2026 Safety Innovation Award Winners
Mobile Equipment Training Ground with Generative-AI Platform
Buzzi Unicem USA
Maryneal Quarry and Mill – Maryneal, TX
Buzzi Unicem USA’s new Mobile Equipment Training Ground illustrates dedication to safety in equipment operations. Heavy equipment operation demands knowledge and confidence, best acquired through hands-on training in a safe environment.
Traditional learning in active production areas poses risks due to distractions and hazards. The training ground allows employees to develop essential skills without exposing anyone to danger, with the added benefits of simulating real-world conditions for safe practice in handling, hazard recognition and emergency response.
This initiative makes employees at Maryneal’s facility safer, effectively prepares operators for their roles, and allows employees to leverage a Generative-AI platform to identify known and emerging hazards across various inspection methods.
Pinion Gear Cradle
Ash Grove, a CRH Company
Leamington Plant – Leamington, UT
Moving the pinion gear is a high-risk task due to its heavy and cumbersome nature. Typically, stabilizing the pinion requires moving timbers and blocking to avoid damaging the shaft or gear.
To address this challenge, the maintenance department created a specialized cradle for the pinion gear. This cradle securely holds the pinion in place without causing damage and features openings for forklift forks, enabling safe and efficient movement. By using this cradle, employees minimize the need for personnel to be near the load, significantly reducing the risk during transportation and storage.
AI-Predictive, Real-Time Dust Exposure
Ash Grove, a CRH Company
Durkee Plant – Durkee, OR
Ash Grove’s Durkee Plant launched a groundbreaking pilot program aimed at enhancing employee health and operational resilience last year. Addressing the health risk posed by exposure to respirable crystalline silica, the initiative shifts from traditional, reactive monitoring to a proactive approach.
In collaboration with Staker Parsons in Salt Lake City, the project introduces LEAP™, an integrated platform that features real-time silica detection, predictive analytics, and AI-driven exposure modeling. The program aims to reduce employee exposure, improve maintenance and process control, and create a scalable model for broader use. This innovation marks a significant advancement in health and safety practices at CRH.
