When you’re operating in a construction zone, with heavy equipment maneuvering about, the number one priority for successful companies is safety. The quality of work means little if someone gets hurt. And consistently operating safely is no accident. It takes pre-planning, communication and training for both employees and management.
Weldin Construction, a CIRI subsidiary, recognizes the importance of safety. And others recognize Weldin’s safety performance.
In March, Weldin received the Alaska Governor’s Safety Award of Excellence at the Governor’s Safety and Health Conference in Anchorage. The award – presented to groups demonstrating excellence in safety and health systems that protect their employees in the workplace – singles out companies whose management and employees are committed to and involved in the safety process and who emphasize on hazard analysis and hazard reduction.
“Safety is extremely important at Weldin Construction,” said Jeremy Pennington, corporate safety and health manager of Weldin’s parent company, CIRI Services Corporation, for which CIRI shareholder Richard (Dick) Weldin serves as president.
“We’re primarily a government contractor,” adds Pennington. But there are other avenues we’d like to explore and safety is leading us to those opportunities. Safety is a key component of what companies are looking for when they hire contractors, and awards like this one open up more doors for us to get those contracts and broaden our scope.”
On the heels of the Governor’s Award, Weldin also received news that six of its projects would be honored at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Celebrate Safety Award Ceremony on April 4, 2014. This USACE Alaska District award recognizes excellence in safety through teamwork with the goal of zero accidents.
“CIRI is proud to stand behind Weldin and its commendable safety record,” said Gregory Razo, CIRI shareholder and CIRI vice president of Government Contracting. “Rewards for safety, in particular, exemplify the high standards that we strive for across the company.”
