SAFETY AWARDS

Due to its outstanding safety record, Holland Construction Services Inc. recently received a safety merit award at the Southern Illinois Builders Association’s annual spring contractor reception in Carbondale, as well as a safety award from the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis.

The honors were presented to the company for completing 2009 with zero lost time accidents, a status it achieved for the second year running.

Holland’s Executive Vice President David Birk attributes much of this accomplishment to Holland’s Safety and Health Director Doug Devlin, a Certified Safety Professional who achieved Special Government Employee (SGE) status from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). HCS has been the only downstate Illinois construction contractor to employ an SGE-certified safety professional and formed a direct partnership with OSHA.

“During the last two years, our elevated status and partnership with OSHA has raised awareness throughout the company,” Devlin said. “All associates at Holland are in some way responsible for implementing a safety culture within the organization.”

HCS also received the SIBA safety merit award in 2008 for no recordable or lost-time incident cases, and in 2010, continues to produce accident/incident rates well below industry standards. Sustaining such a high-level safety record allows for more cost-effective insurance coverage, lowering costs to all project participants.