California operations honored for safety excellence

Granite Construction’s Solari Sand & Gravel, which Pit & Quarry featured in a 2020 feature article, was recognized with CalCIMA’s Small Aggregate Mine award. Photo: Superior Industries

The California Construction & Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA) named its 2021 Excellence in Safety Awards winners, acknowledging exceptional work in safety leadership, innovation and commitment.

CalCIMA recognized aggregate operations with its Large Aggregate Mine and Small Aggregate Mine awards. United Rock’s Irwindale Quarry in Irwindale, California, received the Large Aggregate Mine award, while Granite Construction’s Solari Sand & Gravel in Arvin, California, was recognized with CalCIMA’s Small Aggregate Mine award.

In addition, A.R. Wilson Quarry business manager Stephanie Lovall was bestowed with CalCIMA’s Outstanding Safety Leadership Award. Adam Winter, environment, safety and health manager, at Gillibrand Industrial Sands, and Daisy Kwan, safety engineer at Granite Rock Co., earned the association’s Safety Professional Awards.

“Safety awards are important to those who embrace their positive safety cultures,” says Terry Tyson of Insight Services & Presentations who served as a safety awards judge. “They not only value their people, but recognizing people that pay attention to safety is an important key to business systems. It results in higher safety, less waste and high employee morale.

“People want to work for companies that are safe to work at, and that will attract higher quality candidates,” Tyson adds. “We need to care about our people because we don’t hire robots.”

Other accolades

Dugan

CalCIMA also recognized a pair of asphalt plants – Granite Construction’s Desert Cities Asphalt Plant in Indio, California, and Granite Rock Co.’s Peninsula Road Materials in Redwood City, California, with Excellence in Safety Awards. Martin Marietta’s Tehachapi Cement Plant in Tehachapi, California, earned a Special Recognition Award from CalCIMA.

“Safety has to be job No. 1 in our industry,” says Robert Dugan, president and CEO of CalCIMA. “We’re proud to prioritize the safety of our workers, from training and tools to our operational plans focused to ensure all workers are in a safe environment. We continuously work to improve our methods of communication between workers, inspections around plants and quarries, and review general preventative measures.”

CalCIMA is the state trade association in the state of California for aggregate, concrete, asphalt and industrial mineral producers. Members produce construction materials from more than 500 operations across the state.