A Staffordshire business leader has been elected to a national industry organisation on workplace water safety.
Lizzie Ward, Managing Director of SAS Water Ltd, has joined the committee of the Legionella Control Association (LCA), which sets standards for companies monitoring and controlling water in the workplace.
The LCA’s membership is made up of companies which either provide legionella control services or supply products that support the control of legionella bacteria in water systems. Its primary aim is to keep water systems safe and minimise the risk of Legionnaires’ disease – a potentially fatal form of pneumonia – caused by poorly maintained systems.
The organisation also operates a code of conduct and sets service standards that members must comply with.
Lizzie, who leads a 15-strong team of legionella consultants and commercial plumbers working across the UK from offices in Leek, said: “It is a privilege to be elected on to the LCA committee. It’s an honour not just for me but for our dedicated SAS Water team who are committed to setting high safety standards and educating people on how to work to combat legionella and other bacteria in workplace water.
“I am looking forward to working with the LCA team to uphold and promote best practice for our industry.
“I am a keen campaigner for water safety in the workplace, and this new platform will help me to raise awareness at a higher level.
“I have always believed we have a duty to give back. Compared to many workplace risks, such as gas and electrical safety, duties to control legionella bacteria are not well known to every business owner and premises manager. This needs to change.
“By law, those responsible for workplaces must carry out a legionella risk assessment. They have a duty to appoint a responsible person to manage risk and to educate their team on legionella safety.”
According to the latest UK Health Security Agency figures for England and Wales, there were 604 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in 2023 – a rise of 191 on the previous year.
