AGCC Presents 2009 Safety Awards of Excellence

By: Carol Eaton

The AGC of California honored approximately 23 companies and individuals for their commitment to safety, handing out a variety of awards during the 22nd Annual Safety Awards of Excellence luncheon in Monterey on May 13. More than 110 safety professional and AGC members gathered for the prestigious Safety Awards luncheon and presentations, held in conjunction with AGC’s annual Spring Meetings and Conference this year.

The program recognizes contractors and their commitment to safe work practices through management commitment and employee involvement.

The awards were given in various occupational categories, including Building, Heavy/Civil/Highway and Specialty, and were organized by the number of work hours. AGC also named several special category awards, including naming Corey Ward, Clark Construction Group, as the Harry Eckstein Safety Professional of the Year Award winner.

Michael Alvarez, Regional Manager for Cal/OSHA Consultation, delivered the keynote address at the AGC Safety Awards of Excellence luncheon. Among other things, he highlighted the ongoing joint partnering efforts that are being taken by Cal/OSHA and industry to improve safety, including an ongoing close partnership the agency maintains with AGC of California.

Speaker and presenter Doug Hirsch, SeaBright Insurance Company, commented to the AGC member firms attending the awards luncheon, “You guys get it. Great things can happen when production and quality excellence is equally matched with safety excellence.”

Additional speakers and awards presenters at the awards luncheon included AGC of California President Tom Foss, Griffith Company; AGC Safety & Health Council Chair Jerry Shupe, Hensel Phelps Construction Co.; Vice Chair of the Safety & Health Council Ken Cauble, Nova Group, Inc.; and Ike Riser, Shimmick Construction Co.

AGC presented the following Special Safety Awards of Excellence:

• Harry Eckstein Safety Professional of the Year Award – Corey Ward, Clark Construction Group
• Safety on a High Hazard project – Shimmick Construction Co., Inc. for the Big Tujunga Dam Seismic Rehabilitation in Los Angeles County
• Individual Safety Effort of a Superintendent – Joe Pacheco, general superintendent with Shimmick Construction Co., Inc.
• Vicki Schlechter Associate of the Year Award – Fred Walter and Lisa Prince of Walter and Prince, LLP, and Don Bradway of Monarch-Kneis Insurance Services

Winners and runners up in the company worker hours categories were selected in up to four categories and three occupational divisions for 2009, as outlined below.

AGC of California’s First Place Safety Awards of Excellence winners include:

• Building Division Under 200,000 worker hours – Unger Construction Co.
• Heavy/Civil/Highway Division Under 200,000 worker hours – Syblon Reid
• Building Division 200,001-500,000 worker hours – Panattoni Construction Inc.
• Heavy/Civil/Highway Division 200,001-500,000 worker hours – Shimmick/Obayashi JV
• Building Division 500,001-1 million worker hours – Clark Construction Group
• Heavy/Civil/Highway Division 500,000-1 million worker hours – Shimmick Construction Co., Inc.
• Heavy/Civil/Highway Division Over 1 million work hours – Flatiron
• Building Division Over 1 million worker hours – Swinerton Builders
• Specialty Contractor Over 1 million work hours – Rosendin Electric, Inc.
• Specialty Contractor 500,001 to 1 million work hours – Dynalectric/KDC Systems