Southwest division outshines all with best review in past decade
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2018
PR# 18-023
Safety and teamwork in highway work zones are critical to seeing that each worker makes it home at the end of the day. The men and women of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation work in all conditions and put their lives on the line to help construct and maintain our state’s highways, interstates and bridges. Safety is ODOT's top priority and the agency conducts onsite reviews, accident follow-up and ongoing safety education as part of its worker safety program. The total number of employee injury accidents has declined by more than 41 percent in the past year.
At the Monday, June 4 meeting, members of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson recognized the crews who demonstrated a continued commitment to safety in the past year.
The Governor’s Safety Excellence Award is presented annually to the ODOT field division with the best overall safety record in the past year. The 2017 award went to Division Five, which increased its safety performance record by 72 percent compared with the previous year. The Division had two injuries and zero lost days, the best performance of any division in the past decade. Total accidents, accident severity and lost work days are all taken into consideration in determining the Governor’s Safety Award winner. Division Five is headquartered in Clinton and is led by Division Engineer Brent Almquist. The division includes Beckham, Blaine, Custer, Dewey, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Roger Mills, Tillman and Washita counties.
The Governor’s Safety Excellence Award is presented annually to the ODOT field division with the best overall safety record in the past year. The 2017 award went to Division Five, which increased its safety performance record by 72 percent compared with the previous year. Pictured from left are Commission Chairman David Burrage, District Five Commissioner Todd Huckabay, Division Five Safety Manager Jim Reeves, Division Five Engineer Brent Almquist and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson.
The Progressive Excellence Award recognizes the ODOT field division with the most improved safety rating. The award for 2017 was presented to Division Two, which is headquartered in Antlers under the leadership of Division Engineer Anthony Echelle. The division improved its safety performance by 58 percent since last year. Division Two includes Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Latimer, LeFlore, Marshall, McCurtain, Pittsburg and Pushmataha counties.
The Progressive Excellence Award recognizes the ODOT field division with the most improved safety rating. Pictured from left are Division Two Engineer Anthony Echelle, Commission Chairman David Burrage, Division Two Safety Manager W.F. Grammar and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson.
The Director’s Safety Awards are presented to the unit in each of ODOT’s eight field divisions and its Oklahoma City headquarters with the best safety record. Consideration is given to safety, housekeeping, training and equipment maintenance.
The winners for 2017 are (click for photo):
- Division One, Cherokee County Maintenance Pictured from left are District One Commissioner John Fidler, Division One Engineer Chris Wallace, Cherokee County Maintenance Crew Supervisor Jeff Perry, Safety Manager Greg Kincade and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 1 include Adair, Cherokee, Haskell, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Sequoyah and Wagoner.
- Division Two, Choctaw County Maintenance Pictured from left are Division Two Engineer Anthony Echelle, Commission Chairman David Burrage, Safety Manager W.F. Grammar, Choctaw County Maintenance Crew Supervisor Larry Turner and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 2 include Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, Marshall, Pittsburg and Pushmataha.
- Division Three, Okfuskee County Maintenance Pictured from left are Division Three Engineer Kevin Bloss, Safety Manager Annette Nichols, Okfuskee County Maintenance Crew Supervisor Joe Bradley, District Three Commissioner Dan Overland and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 3 include Coal, Cleveland, Garvin, Hughes, Johnston, Lincoln, McClain, Okfuskee, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie and Seminole.
- Division Four, Perry Residency Pictured from left are District Four Commissioner Greg Love, Division Four Engineer Brian Taylor, Perry Resident Engineer Ted Zachary, Safety Manager Billy Trent and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 4 include Oklahoma, Canadian, Kingfisher, Logan, Payne, Garfield, Noble, Grant and Kay.
- Division Five, Division Bridge Crew Pictured from left are Commission Secretary Todd Huckabay, Bridge Crew Supervisor Jim Reeves, Division Five Engineer Brent Almquist and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 5 include Beckham, Blaine, Custer, Dewey, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Roger Mills, Tillman and Washita.
- Division Six, Woods County Maintenance Pictured from left are District Six Commissioner Bobby Alexander, Safety Manager Lloyd Coble, Division Six Engineer Ron McDaniel, Woods County Maintenance Crew Supervisor Donald Lee and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 6 include Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa, Major, Woodward and Ellis.
- Division Seven, Cotton County Maintenance Pictured from left are Commission Chairman David Burrage, Division Seven Engineer Jay Earp, Safety Manager Lisa Niebauer, Cotton County Maintenance Crew Supervisor Scott LeBarre and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 7 include Caddo, Carter, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Jefferson, Love, Murray and Stephens.
- Division Eight, Pawnee County Maintenance Pictured from left are District Eight Commissioner Peter Regan, Division Eight Engineer Randall White, Pawnee County Maintenance Crew Supervisor Steve Nelson and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. Counties in Division 8 include Craig, Creek, Delaware, Mayes, Nowata, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Rogers, Tulsa and Washington.
- Division Nine/OKC Headquarters, Local Government Division The 2017 winner for Division 9/OKC Headquarters was the Local Government Division. Pictured are Local Government Division Engineer Shannon Sheffert and ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation workers and divisions were recognized for their safety records at the Monday, June 4 meeting of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission. Pictured from left are Lisa Niebauer, Division Seven; Jay Earp, Division Seven; Steve Nelson, Division Eight; Todd Burns, Division Eight; Scott LeBarre, Division Seven; Anthony Echelle, Division Two; Larry Turner, Division Two; Annette Nichols, Division Three; Kevin Bloss, Division Three; W.F. Grammar, Division Two; Joe Bradley, Division Three; Chris Wallace, Division One, Greg Kincade, Division One; Jeff Perry, Division One; Shannon Sheffert, Local Government Division; Brent Almquist, Division Five; Donald Lee, Division Six; Jim Reeves, Division Five; John Coleman, Safety Manager; Lloyd Coble, Division Six. Not pictured: Division Four Perry Resident Engineer Ted Zachary.
