The Coalition for Construction Safety (CCS) held its anniversary and awards celebration on September 30 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral to recognize the safety achievements of those in the construction and contractor maintenance industry. This was the first large in-person event that CCS has held since the start of the pandemic and attendees enjoyed an evening filled with networking, food, and music.

A panel of judges reviewed the awards submissions and unanimously selected the winners. Companies, projects, and individuals were recognized. Judges said they were impressed with the safety efforts of all the submitters and were particularly impressed with the many innovative techniques and programs that companies are implementing to keep workers safe.

Fourteen companies participated in the Excellence in Safety Program by making a formal presentation to the judges' panel and were recognized with a Safety Achievement Award:

• BMWC Constructors
• Bowen Engineering
• Central Indiana Alliance
• F.A. Wilhelm Construction
• Gaylor Electric
• Gribbins Insulation
• Industrial Electric
• Messer Construction
• Meyer Najem Construction
• Performance Contracting Group
• Solid Platforms
• The State Group
• Thermal Solutions
• Weddle Bros. Construction

The judges then selected the top five programs who were recognized with a Safety Leader Award. The Safety Leaders were:

• Bowen Engineering
• Gaylor Electric
• Performance Contracting Group
• Solid Platforms
• The State Group

Out of these companies, the judges unanimously chose Solid Platforms as the Excellence in Safety Award winner.

Five construction projects were submitted for the Outstanding Project Safety Award. Both the owner and contractor are recognized for their safety performance. This year, the judges selected Bankers Life Fieldhouse - Fieldhouse of the Future Modernization Phase I. The Capitol Improvement Board of Marion County is the owner for this project and Shiel Sexton Company was the contractor.The Safety Innovation Award was presented to Gaylor Electric for their National Production Innovation Center. Doug Condon of Corteva Agriscience received the Board of Directors Award which goes to a volunteer who has made significant contributions to CCS. Condon has volunteered for CCS for more than 15 years. He was a presenter of the Absolutes of Safety in 2007, served as the Chairman of the CCS Board of Directors, and was instrumental in leading the expansion of the CCS footprint and program development.The Burnie McGinnis Award is the highest honor that CCS bestows upon an individual and is given to someone who has made a significant impact on construction and contractor maintenance safety throughout his or her career. It is not given every year. For the time since 2015, the Burnie McGinnis was awarded to Brian Acton of BMWC Constructors.

Acton has spent his career committed to improving worker safety, volunteering for CCS in several capacities including as a speaker and as a member of the Board of Directors. Acton was also active in the contractor group that created the national Construction Safety Week program. Under his leadership, BMWC Constructors won the coveted CCS Excellence in Safety Crystal Eagle Award a record seven times – five times individually and twice as part of the Central Indiana Alliance at Eli Lilly and Company.

The Zero Injury Award is given to companies that did not have a workplace injury or illness the previous year and submit an award application. This year's Zero Injury Award recipients were:

• CMS Corporation
• Cobalt Civil
• Connor Fine Painting
• Corteva Agriscience
• Greiner Brothers
• Groundbreakers Hydrovac Excavation
• JMH Roofing
• Kleis Construction
• Maddox Industrial Contracting
• Mel-Kay Electric
• Patriot Engineering and Environmental
• River Town Construction
• RLTurner Corporation
• Simms Painting
• Southern Roofing
• Summit Construction
• Thermal Solutions

The highlight of the evening was the Outstanding Craftsperson Awards. This award gives every CCS member company the chance to publicly honor a craftsperson for their safety efforts. This year's Outstanding Craftspersons were given a standing ovation by the crowd:

• John Apple - Gribbins Insulation
• Andrew Ashley - Gibson Lewis of Indianapolis
• Ron Baker - I.U. Health University Hospital
• Kevin Beckwith - Beaty Construction
• Stephen Bill - O'Rourke Wrecking Company
• Dean Burnter - Gaylor Electric
• Steve Butcher - Industrial Electric
• Dustin Caplinger - Electric Plus
• Carl Carroll - Edwards Electrical & Mechanical
• Tim Chitwood - I.U. Health Riley Hospital
• Ryan Christy - Greiner Brothers
• Shaun Coomey - D.A. Dodd
• Brian Corriveau - North Mechanical Services
• Jason Dail - Halter Tree Service
• Derek Eckert - Maddox Industrial Contracting
• Ray Estep - BMWC Constructors
• Evan Foudray - Cobalt Civil
• Brian Gentry - Blood Hound
• Keith Gough - I.U. Health Methodist Hospital
• Carl Heacock - Halter Vegetation Management
• Paula Herndon - Meyer Najem Construction
• Kameron Holder - Shiel Sexton Company
• Jeremy Howard - North Mechanical Contracting
• Anthony Kennedy - Pepper Construction Company
• Brad Mace - Turner Construction Company
• B.J. Maloney - Bowen Engineering
• Eric Mandary - Mason Private Locating
• Sean Martin - CMS Corporation
• Rudy Meza - Connor Fine Painting
• John Mosley - ERMCO
• Rodney Nelson - Wurster Construction
• Tyrone Payton - Corteva Agriscience
• Dave Reed, Jr. - Solid Platforms
• Cervando Rosales - AAA Roofing
• Bill Scott - JMH Roofing
• Christine Scott - Messer Construction
• Brandon Smith - Brandt Construction
• John Stewart - Weddle Bros. Building Group
• Scott Troxell - RLTurner Corporation
• Paul Wasson - The Schneider Corporation