he could put a program together with an affordable premium.  Those discussions fell through and again we were left without a program. 

We are, though,  in the midst of talking to the broker who worked with NASCSP on the national insurance program to be able to offer you an affordable program.  NYSWDA is looking into other possibilities and will keep you posted. 

In the interim, until other options are available, it is important that your agency is insured.  Here is information on the product offered by NASCSP.

Click Here for page of FAQ's  (msWord)
Click Here for Application Form (msWord)

You should consider at least a million dollar coverage.

NOTE:  DOE requires that your subcontractors carry POI insurance or be listed on your agencies policy.

We have also included the application for your convenience.  If you have any questions about completion of the application, please contact Cheryl Hopkins.  You can reach her by E-mail    cheryl@environmentalinsurance.com or call her at 1-800-257-1639

We will continue to keep you posted as our program develops.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Randi at 518-453-9008 x22 or E-mail Randi Randi@nyswda.org

Message from James: 

The "Statewide Materials Bid" that the network has used over the past few years, is due to begin for our next contract period starting in April of 04.  This will be the first year the process comes under NYSWDA's deliverables for the network. 

My goal is to make any changes to the process that will enhance the product.  I would like to see the following:

• Include any organization that does procurement for energy related products that the network works with ( we want to see one procurement that you can use for WAP, Assisted Home Performance, AMP, and any other programs the network offers).  We will again be working with AEA and CEC on the process

• Have a committee consisting of staff from NYSWDA, AEA, CEC, and a few WAP Directors review products.  We want to offer not only price but quality to the network and not have situations where agencies order the winning bidders product only to find the quality is lacking.

NYSWDA has put together a short survey for the 2004-05 Statewide Material bid.  Your responses will assist in the development of a bid package in an effort to obtain bulk purchase pricing benefits and to maintain quality of materials used in weatherization services.

To access the survey Click Here  We need your feedback!!!

If you have any questions, please contact Randi at 518-453-9008 x22 or e-mail her at Randi@NYSWDA.org

We expect that the NID will initially be issued covering the practices that we have enough data on, namely 1.Replacing/Reinstalling Siding, 2.Drilling Holes through Painted Surfaces, and 3.Replacing Window/Doors from the Inside.  The NID will be a “live” document which will grow more complete as data comes in on the remaining techniques, and as methods are improved.

Blood Donations Needed

OK. Halloween has already come and gone, but in order to wrap up the Lead NID we are creating a database on crew blood lead levels (BLL). 

  This will be good information for you to prove that weatherization does not expose your employees to high lead levels and will help you decide if action is needed if one of your employees test high.  He/she may be fudging on the LSW practices or doing something as a hobby on the weekend that is the problem

 We’ve seen enough random results to show that weatherization workers are not showing up with dangerous levels of lead in their blood; Now we want to include the BLL information in the NID document.  This information will be summarized and used only as bulk data. In order to preserve worker confidentiality, individuals will be identified only by the last four digits of their SS #.

We need both the "lead in blood" numbers and the "zinc levels".  We will include an authorization to release Employee Medical Record Information.

This information will establish a statewide baseline that will help you monitor if your workers are performing LSW correctly.  If you need assistance in locating a Health Clinic in your area, please contact us.  Earl...

Click Here to fill in our online form - thanks

NYSWDA & AEA looking to join OSHA's National Alliance Program

NYSWDA is moving forward with OSHA to establish a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful workplaces by preventing injuries and illnesses when carrying out the weatherization mission.  This partnership, referred to as an Alliance, will allow NYSWDA to discreetly represent the WAP network at arms length, and build a trusting, cooperative relationship with OSHA.

Our goals are to develop and offer a variety of safety trainings, produce templates that you can use to establish your department or agency Safety and Health Program, let our website be a conduit for OSHA information, and get direct first hand answers from OSHA staff to your questions regarding compliance with OSHA regulations. 

 NYSWDA expects that this Alliance will familiarize OSHA with who and what the WAP network is and to show how we are conduction business in a safe manner.  This partnership is already paying off regarding our network lead NID.  OSHA is evaluating our material and data and is advising us on the final steps to take in order for us to have a bullet proof Lead NID.  Stay tuned.  For more information on the OSHA Alliance program surf to:

 http://www.osha-slc.gov/dcsp/alliances/index.html

If you have any questions or are interested in specific training needs give us a call.

Earl

Building collaborative relationships is an integral part of the weatherization assistance programs these days.  We have collaborations with utilities, NYSERDA, community-based organizations and others which allows us to work with families holistically. 

We came across an article on collaboration published by The Nonprofit Risk Management Center which we felt would be of interest to the network and wanted to share it with you.  Click Here for the article submitted by Randi

AND NOW FOR TODAY'S Computer TIP... Inserting Excel data into Word

 Q. I recently gave a presentation in Word that included a table. I used a separate handout from Excel to make the table. I was later told that I could have inserted the table into Word. How does that work?

 A. As you probably know, Word and Excel are parts of the Microsoft Office package. Microsoft has done a good job of integrating these programs. So a table from Excel could easily be inserted into a Word document.

Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet program. It will do virtually anything you need mathematically. So if you are already running an Excel spreadsheet, you might want to transfer part or all of it to a Word document. You could recreate the Excel spreadsheet in a Word table, but that would be more trouble.

Instead, drag the cursor over the area of the spreadsheet (called a worksheet) that you want to include in the Word document. That will highlight the area. Then press Ctrl+C to copy it. Now go to the Word document.

Place the cursor where you want to put the Excel information. You now have some choices. To link the files, press Ctrl+V. At the bottom right corner of the Excel information, you'll find the Paste Options button. Click the down arrow.

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Two of the options include the words "and link to Excel." Select one of those, depending on the look you want. With the link, if the Excel file is changed, the Word table also will be changed, so long as the two files remain on the same computer.

You can also simply copy the Excel information to the Word document. To do that, again highlight the information in the Excel document. Go to the Word document and click where you want to place it. Press Ctrl+V. Click the arrow on the Paste Options button. Select either "Keep source formatting" or "Match Destination Table Style.

(From Kim Komando's tips of the day)  www.komando.com

Tip #2

Another Microsoft Goof

This past week, the Federal Trade Commission said that Windows users should disable Messenger Service to prevent unscrupulous marketers from filling their screens with unwanted ads. This is not the same thing as the Windows Messenger instant messaging service.  It is a part of Windows XP that is only used on internal networks for the network administrator to communicate with everyone on the network.  But it can be used to hack your computer when online.

Click Here for information on disabling XP Messenger from Kim Komando's website