Ruben Murillo and Anivery Casanada display their awards alongside EVMWD Board of Directors. Pictured, from left to right, are Director Darcy Burke, Director Andy Morris, Ruben Murillo, Anivey Casanada, General Manager Greg Thomas, and President Phil Williams. Photo provided by EVMWD.The Association of California Water Agency’s Joint Powers Insurance Authority (ACWA JPIA) recently recognized two Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) employees for their outstanding efforts in workplace safety. The H.R. LaBounty Safety Award program promotes safe workplace behavior and operations by rewarding employees who participate in proactive risk reduction.
Anivey Casanada, senior office assistant at EVMWD, was recognized by ACWA JPIA for her exceptional commitment to workplace safety at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to a community-wide shortage of masks, Casanada spent hours of her personal time standing in line for fabric and sewing 3-ply fabric masks with space for filters.
With the help of her mother, Casanada made more than 200 masks, which were distributed to district employees and at local hospitals. Casanada’s dedication to her fellow employees led to valuable protection against COVID-19, avoiding the spread of the virus within the workplace.
Ruben Murillo, construction maintenance superintendent at EVMWD, was recognized by ACWA JPIA for his work in developing a training manual and safety operation guide for new hires. Recognizing a lack of contextual knowledge in outside training vendors, Murillo created an internal training program at the district. His customized training program covers Cal OSHA standards, numerous types of equipment, and varied levels of training.
Murillo’s initiative resulted in increased employee knowledge and skills as well as assisting the Safety Department in the identification and prevention of new hazards on a job site.
EVMWD’s Board of Directors celebrated these accomplishments with staff at a board meeting on December 10.
“We are proud of the hard-working staff members who received special recognition from ACWA JPIA,” said Phil Williams, president of the EVMWD board of directors. “Our team is dedicated to creating a safe and productive work environment, and the H.R. LaBounty Awards serve as meaningful evidence of that.”
