Illinois American Water’s Streator District is celebrating 12 years of safety excellence. Last month, the local team celebrated 12 years without experiencing any lost-time accidents.
Illinois American Water employees work around the clock to provide critical water and/or wastewater service to homes and businesses. To provide these critical services 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.
Brian Wiemers, senior operations manager, credited the local team for their commitment. “The work we do is complex, and with the pandemic our team has faced additional challenges. I am proud of how our team has responded and their continued focus on not only delivering essential water service to homes and businesses, but also remaining focused on safety.”
Illinois American Water employees are provided with critical Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) and regular safety training. With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, water company employees were also equipped with face masks, hand sanitizer and more. Thermometers and additional safety equipment like social distancing signage have also been provided.
Wiemers said, “Safety is on our minds every minute of every day. There is nothing more important than ensuring our colleagues go home in the same condition they arrived at work, if not better. There is no room for shortcuts when it comes to safety.”
Illinois American Water’s workforce is trained in chemical handling, work zone safety, confined spaces, and more. The team also participates in job site and facility audits to support a safe working environment. A near miss program also helps the team identify possible hazards and prevent injury. Contractors are also held to the same safety expectations as Illinois American Water employees.
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 6,800 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. 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.
Illinois American Water ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction
with Large Water Utilities in the Midwest according to the J.D. Power
2020 Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study
For J.D. Power 2020 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards
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