(April 5, 2017) — G.A. West & Co., Inc. is the proud recipient of the Gold Shovel Standard certification. Gold Shovel Standard (GSS) is a nonprofit committed to improving public safety and the continued integrity of buried infrastructure. GSS-certified entities have invested in safety management systems to reduce damages and minimize the risks associated with excavating on or around buried assets.
Every six minutes in the United States an underground utility line is damaged during excavation work, resulting in millions of damages each year. A company that holds a Gold Shovel Standard certification has demonstrated, by the Safety Management System put forth by the organization, a baseline commitment to safety around buried infrastructure. Safe excavation practices result in fewer injuries, less property damage, inconvenient outages, projects delays and high costs.
“The safety of our employees, customers, and the communities we serve in is our top priority,” said Rex Parnell, G.A. West Safety Director. “We’re thrilled to be taking a leadership role by participating in the Gold Shovel Standard, and by demonstrating our commitment to safety and performance with integrity.”
GSS certification demonstrates G.A. West’s enhanced commitment to high safety standards, and ongoing engagement with continued training and education in industry best practices. GSS seeks to create an environment where all excavators demonstrate exemplary caution around buried infrastructure, all locators demonstrate top-tier performance in locating buried infrastructure, and where both can be recognized and rewarded for their superior performance.
“Gold Shovel Standard certified companies have a demonstrated commitment to high safety standards and training in industry best practices,” said Dave Mauerman, an administrator at Gold Shovel Standard. “We are delighted to add G.A. West among them.”
About G.A. West & Co., Inc.
G.A. West was formed in 1987 and specializes in heavy industrial projects where commitment to safety, on-time completion and high-quality products are normal expectations. G.A. West employs in excess of twelve hundred (1,200) workers and is one of the top five (5) employers in the Mobile, Alabama area and the largest direct-hire contractor in the southern part of the state of Alabama. G.A. West has four locations in Mobile County, encompassing 147 acres of land and over 250,000 square feet of warehouses, fabrication shops, docks, roll off platforms, laydown yards, and office space. G.A. West is able to provide concise and responsible support on a timely basis due to a history of concentrating in the Heavy Industrial Sector.
About Gold Shovel Standard
Gold Shovel Standard (GGS) is a nonprofit committed to improving public safety and the continued integrity of buried infrastructure. GSS believes that greater transparency among buried-asset operators, locators and contractors is essential to drive continuous improvement, and vital to ensure increasingly safe working conditions and communities. The Website is www.GoldShovelStandard.org.
G.A. West and Company, Inc. is the proud recipient of the Mobile Section, Alabama AGC 2016 Construction Safety Excellence Award in the Industrial Division for having over 1.9 million safe man-hours, the highest in the Industrial Division category!