AMARILLO, Texas — The Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers named the High Explosives Pressing Facility (HEPF), Pantex, Plant, Texas as the top safety construction project for 2012 and winner of the Eagle Eye Construction Safety Program Award.
The Eagle Eye winners are the Kiewit Builders Group of Fort Worth, Texas, for Contractor of the Year, the USACE Pantex Resident Office for Construction Office of the Year, and Donnie Lankford, Tulsa District, Pantex Resident Office, for Construction Representative of the Year.
“Congratulations to this outstanding contractor and to the USACE office and employees managing them,” said Bob Vandegriff, Tulsa District safety officer. “All parties have strived to create and maintain effective on-site safety and health programs and construction safety management.”
The goal of the Eagle Eye program is to achieve zero accidents at USACE construction sites by creating a competitive environment focused on safety. Through the program, the USACE works with contractors to deliver a quality product in a safe and productive work environment on projects such as the HEPF. The District Safety Office conducts quarterly inspections of construction projects and scores the contractors on the number of accidents, including property, lost time and no lost-time, that occur at the site.
The HEPF Eagle Eye score for 2012 was 305 out of a possible 316 points. The Tulsa District performed 52 inspections on 31 different contracts during the year finding 17 recorded contractor accidents. The lowest contractor score was 180 points.
“Kiewit Building Group along with their subcontractors and the Pantex Resident Office construction management team are on track to successfully complete the $65 million HEPF project without a single lost time accident,” said Vandegriff.
The HEPF project consists of the construction of a 43,250 square foot facility, containing a non-explosive administration area, break room and restrooms, and a blast resistive constructed portion including pressing, machining, and staging bays. Hazardous activities at the project include craning, work at heights, roofing, heavy equipment, electrical, and excavation. Construction should be complete on the facility by late January 2014.