SMACNA, the association representing quality and excellence in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry, today announced that F.E. Moran, a full-service mechanical contractor and member of the SMACNA Chicago Chapter, has been selected to receive the association’s first-ever Safety Innovation Award. In collaboration with SMACNA Premier Partners Milwaukee Tool and Federated Insurance, the Safety Innovation Award recognizes the company that demonstrates an innovative safety idea, concept or best practice that improves its safety programming or culture.

“Safety, above all else, is a core part of who we are at F.E. Moran. ‘Safety first’ is not only a statement, but a lived value to us,” said Mike McCombie, President at F.E. Moran. “It is an honor to be recognized by SMACNA for putting safety first and implementing a best-in-class safety protocol. We are proud of everyone involved who helped make this happen.”

F.E. Moran received the award for modernizing the standard job hazard analysis (JHA) process from a 1970s process to one that functions as a 21^st-century resource. The updated JHA has since improved safety, production and efficiency at the company, and now includes alignment between project and safety schedules, photos to explain the safety plan, coding to identify high and low-risk exposures of a project, and quality control initiatives to minimize general liability exposures. As of 2019, the contractors and government divisions that F.E. Moran works with, including the Department of Energy, Army Corp of Engineers, Department of Transportation, and Federal Aviation Administration, have accepted this new JHA.

McCombie and Jason Galoozis, Safety Director at F.E. Moran, say the company’s commitment to safety is a testament to its long and rich history of ensuring employees get home safely to their families each and every day. In fact, the safety culture is a result of widespread collaboration efforts between the whole F.E. Moran team, from the safety department and management, to all employees.

Like F.E. Moran, SMACNA puts the safety and health of its members first, providing safety program improvement, training, OSHA compliance resources and assistance, and more. Results from the 2019 SMACNA Safety Excellence Survey show that the average OSHA incidence rate, 2.35, is below the national average for the sheet metal and HVAC industry, and safety continues to be a priority for the association. In launching the Safety Innovation Award, SMACNA is keeping safety top-of-mind and celebrating those who pursue best practices in safety. SMACNA members who completed the 2019 Safety Excellence Survey were eligible to apply for the Safety Innovation Award this year.

“Since this is the first year of the award, SMACNA is proud to roll out a program that recognizes a ‘think outside of the box’ approach to safety and health,” said Mike McCullion, Director of Market Sectors and Safety at SMACNA. “Congratulations to F.E. Moran on a well-deserved recognition. There were many great submissions this year and we look forward to more innovative ideas next year for the 2020 SMACNA Safety Innovation Award program.”

Sponsors Milwaukee Tool and Federated Insurance will each donate $2,500 to F.E. Moran’s charity of choice, the Gary Sinise Foundation which assists veterans, first responders and their families. F.E. Moran will be presented with the award during SMACNA’s Annual Convention in October.

About SMACNA

The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) is an international trade association representing 3,500 contributing contractor firms and is a leader in promoting quality and excellence in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry. SMACNA members are responsible for effectively delivering the clean air Americans breathe in offices, homes, and hospitals; for many of the attractive facades you see on today’s stadiums and office buildings; and for the comfortable, healthy, and safe living environments in which our citizens live out their daily lives. SMACNA has national offices in Chantilly, Va., outside of Washington, D.C., and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.smacna.org.