ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, recently honored a contractor for its safe and accident-free work following the 2011 Souris River flood. St. Paul District Commander Michael Price presented Byrd Brothers Emergency Services, L.L.C., with the 2011 Contractor Superior Safety Performance Award in early March.
Byrd Brothers, based in Wilson, N.C., was the primary subcontractor for the Debris Removal project in Minot, N.D., after the Souris River flood in 2011. Additionally, Byrd Brothers served as one of the primary contractors for the installation of two temporary housing sites. During the course of their work in Minot, Byrd Brothers removed more than 55,000 tons of debris and built approximately 450 emergency housing sites.
Corps contractors are required to comply with Corps of Engineers, as well as OSHA, safety standards. Byrd Brothers consistently exceeded the minimum safety requirements and worked more than 75,000 man-hours without a single recordable injury.
“Byrd Brothers set the bar extremely high,” said Barry Simmonds, St. Paul District safety officer. “It was a real pleasure to work with them.”
The Contractor Superior Safety Performance Award is presented annually to one contractor for outstanding safety accomplishment. Each year, the St. Paul District awardees are also entered as nominees for the Mississippi Valley Division level Safety Now Advocacy Group, or SNAG, Award. Although Byrd Brothers did not win the SNAG award, Simmonds said, “The district is extremely proud of their safety accomplishments.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, serves the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. It contributes around $175 million to the five-state district economy. The 700 employees work at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.
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Release no. 12-029