Past Recipients
2024 EXCELLENCE IN SAFETY AWARD WINNERS
Sacramento - The California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA) announced its 2024 Excellence in Safety Awards winners at the 2024 Education Conference in Napa, California on October 30. These awards acknowledge the companies and individuals who make safety a top priority every day through leadership, innovation, creativity, and above and beyond specific acts.
Graniterock retiree and CalCIMA safety consultant Michael Herges presented the awards. Joining Herges on stage to present the awards were Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) representatives Brian Thompson and Troy Van Wey.
Safety Award winners are chosen based on essays detailing safety initiatives and practices occurring at each plant, and a panel of judges from CalCIMA's Safety and Health Committee review and choose the winners.
The Excellence in Safety Awards honor different categories of mines and plants, such as aggregate, industrial minerals, asphalt, and concrete, as well as special recognition and individual safety leadership awards.
2024 Excellence in Safety Award Winners
Large Aggregate Mine: Irwindale Sand and Gravel Plant - United Rock Products
Left to right: Troy Van Wey, Mark Pachura, Chad Ouellett, Brian Thompson
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
United Rock Products' Irwindale Sand and Gravel Plant earned this award through continually improving its safety practices, such as its early implementation of MSHA's Power Haulage and Respirator Protection Programs, the addition of STCKY (Stuff That Can Kill You) notifications to help workers identify hazards and make informed decisions.
“Their journey to continue achieving their goal of zero injuries has been supported by the Irwindale's crew living by the corporate core values of caring, sharing and daring,” Herges said.
Small Aggregate Mine: Pine Creek Chico Quarry - 7/11 Materials
Left to right: Troy Van Wey, Garrett Goracy, Josh Gay, Brian Thompson
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
Herges described 7/11 Materials' Pine Creek Chico Quarry as the “Little Engine That Could.” Led by three people, this team has made many safety improvements, including cross-training staff in all duties and tasks, as well as using old conveyor belts to capture leaks. Other operations within the company are adopting Pine Creek Chico Quarry's methods to use at their own sites.
Industrial Minerals: Blue Mountain Minerals
Left to right: Troy Van Wey, John Salkowski, Brian Thompson
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
Blue Mountain Minerals has implemented numerous new safety procedures and is always looking for new opportunities to improve safety. As a collaborative effort between the safety coordinator, safety committee, and employees, the company has implemented new safety programs that have drastically improved their safety record.
Concrete Plant: National Ready Mixed Concrete Company - Ontario
Left to right: Troy Van Wey, Cameron Kane, Pat Catlin, Danny Susdorf, Brian Thompson
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
National Ready Mixed Concrete Company provided safety training to over 600 Southern California firefighters. After a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinder explosion occurred during a commercial vehicle fire in February, the National team reached out to the LA County Fire Department to conduct training for on-road and CNG fueling stations. With six days of training and 15 LA County Fire Stations, over 100 firefighters were trained. National collaborated with Cummins and other industry partners to put on a CNG First Responder Training Seminar, where over 500 Southern California firefighters attended. National is still receiving requests for training from the LAFD, and is continuing the training as needed.
Special Recognition - Large Aggregate: Solari Aggregate Plant - Granite Construction
Left to right: Troy Van Wey, Arturo Gudino, Summer Jett, Brian Thompson
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
Granite Construction's Solari Aggregate Plant earned the special recognition award due to its innovation in automation. Solari is able to operate for three consecutive days without an onsite operator and can be troubleshooted remotely, which reduces the risk of injury significantly.
Special Recognition - Asphalt Plant: Sun Valley Hot Mix Asphalt Plant - Vulcan Materials Company
Left to right: Paul Sibole, Michael Herges
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
Vulcan Materials Company's Sun Valley Hot Mix Asphalt Plant earned the special recognition award due to its work in constructing a nine silo, double barrel hot mix asphalt plant, while simultaneously operating its 50+ year old batch plant. Throughout the year-long construction, Vulcan prioritized its employees' safety and paused the project whenever there were weather conditions, and the project was successfully completed with no injuries, first aid and incidents.
Outstanding Safety Leadership Award: Daniel Avalos, Vulcan Materials Company
Left to right: Troy Van Wey, Daniel Avalos, Brian Thompson
Photo by Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services
Vulcan Materials Company's Daniel Avalos earned the Outstanding Safety Leadership Award. Avalos learned that one of his colleagues had died doing maintenance and felt the loss deeply.
