Transportation construction industry firms from North Carolina, Missouri and Colorado were recognized Sept. 12 for their outstanding worker safety programs during the 2012 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) National Convention held in Memphis, Tenn.
Winning firms were the top honorees of the ARTBA Foundation’s “Contractor Safety Awards,” a program developed to promote worker safety and health as core values of the transportation design and construction industry. Award winners demonstrated a low “OSHA Recordable Rate” as measured against benchmark metrics established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Five finalists were selected based on their achievements as evidenced by recordable rates below the industry average and low workers’ compensation experience modifier rates. Representatives from each company were invited to make a presentation before a panel of industry professionals during the ARTBA convention. Judges evaluated the entries based on corporate safety culture, operational safety plans and worker training programs. Awards were presented in three categories, based on the number of employee hours worked during the previous year:
- 500,000 or fewer hours: Sharpe Bros., Greensboro, N.C.
- 500,001 to 1,000,000 hours: Herzog Contracting Corp., St. Joseph, Mo.
- More than 1 million hours: CH2M Hill, Englewood, Colo.
“Safety on the job site is an essential element in long-term business success—especially in the transportation construction industry,” Brad Sant, ARTBA senior vice president for safety and education, said in a press release. “This award honors those firms who have demonstrated industry-leading programs as evidence of their commitment to employee and workplace safety.”