Fast, Safe Rangework Earns Bristol a USACE Safety Award in South Carolina

The US Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District has presented Bristol Construction Services, LLC, with a Safety Award for its work in 2007 on the Advanced Tactical Training Area (ATTA) Multi-Purpose Range at the US Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, South Carolina. USACE awarded Bristol a Certificate of Merit for Safety “for Outstanding Achievement in the Prevention of Accidents.”

In a letter of appreciation, USACE Administrative Contracting Officer Gary McAlister, PE, commended Bristol for completing the project with no lost-time accidents, as well as being ahead of schedule and—at a total contract cost of approximately $3.5 million—within the specified budget.

“I take great pride and satisfaction in working with a company staff such as yours that pays attention to details,” wrote McAlister. “They were extremely responsive and worked in a professional manner throughout the completion of the subject contract.”

The range construction project, which took place from April 16 through September 24, 2007, involved building two multi-purpose live-fire training ranges, including outfall lines and multiple concrete structures. The ranges, separated by berms, are designed to support vehicle-mounted live-fire and grenade training for security and police services at the DOE site.

The Savannah River Site was constructed in the 1950s to produce the basic materials used in the fabrication of nuclear weapons. It is now a key DOE industrial complex that processes and stores nuclear materials in support of national defense and US nuclear nonproliferation efforts. The Site also develops and deploys technologies to improve the environment and treat nuclear and hazardous wastes left from the Cold War.

Completing the project on time allowed the ranges to be available for the start of essential training October 1, 2008, for security and police services at the DOE site.

“[Bristol’s] willingness to work closely with the Government staff throughout the project, to include the end user and another contractor working adjacent to your jobsite, demonstrated great teamwork and cooperation in the successful completion of this project,” wrote McAlister at the close of the project in September 2007.

Despite nearly weekly equipment breakdowns and some foul weather—including one three-day, eight-inch soaker of a rain shower—the Bristol team met its deadline. That’s because Bristol planned for every eventuality to meet the fast-track schedule, said Project Manager John Sharp.

Other Bristol team members involved included North Carolina District Manager Derwood Donaldson, MEC Operations Manager Wendell Morgan, Site Superintendent Andy Nielsen and Quality Control Manager Keith Davis, as well as Quality Control Manager Susan Stoffer and Site Superintendent Ben Wilson, in Washington and Alaska.

In case of equipment supply delays or equipment breakdowns, Bristol prepared a list of locally available backup suppliers and equipment. To reduce the chance of delays from weather events, such as flooding, the Bristol team put in place storm water pollution prevention measures before any suggestion of rainfall and watched weather reports carefully for unusual storm events.

The 310-square-mile Savannah River Site, bordered to the west by the Savannah River and Georgia, is close to several major cities, including Augusta and Savannah in Georgia, and Charleston, in South Carolina.

Bristol Construction Services, LLC, is a member of the Bristol Alliance of Companies, a group of Alaska Native-owned engineering, construction and environmental services companies with offices in Alaska, Washington, Texas and North Carolina, which often team together as well as working on projects independently.

The Bristol Alliance of Companies also includes:
Bristol Environmental & Engineering Services Corporation;
Bristol Environmental Remediation Services, LLC;
Bristol Fuel Systems Engineers & Constructors, LLC;
Bristol Design Build Services, LLC; and
Bristol Industries, LLC.

All the companies are subsidiaries of Bristol Bay Native Corporation.

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