News & Media

Brad Whitaker has joined Robinson Construction as corporate safety director. In this role, Brad will oversee the development and implementation of our company-wide safety programs, ensuring compliance with regulations and fostering a culture of safety across all projects. He will lead initiatives to minimize risk, conduct training, and maintain a safe working environment for our employees, subcontractors, and clients. Brad is from Carbondale, Illinois and has 15 years’ experience as a safety professional in commercial, civil, and utility construction. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Mid-Continent University and holds the OSHA Authorized Construction Trainer designation. Prior to joining Robinson Construction, Brad worked for Quanta Services as a safety manager.

Last Friday, our supervisors took part in a CPR training session that went beyond the basics! They learned not only life-saving CPR but also essential first aid skills and other critical techniques to help keep everyone safe on the job and beyond.

At Robinson Construction, safety isn’t just a priority—it’s at the forefront of everything we do. Thanks to this training, our team is better prepared to respond to emergencies and protect the well-being of everyone around them.

#rcco #rccosafety #rccotraining #safetytraining

Jake Waits has joined Robinson Construction as a corporate safety representative. In this role, Jake will work closely with our teams to ensure that our safety standards not only meet but exceed industry expectations, helping us maintain our reputation as a leader in the construction industry. “I am thrilled to join a company where safety and teamwork are already deeply ingrained in the work environment," says Jake. "My goal is to continue fostering a positive atmosphere where every employee feels empowered to prioritize safety and support one another on the job." Prior to joining Robinson Construction, Jake gained valuable experience in various safety roles with pipeline and directional drilling contractors, as well as with companies such as Bilfinger and PARIC.

Please join us in welcoming Jake to the team!

Thomas Gilmer, onsite safety manager for Robinson Construction, has completed all requirements for the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification. This highly respected certification is awarded by BCSP to individuals who meet eligibility and experience criteria in the safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) discipline and have passed a rigorous examination.

Safety issues have become more complex and today’s safety professional must continually be better qualified. “Safety, health, and environmental practice relies on the knowledge and skills of its practitioners,” explains BCSP’s CEO, Christy Uden, CAE, IOM. “We are proud of those who join us in advancing safety through quality certification.”

BCSP credential holders are among the most highly trained, educated, and experienced individuals in the safety field. Having achieved a BCSP certification shows that the individual has mastered the core competency required for professional safety practice. Certificants recertify every five years to maintain certification, ensuring they remain knowledgeable in their practice and continuously improve the profession.

Robinson Construction Company announced it has achieved Diamond Level in Associated Builders and Contractor’s STEP Safety Management System, meaning the company is 655% safer than the industry average. Founded more than three decades ago, STEP has evolved into a world-class safety program that dramatically improves safety performance among construction industry participants.

“We are proud to be recognized by ABC as a Diamond Level STEP Award recipient for 2021,” said Paul Findlay, president of Robinson Construction. “Our entire team is dedicated to a Zero Incidents culture, and this is reflected in our ABC National STEP Diamond Level status.”

Robinson Construction has participated in the STEP program for nearly 20 years, earning an award each year at the Gold Level and above. Diamond is the highest level achievable through the program.

STEP participants measure their safety processes and policies on key components through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incidents.

“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like Robinson Construction to have a safer and more productive jobsite,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “Committing to total human health is essential to ensure both the physical and mental health and safety of our workforce, and I commend Robinson Construction for consistently fulfilling those commitments to raising the bar of safety performance.”

According to ABC’s annual Safety Performance Report, STEP participants, regardless of company size or type of work, and can reduce recordable incidents up to 85%, making the best performing companies more than eight times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond, the highest, to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.

To learn more about the STEP program, visit abcstep.org.

The overall theme of this year’s #constructionsafetyweek is Be Present. Be Focused. Be safe. Today, we give thanks to our team members for their efforts to be present, focused, and safe not only for themselves but also for their coworkers and their family and friends at home. Our workers are the essential ingredient to the success of our industry and your efforts to work safe are reducing risks and accidents on our projects. THANK YOU for participating in Safety Week and for your hard work all year! #rccosafety #constructionsafety #bepresentbefocusedbesafe #thankyou

Today’s #ConstructionSafetyWeek topic is Be Safe, Be Well Rested. The construction industry often comes with early hours, long commutes and nightshift work. This can interrupt your body’s natural sleep/wake cycle and can have major consequences on your physical and mental health. Some simple things you can do to improve your quality of sleep, overall well-being, and safety on the jobsite include:

🏋🏼 Exercise – the more energy you expel during the day, the easier it is for your body to enter a restful sleep

🍎 Food & Beverage – avoid heavy meals before bedtime and caffeinated drinks within 6 hours of bedtime

😴 Sleep Routine – stay consistent with your bedtime and waketime, even on the weekends

🥱 Sleep Quantity – aim for 7+ hours of sleep per night

🛏 Sleep Environment – your sleep area should be dark, free of distraction and noise, and keep it cool – around 68 degrees #rccosafety #constructionsafety #besafebewellrested

Today’s safety topic is Be Relentless. To prevent injuries we must be relentless in paying attention to risk and monitoring what is happening around us at all times. Our safety coin and the messages engraved on the coin are daily reminders to Be Relentless every day by choosing to work safe for yourself, your coworkers, and the people that love you. Injuries happen in a flash, so we can never take safety for granted. #rccosafety #constructionsafetyweek #constructionsafety #berelentless

Today’s #ConstructionSafetyWeek topic is Healthy Mind, Healthy Body. Being safe means paying attention to both mind and body. Our people are our most valuable asset and we must take an active role in our physical and mental health. Exercise/stretching, meditation, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet can have a tremendous impact over time on your well-being. If we all strive for a healthier mind and body, we can shape a healthier future for the construction industry. #rccosafety #healthymindhealthybody