The Alabama Mining Association (AMA) on Thursday announced the winners of the association’s second annual Safety & Sustainability Awards.
AMA held its awards presentation Nov. 15 at The Club in Birmingham.
The winners were graded and announced by a panel of independent judges, including Lance LeFleur, director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Tim Gothard, executive director of the Alabama Wildlife Federation; Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and Samuel Pierce, retired Eastern District manager for the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
According to AMA, the association’s awards highlight the mining industry’s safety and sustainability initiatives and publicly recognize companies and professionals that made such efforts possible.
Award winners were:
- Exceptional Reclamation Award
Alabama Land Resources
Reclamation of North River Mine - Exceptional Safety & Training Initiative Award
Nelson Brothers
Fleet Modernization Initiative - Land Stewardship Award
Warrior Met Coal
Mine 7 Plant Dry Slurry System – Phase I Project. - Lifetime Commitment to Stewardship Award
C.W. McGehee, Founder and President of McGehee Engineering Corp. - Lifetime Dedication to Safety & Training Award
Ken Russell, retired director of Workforce Solutions at Bevill State Community College - Mitigation Excellence Award
Westervelt Company
Big Sandy Mitigation Bank – Phase 1 / Phase 2 - Outstanding Safety & Training Leadership Award
Randy Clements, Safety Manager at Drummond Company’s ABC Coke - Wildlife Conservation Award
Drummond
Segco Mine and Permanent Wildlife Management Area project - President’s Community Safety Award
Nelson Brothers
Development of the Institute of Makers of Explosives Safety Analysis for Risk - President’s Commitment to Community Award
Martin Marietta - Champion of Safety Award
Harold “JR” Gunter
Gregory Upton
Descriptions for each award can be found here.
During the dinner, AMA presented the Alabama Fire College with an award in recognition of its leadership for supporting mine safety by hosting the state’s first-ever Surface Mine First Responder Competition.
Peabody’s Shoal Creek Prep Plant was also honored for receiving the National Mining Association’s Sentinels of Safety award for its exceptional safety record.
In announcing the award recipients, AMA President Patrick Cagle said the association was “thrilled to present these awards to well-deserving companies and individuals who personify the excellence of Alabama’s 21st century mining industry.”
“Safety and sustainability are the lifeblood of modern mining across our state, and AMA is proud of the ingenuity, commitment, and resiliency our members display every day,” said Cagle. “On behalf of AMA, I’d like to congratulate this year’s winners for their unwavering dedication to their people and their local communities.”
Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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