ACPA Honors Safest Concrete Pipe Plants, Companies

Irving, TX, February 21, 2014 --(PR.com)-- There is no more fundamental principle guiding America’s concrete pipe industry than ensuring the highest degree of workplace safety. Safety permeates every aspect of plant operations, and developing innovative improvements to already-successful safety programs is emphasized at the vast majority of companies throughout North America.

To underscore the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement, the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA) has established its prestigious Chairman’s Safety Awards, which recognize individual plants and/or companies that have implemented successful safety initiatives resulting in a safer and more productive workplace. This is the 13th year of the awards program.

The ACPA recognized the safest of the safe during a special awards luncheon and ceremony at its annual Pipe School held in Houston last week.

The 2013 Chairman’s Safety Award Overall Winner is Rinker Materials-Concrete Pipe Division in Fort Myers, FL, which earned the distinction for its development of an innovative D-Load Cradle. The plant received a $1,000 check to be distributed to key employees, along with a large trophy that it may keep on-site until next year’s winner is announced.

Rinker’s Fort Myers plant also won first place in the Equipment-Related Category. Second place went to Hanson Pipe & Precast in Jersey Village, TX, for its Diamond Plate Work Platform. Cretex Concrete Products in Casper, WY, took third place for its Cage Guider.

Winners in the Individual Location category were Cretex Concrete Products in Elk River, MN (1st place – Straddle Crane Camera), Oldcastle Precast in Folsom, NJ (2nd place – Core Drilling Stand and Guard) and Rinker Materials-Concrete Pipe Division in Diamond, Ohio (3rd place – Lifting Chain Rack).

The 1st place winner in the Company-Wide category was Rinker Materials-Concrete Pipe Division in Houston for its Make Good Choices – Brother’s Keeper Campaign.

“Every year since we began these awards, we’ve been impressed by the creativity and ingenuity of the individuals and teams throughout our industry,” said Bill Adams, ACPA Chairman of the Board and Chairman of Hancock Concrete Products. “It’s a testament to the culture of safety that exists throughout our member companies, where workers and managers are encouraged to advance their ideas and see them through to a potentially award-winning conclusion.”

For a full list of safety award recipients and more information on the concrete pipe industry, visit www.concrete-pipe.org.

About the ACPA
Established in 1907, the American Concrete Pipe Association serves as the voice of the concrete pipe industry. The ACPA is a nonprofit organization comprised of manufacturers of concrete pipe and box culverts, manufacturers of equipment and providers of products and services related to the concrete pipe industry. Member companies are located throughout the United States, Canada and more than 40 foreign countries. The Association provides its members with a wide range of research, technical and marketing support to promote and advance the use of concrete pipe for drainage and pollution control applications.