May 17, 2017
By Tanya Weger, Madison Window Cleaning
The IWCA (International Window Cleaning Association) Board of Directors and Committee members are made up dedicated industry professionals that volunteer their time and talents to fulfill the mission of the IWCA in safety, education, advocacy and research in the window cleaning industry for its members. This past year they have worked tirelessly on multiple initiatives that support that mission. One that is sure to have a huge impact in delivering safety and education to the window cleaning industry is Campus IWCA. Campus IWCA will go live on December 14th, 2016 at www.campusiwca.org. This one you’ll want to bookmark as a favorite for sure!
Campus IWCA is an online training and education portal for you and your staff where you will find an ever-expanding catalog of safety and educational materials that are accessible 24/7 from your office, home or mobile device. Courses will range from interactive e-Learning courses, tests, webinars, videos and other multimedia content and publications. Topics vary from industry specific training, environmental health and safety topics such as OSHA General Industry training including 10 and 30 hour certifications. Administrative and executive topics of interest will also be available. Each individual learner has their own login and profile. Once a learner enrolls in Campus IWCA all their learning is tracked. Many courses have CEU’s that are earned upon successful completion of the course material. A comprehensive record of the courses taken, grades and CEU’s earned are all compiled on a transcript and become your official record of training along with certificates of completion. This transcript can be printed or downloaded on demand. For companies that want to ensure they have proof of outside general safety and industry specific training Campus IWCA is a perfect solution.
One of the first courses created and designed for Campus IWCA that is available on December 14th is “Foundations – Window Cleaning Starts Here”. This course is intended to cover the foundational training needed to engage in window cleaning activities. Even though there is a strong emphasis on residential and low to mid-rise commercial operations, several sections apply to all types of operations including suspended or working at heights. This can also be used as an annual refresher course for your technicians. What a great time to do this type of online training when business may be a little slower for most. The training presented in this course was developed following the I-14 Window Cleaning Safety Standard. There are 7 individual modules in this course which cover: identification, use and inspection of tools and equipment used in window cleaning; personal protective equipment including fall protection; window and glass types and proper cleaning methods including use of additives and agents used to help clean glass as well as safe chemical use in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard; proper selection, use and inspection of access equipment such as extension poles, ladders and water-fed pole systems; and the importance of performing worksite hazard analysis as well as ways to reduce or eliminate hazards and prevent work-related accidents or injuries. A test is given immediately following each module. Upon successfully completing the course and passing each test with a score of 90% or higher a certification of completion will be available for printing or download and CEU’s will be awarded.
We will be adding new content to Campus IWCA continuously. As it continues to grow and develop you will see additional e-Learning courses being added ranging from beginner to advanced categories. Campus IWCA will also be the professional development portal for those individuals seeking to become a Certified Window Cleaner (CWC) or achieve the prestigious executive certification of Building Access Safety Professional (BASP). Several learning designations such as a Scholar and Fellows degree will also be awarded to those individuals who attain a certain number of CEU’s within a certain timeframe through Campus IWCA offerings along with convention education credits and hands on safety training attendance.
There is an ever-increasing need for documented and qualified, professional, third party training to augment your in-house safety training program. We hope you take full advantage of Campus IWCA and the many great things the IWCA offers. To learn more or become a member please visit www.iwca.org.