“Danny came up with an idea and prototype that same day. He envisioned pipes that could fit inside the machine behind the movable jaw with extra safeguards if someone had worked behind the movable jaw with the flywheel in a position where stored energy could be released,” Herges explained.
Congratulations to CalCIMA's 2024 Excellence in Safety Award winners!
CalCIMA member companies produce the essential materials and minerals that build California. Our operations are essential to California's present and future. If it's built, we're in it.
EXCELLENCE IN SAFETY AWARD RECIPIENTS
2024Large Aggregate United Rock Product's Irwindale Quarry
Small Aggregate 7/11 Materials' Pine Creek Chico Quarry
Industrial Minerals Blue Mountain Minerals
Concrete Plant National Ready Mixed Concrete Company
Safety Leadership Daniel Avalos, Vulcan Materials Company
Large Aggregate -
Special Recognition Granite Construction's Solari Sand & Gravel
Asphalt Plant -
Special Recognition Vulcan Materials Company's Sun Valley Hot Mix Asphalt Plant
2023
Large Aggregate United Rock Product's Irwindale Quarry
Small Aggregate Granite Construction's Handley Ranch Quarry
Asphalt Plant Vulcan Materials Company's Roseville Hot Mix Asphalt Plant
Concrete Plant Central Concrete / Vulcan Materials Company's Pinole Concrete Plant
Safety Leadership Robert Butler, Holliday Rock
Safety Professional Michael Herges, Graniterock
2022
Safety Professional Award Josh Peterson, Granite Construction
Safety Professional Award Dean Browning, Holliday Rock
Small Aggregate Granite Construction's Highway 175 Quarry
Large Aggregate Granite Construction's Big Rock Aggregate Facility
Asphalt Plant Granite Construction's Bradshaw Facility
2021
Safety Leadership Award Stephanie Lovell – A.R Wilson Quarry
Safety Professional Award Adam Winter– Gillbrand Industrial Sands
Safety Professional Award Daisy Kwan – Granite Rock Co.
Small Aggregate Granite Construction's Solari Sand & Gravel
Large Aggregate United Rock's Irwindale Quarry
Asphalt Plant Granite Construction's Desert Cities Asphalt Plant
Asphalt Plant Granite Rock Co's Pennisula Road Materials
Concrete Plant Granite Rock Co's Santa Cruz Concrete
Special Recognition Martin Marietta's Tehachapi Cement Plant
2020
Safety Leadership Award Ted Nicholas - Bradshaw Plant
Safety Professional Award -
Honorary COVID-19 Award Ronnie Romiti - Central Concrete
Safety Professional Award Jason Stevenson - 7-11 Materials
Safety Professional Award Dana Bednarik - Granite Construction
Large Aggregate Mine Granite Construction's Vernalis Aggregate Plant
Small Aggregate Mine CalPortland's Rocky Canyon Aggregates
Industrial Mineral Mine Omya, Inc.'s Sentinel Quarry
Concrete Plant Syar Concrete's Vallejo Plant
2019
Safety Professional Award Julio Cazares - Stevens Creek Quarry
Safety Leadership Award Cynthia Escobar - Graniterock's Quail Hollow Quarry
Large Aggregate Mine Graniterock's Arvin Aggregate Facility
Small Aggregate Mine Graniterock's Quail Hollow Quarry
Ready Mixed Concrete Right Away Redy Mix's Pleasanton Plant
2018
Safety Professional Award Juan Hernandez – Lhoist North America
Small Aggregate Granite Construction's Handley Ranch Quarry
Large Aggregate Vulcan Materials Company's Corona Stone
Industrial Mineral Lhoist North America’ Natividad Plant
Ready Mixed Concrete Central Concrete Supply Co., Inc.’s San Jose Plant
2017
Safety Leadership Award John Davis – Catalina Pacific Concrete, CalPortland
Safety Leadership Award Ameet Bodhankar – Lhoist North America - Natividad Plant
Safety Professional Award Gregory "Buzz" Biles – Granite Construction, Inc.
