Safety First At Convention Center Site

Representatives from The Kentucky Labor Cabinet, Owensboro-Daviess County Industrial Development Authority, and Denark Construction, Inc. will meet on the construction site of the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention and Events Center on Wednesday, July 11, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. CDT to sign the “Site Based Partnership” agreement.  The execution of this agreement formalizes among these parties their mutual agreement to provide a safe and healthful working environment for employees in the construction of the project. 

The purpose of this partnership is to have a significant impact on the elimination of injuries and illnesses and to implement safety and health programs that assist the Construction Manager and their subcontractors in providing a workplace free of conditions that jeopardize employee safety and health.  Over the period of construction for the project, there will literally be hundreds of construction workers involved.  The goal of this partnership is to protect these workers from injuries and illnesses.  Every employer will be committed to achieving employee safety and health and to providing a workplace that is free of recognized hazards. 

Mark Brown, Labor Cabinet Secretary, had this to say about the partnership signing, “Construction Partnerships have a track record of success in protecting Kentucky workers.  The Labor Cabinet is pleased to join Denark and the Owensboro-Daviess County Industrial Development Authority as a partner on this very important project.” 

Denark Construction recently completed a similar partnership with the State of Kentucky on the new $50 Million Science Building at Eastern Kentucky University, where the project was completed with zero lost-time accidents and no safety violations.  At Denark, the safety program is not just a written program; it is an active company-wide commitment from the owners to the employees in the field. Denark’s mission statement begins with the premise, “Insist on quality and safety in every aspect of our work.” 

The Construction Protection Partnership (CPP) Program has been very successful, and participation has grown in recent years.  The program is administered by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet, Office of Occupational Safety and Health, Education and Training Division.  The program is designed to last the life of the construction project, with safety and health consultants from the OSH Division of Education and Training making routine, scheduled visits to the site and conducting safety audits.  Denark will be the eleventh (11^th) active CPP site, with other sites ranging as far east as Pikeville and as far west as Paducah.