Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 8, 2015 – On Wednesday, August 5th the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Western Michigan Chapter held their second annual STEP (Safety Training and Evaluation Process) Award breakfast in honor of their safety-conscious members. CD Barnes Construction was awarded a Platinum (the highest level for company with less than 50 employees) STEP Award for their dedication to strengthening their safety performance.

ABC is a national trade association representing members from construction-related firms. Regional ABC chapters help members develop people, win work, and deliver that work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work. In 1989, the ABC National Environment, Health & Safety Committee developed the STEP program. Participation in STEP provides construction companies with an opportunity to measure the progress of their safety programs through the 20 key components self-evaluation. The evaluation illustrates performance benchmarks of peer ABC members and identifies areas of improvement.

Over the past 13 years of receiving STEP Awards, CD Barnes Construction has been awarded 11 Platinum awards. There are six levels of STEP achievement: Participant, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. What’s even more impressive is the fact CD Barnes has held a zero DART Rate (Days Away / Restricted or Transfer Rate) for 17 consecutive years! During the acceptance speech, Todd G. Oosting, Executive Vice President of CD Barnes said, “It’s a huge honor to receive the Platinum STEP Award from ABC. The award symbolizes our commitment to safety and health from the top down.”