The Fox Valley Associated General Contractors (FVAGC) honored Leopardo with the 2009 Safety Award for excellence in the 250,000 man-hours and above category.  This award was based on an evaluation of Leopardo’s safety record against other contractors of similar size and construction type across Illinois’ Fox Valley.

The Construction Safety Association of America presented Leopardo Safety Director Jim McInerney with the Robert M. Farrell Memorial Safety Award in appreciation and recognition of his contributions to the science and art of safety.

In 2009, Leopardo was among only a handful of contractors nationwide to partner with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in order to achieve the highest levels of safety on a specific project. Leopardo also enhances its cutting-edge safety program by incorporating handheld devices with software to collect, analyze and disseminate job site safety information, which enables Leopardo to take preventative actions before at-risk behaviors or conditions become incidents. The results are reduced risks, fewer incidents, increased communication and competency, and continuous improvement.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (March 4, 2009) – Leopardo’s safety director, Jim McInerney, was recently appointed co-chair of the “Build for 2016” Safety and Security Subcommittee along with Ron Phillips of Aon. Build for 2016 is a task force formed by the Association of Subcontractors and Affiliates (ASA) Chicago to foster local construction allegiance and influence to support Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.

As co-chairs, Jim and Ron will oversee the subcommittee’s development of the safety and security requirements for contractors that build for the 2016 Olympics. This includes coordinating with Homeland Security, contractor pre-qualification requirements, safety and security program design for all venues and support, and insurance requirements for contractors. Additionally, the co-chairs will be working closely with the Labor, Contracts and Infrastructure subcommittees.

As safety director at Leopardo, Jim oversees risk management operations, including environmental, health and safety on all construction processes. With 15 years of industry experience, he has directed risk management on more than 5000 projects valued at over $2.5 billion.

The partnership, which aims to achieve the highest levels of construction safety, also includes the Onsite Safety and Health Construction Program of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

“This agreement provides the tools to ensure that employers and employees commit to safe and healthful work practices,” said Kathy O’Connell, OSHA’s area director in Aurora. “Cooperation among labor, management and OSHA is vital to ensure the safety and health of employees.”

“Safety is a way of life for us at Leopardo,” said Jim McInerney, safety director at Leopardo Construction. “This strategic partnership underscores our commitment to safety on all our projects.”

Leopardo’s safety efforts are consistently recognized by peers, clients and subcontractors. A recent internal survey found that 100 percent of Leopardo’s employees believe the company highly values and encourages safety. As further evidence of its safety-first culture, Leopardo is the trusted builder at more than 30 Chicagoland hospitals, which are clients who demand the cleanest air quality, minimal noise and vibration and the safest work site possible.

Expected to open in early 2010, the design and construction of the Aurora Police Headquarters has great attention to environmental details and is aiming for a Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).