Illinois American Water’s Cairo District Celebrates 19 Years of Excellence in Safety

Last month, Illinois American Water’s Cairo District celebrated 19 years without experiencing any lost-time accidents. To ensure continued safe work practices, employees attend both classroom and hands-on training on a regular basis. Employees also participate in facility and job site audits at every job site to ensure compliance with established workplace safety practices.

“Safety is a daily focus. We continuously evaluate and remove hazards to prevent injury,” said Mike Brown, operations superintendent for Illinois American Water’s Cairo District.

Illinois American Water employees work around the clock to provide critical water service to homes and businesses. To provide water for public health, fire protection and household uses, employees may need to work in confined spaces, among motorists and in extreme weather. Employees may also handle chemicals, conduct excavation and operate equipment.

According to Brown, these are just some of the hazards the team could face. He said, “The work we do is complex. This is why our safety program is a top priority. We want our employees to go home in the same condition they arrived at work, if not better. We are proud of our continued years of excellence in safety.”

The skilled workforce is also equipped with proper personal and work zone protection equipment, chemical handling requirements and training, work zone safety training, and more.

This focus on safety has earned the Cairo District the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Wendell R. LaDue Utility Safety Award in both 2017 and 2011. The award recognizes distinguished safety programs by water utilities and requires excellent safety records for five consecutive years, as well as a consistent safety program focused on continuous improvement.

About Illinois American Water – Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to over 14 million people in 45 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.