On December 12, VAA hosted a Safety Forum at Superior Paving Corporation’s Gainesville headquarters. The primary purpose for the forum was to discuss members’ concerns regarding work zone and plant safety and product innovations being used throughout the industry to minimize risk and ensure the safety of workers. The meeting was attended by 37 individuals representing 14 different member companies. Jim Mitchell, President of Superior Paving, kicked off the day with a discussion on the importance of maintaining a company culture of safety. He reviewed three key areas of focus necessary for a corporate safety culture to flourish. Jim was followed by Beth Stinson, Director of Education and Online Learning for the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), who discussed ARTBA’s Safety Certification for Transportation Project Professionals (SCTPP) accreditation program. After these presentations, the group broke into two smaller groups to focus specifically on work zone safety and plant safety. Dick Beard from B & S Contracting and J.R. Glascock from Lane Construction served as respective moderators for these sessions where topics of conversation covered such areas as: best practices suggestions, shared stories and lessons learned, and updates on silica dust monitoring at plant locations. At the conclusion of the forum, the group agreed to continue discussions through forums focused on safety, thus ensuring that it remains top of mind throughout the industry.

If you would like to learn more about ARBTA’s SCTPP accreditation program, click here to see the presentation given by Beth Stinson. Also, keep an eye on future editions of this newsletter for updates on safety discussions and future forums.