DFW International Airport Recognizes Capital Development Program Construction Workers For Another Banner Year At Annual Safety Incentive Breakfast

4,300 Workers Honored For Accident-Free Year, One Lucky Employee Wins Pickup Truck

DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Texas (July 23, 2003) — DFW International Airport honored 4,300 construction team members for working a year without an accident at the Capital Development Program’s (CDP) annual Safety Incentive Breakfast on July 23, 2003.

The event is the culmination of a year’s worth of safety programming and recognition and is part of the Project Controlled Insurance Program. Contractors are recognized at quarterly breakfasts for promoting a safe workplace.

“Safety is foremost at our worksite,” said Clay Paslay, executive vice president for airport development at DFW Airport. “We’re proud of our safety record, and it’s important to recognize the workers for their role in this record.”

CDP construction workers worked more than 12 million man-hours as of June 3. Since the project began in 2000, only 272 recorded accident cases and 29 lost-time cases have occurred. DFW Airport’s CDP has a 4.5 percent recordable incident rate, well below the national average of 7.6 percent. A recordable incident rate is the annual number of workrelated injuries and/or illness per 100 full-time workers.

The safety record was logged during a year that saw the completion of the SkyLink automated people mover guideway, 45 percent completion of International Terminal D, completion of the Runway 18L extension and the beginning of Runway 18R extension, 10,000 linear feet of stormdrain tunneling and the opening of the North and South-bound Service Roads. That safety record also includes construction of a new maintenance storage facility for SkyLink that will be used to warehouse parts, test and maintain train cars and house train system control rooms.

Earlier this summer, DFW celebrated the 10,000th graduate from the innovative Safety Training Program at the Construction Education Foundation. DFW Airport’s safety record also has received strong recognition from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

During today’s breakfast celebration Charles Penny with Robinson Industries won a drawing for a new 2003 Ford F-150 pickup truck. Penny was recognized as one of 4,300 site workers who have worked accident free for the last year. Robinson Industries is a subcontractor to Austin Commercial, the prime contractor for the International Terminal D project.

Penny, 62, is a Desoto resident and has worked on the DFW site for about a year. “I’ve been in the construction industry for most of my life,” Penny said. “I was surprised to win.”

Nine workers were awarded a five-piece cordless tool kit. Those nine were Antonio Az-Chay, Dynamic Systems; Jaime Hernandez, Mills Electric; Marco Luna, McCarthy Building Co.; Ramiro Palacio, Austin Commercial Inc.; Juan Rodarte, Integrated Interiors; Hector Sandoval, Austin Commercial Inc.; William Smith, System Electric Co. Inc.; Angel Vasquez, McCarthy Building Co.; and Alejandro Zepeda, Facility Construction Services.

DFW Airport is in the midst of a $2.6 billion Capital Development Program consisting of airfield projects, SkyLink Automated People Mover System, International Terminal D, support and infrastructure and roadway projects. It is estimated that DFW Airport’s investment will generate an additional $34 billion in economic impact on the North Texas economy and an additional 77,000 new jobs over the next 15 years.

Editor's Notes: For the latest news, real-time flight information, parking availability or further details regarding the many services provided at DFW International Airport, log on to www.dfwairport.com. To arrange interviews contact Steve Roth with CDP Communications at 972 586 5743 or sroth@dfwairport.com, or Ken Capps, Vice President, Public Affairs- DFW at 972 574 8080 or kcapps@dfwairport.com

Charles Penny of Robinson Industries tries the key to his new pickup truck. Penny won the truck for his accident-free record and was one of 4,300 workers that were recognized for their accident-free record at DFW Airport’s annual Capital Development Program Safety Incentive Breakfast.