The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America has recognized Charlotte-based Choate Construction Company for having the nation’s best construction safety and wellness plan in 2021.
The association, which oversees the WTW Construction Safety Excellence Awards, an annual ranking of construction safety programs, said in an April 8 statement that 46 other companies were also selected as winners for the quality of their safety programs.
CAGC members receive six safety awards at AGC national convention
“Safety and health is the number one priority for the construction industry and it’s important that we recognize our member companies for their efforts to lead by example,” said Bob Lanham, the association’s president and president of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. in Houston, Texas.
“These awards also provides an opportunity for them to share the innovative ideas they are implementing to keep safety at the forefront in the construction industry. This experience makes us all better, which is the goal.”
Lanham noted that there are multiple winners because the awards are distributed for several categories, based on the amount and type of work performed. He added that the AGC-Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Excellence Award winners are selected by a panel of five independent safety professionals within the government, corporate, and insurance industries. Finals judging for the awards program took place during the contractors’ association’s annual convention in Grapevine, Texas.
Choate Construction was judged and selected as the grand award winner from among 15 first-place winners across six occupational divisions.
Another Charlotte-based firm, Crowder Construction Inc., was selected as the third-place winner in the under 400,000 work hours category in the Heavy Division.
The firms developed and implemented exceptional safety and risk control program through continuous improvement and maintenance of their safety and health management systems. Lanham noted that the firm’s commitment to protecting its most valuable asset, the workforce, makes them a leader in the industry.
“Willis Towers Watson (WTW) is proud to be an AGC partner in safety and honored to be the long-term sponsor for AGC’s Construction Safety Excellence Awards, a partnership that began over thirty years ago,” said Mike Fredebeil, construction risk control leader – North America, WTW.
“The grand award winner, Choate Construction, demonstrates the intent of the program. Four years ago, Choate entered for the first time and placed 3rd in their divisional category. They took a pandemic break and returned two years later, placing first. This year they placed 1st in their division and were also selected as the grand award winner. The CSEA program is all about looking at yourself and continuous improvement.”