Small Aggregate Vulcan Materials Company's Azusa Rock Quarry
Large Aggregate Cemex's Lytle Creek Aggregates Quarry
Industrial Mineral Lhoist North America’ Natividad Plant
Ready Mixed Concrete Central Concrete Supply Co., Inc.’ Bode San Francisco Plant
2016
Safety Leadership Award Ramiro Murillo – Lead Kilnman, Natividad Plant, Lhoist North America
Safety Professional Award Brian Bigley – Safety Manager, Tehachapi Plant, Lehigh SW Cement
Small Aggregate CalPortland’s Garey Aggregate Plant
Large Aggregate Vulcan Materials Western Division’s Corona Quarry
Industrial Mineral Lhoist North America’ Natividad Plant,
Specialty Minerals, Inc’s Lucerne Valley Plant
Cement Lehigh Southwest Cement’s Tehachapi Plant,
Ready Mixed Concrete CalPortland’s Ontario Concrete Product Plants
Central Concrete Supply Co., Inc.’ Pleasanton Plant
2015
Safety Leadership Award Brad Riechers, Graniterock’s Southside Sand & Gravel
Gerardo Valencia, Lhoist No. America’s Natividad Plant
Small Aggregate Lehigh Hanson’s Oakland Tidewater Plant
Large Aggregate Graniterock’s A.R. Wilson Quarry
Industrial Minerals L’Hoist No. America’s Natividad Plant
Cement Lehigh SW Cement’s Tehachapi Plant
Ready Mixed Concrete Lehigh Hanson’s San Luis Obispo Plant
2014
Safety Leadership Award Paulo Machado, Cemex’s Modesto Ready Mix Plant
Gary Andrade, Graniterock’s Southside Sand & Gravel
Small Aggregate Graniterock’s Southside Sand & Gravel
Large Aggregate Lehigh Hanson’s Clayton Quarry
Industrial Minerals Lhoist’s Natividad plant
Cement Lehigh Southwest Cement’s Tehachapi Plant
Ready Mixed Concrete CalPortland’s Live Oak Ready Mix Plant
Lehigh Hanson’s Slaughterhouse Canyon
2013
Small Aggregate Mine Calaveras Materials Inc.’s Merced Aggregate Mine
Large Aggregate Mine Lehigh Hanson’s Irwindale Rock Plant
Industrial Mineral Mine Lhoist North America’s Natividad Plant
Ready Mixed Concrete Lehigh Hanson’s Paso Robles Plant
Cement TXI Riverside Cement’s Crestmore Quarry
2012
Safety Leadership Award Sherry Robertson, Granite Construction Co.’s Handley Ranch Quarry
Small Aggregate Mine Santa Fe Aggregates’ Waterford Plant
Large Aggregate Mine Lehigh Hanson’s Carroll Canyon Rock Plant
Industrial Mineral Mine Elementis Specialties, Inc’s Hector Mine
Ready Mixed Concrete CalPortland Construction’s Solvang Plant
2011
Small Aggregate Mine Teichert Aggregates' Hallwood Plant
Large Aggregate Mine United Rock Products' Irwindale Plant
Industrial Mineral Mine Specialty Granules, Inc.'s Ione Plant
Ready Mixed Concrete CalPortland's West Los Angeles Plant
(2008-2010 awards given to plant managers)
2010
Small Aggregate Mine James O’Brien, Los Banos Plant Manager, Vulcan Materials, West Div.
Large Aggregate Mine Randy Riberdy, Sun Valley Plant Manager, Vulcan Materials, West Div.
Ready Mixed Concrete Tom Bascue, Los Banos/Gustine Plant Manager, Vulcan Materials, WD
2009
Small Aggregate Mine Dean Browning, GM, Holliday Rock, Co., Inc.
Large Aggregate Mine Greg Wilkerson, Corono Quarry Manager, Vulcan Materials, West Div.
Michael Cunningham, Perkins Plant Manager, Teichert Aggregates
Industrial Minerals Mike McGath, Hector Mine Manager, Elementis Specialties, Inc.
Ready Mixed Concrete Lenny Price, Operations Manager, CalPortland
2008
Small Aggregate Mine Chuck Berry, Plant Operations Manager, Raisch Products
Large Aggregate Mine Alan Armstrong, Corona Quarry Manager, CEMEX
Cement Plant Mike Robertson, Colton Plant Manager, CalPortland
Industrial Minerals Jerry Stacy, Plant Manager, Gladding, McBean Co.
Doug Mayger, General Manager, Specialty Minerals, Inc.
Ready Mixed Concrete Ted Cordts, Colton Operations Manager, CalPortland
