Transportation construction industry firms from California, Pennsylvania, Texas and North Carolina were recognized Oct. 3 for their outstanding worker safety programs during the 2011 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) National Convention held in Monterey, Calif. Winning firms were the top honorees of the ARTBA Foundation/CNA “Contractor Safety Awards.”

CNA, a leading national property and casualty insurance firm, and the ARTBA Foundation developed the program to promote worker safety and health as core values of the transportation design and construction industry. Award winners demonstrated a low “OSHA Recordable Rate” as measured against benchmark metrics established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Eight finalists were selected based on their achievements as evidenced by recordable rates below the industry average and low workers compensation experience modifier rates.

Representatives from finalist companies were invited to make a presentation before a panel of industry professionals who judged programs based on corporate safety culture, operational safety plans and worker training programs.

Awards were presented in three categories, based on the number of employee hours worked during the previous year:

• 500,000 or fewer hours: Bruce & Merrilees Electric Co., New Castle, Pa.

• 500,001 to 1,000,000 hours (Tie): Blythe Construction Inc., Charlotte, N.C. and C.F. Jordan Construction LLC, El Paso, Texas

• More than 1 million hours: Granite Construction Company, Watsonville, Calif.

“Safety on the job site is an essential element in long-term business success — especially in the transportation construction industry,” said Brad Sant, ARTBA vice president of safety and education. “This award honors those firms who have demonstrated industry-leading programs as evidence of their commitment to employee and workplace safety.”