Southern Illinois Builders Association recognizes firms for construction safety

By ROBERT KELLEY
Illinois Correspondent

O’Fallon, IL – Construction safety is a top priority for most building contractors, and that is especially true for projects completed by qualified union members.

“Contractors and unions want their employees and workers to be able to go home safely to their families,” Donna Richter, chief executive officer of the Southern Illinois Builders Association, said recently.

In recognition of Southern Illinois and Eastern Missouri contractors whose workers have exemplary safety records, the Southern Illinois Builders Association gives out annual Safety Awards for zero lost time accidents, Richter said ahead of the March 21 awards ceremony at the Builders Association’s 8,500-square-foot headquarters at 1468 North Greenmount Road.

SAFETY TRAINING
“A third of our facility is nothing but a training room,” Richter said.

She said contractors use that room to teach their workers first aid, CPR, and at least 10 hours of certified Occupational Safety and Health Administration training. Some contractors additionally require their construction workers to take up to 30 hours of OSHA-certified training, she said.

At this year’s ceremony, four Southern Illinois firms were to be recognized for 50 years of Builders Association membership. They are Jim Taylor Inc., of Belleville; DeLaurent Construction Co. Inc., of Wilsonville; Quad-County Ready Mix Corp., of Okawville; and Energy Culvert Co. LLC, of Energy, Ill.

In all, more than 90 association member firms throughout Southern Illinois were honored and presented with Safety Awards. They represent nearly 500 commercial and industrial building, highway, and utility construction contractors throughout the association’s 39 Illinois counties.

EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Excellence Awards for years without lost time accidents were to be given for:

• 24 years each to Tindall Construction Inc., of Granite City; and Ron Hunsche  Excavating Inc., of Highland.
• 21 years to DeLaurent Construction Co. Inc., of Wilsonville, Ill.
• 16 years to Bollmeier Crane & Lift, of Madison.
• 13 years to Kassen Excavating Inc., of Damiansville, Ill
• Nine years to Triangle Enterprises Inc., of Paducah, Ky.
• Seven years each to C and C Pumps & Supply Inc., of Marion, Ill.; Pyramid Electrical Contractors Inc., of Fairview Heights; and Federal Steel & Erection Co. of East Alton.
• Six years each to DePew & Owen Builders Inc., of Centralia, Ill; and Russ Erlinger Crane Service Inc., of Lebanon, Hayden Wrecking Corp., of East St. Louis, Holland Construction Services Inc., of Swansea, Smith-Hafeli Inc., of Marion, Ill., Waggoner Equipment Co., of Wood River, and Morrissey Contracting Co. Inc., of Godfrey.
• Four years each to Elastizell of St. Louis Inc., of Valley Park; RP Coatings Inc., of Troy, Ill.; Charles E. Mahoney Co., of Alton; and Helmkamp Construction Co., of East Alton.
• Three years each to L & K Fire Protection Inc., of Marion IL.; Lake Contracting Inc., of Addieville Ill.; Joiner Sheet Metal & Roofing Inc., of Highland; Bloomsdale Excavating Co. Inc., of Bloomsdale, Mo.; Morrissey Construction Co., of Godfrey; Keeley & Sons Inc., of East St. Louis; River City Construction LLC, of East Peoria Ill.; Keller Construction, Inc., of Glen Cardon; S.M. Wilson & Co., of St. Louis; Lakeside Roofing Co. Inc., of Collinsville; Schomburg & Schomburg Construction Inc., of Danville Ill; and Korte & Luitjohan Contractors Inc., of Highland.

Richter says young people graduating from high school would do well to consider careers in construction and related fields. She said that the average starting salary for many construction trades after completing a registered union apprenticeship is only slightly less than $80,000.

More information about the various skilled trades and their apprenticeships in Southern Illinois is available at www.siba-agc.org/VideoLinks.