Sixteen cotton gins earned the coveted Diamond Award for outstanding safety programs in 2014, up from 10 in 2013, reflecting “the continuing striving for excellence by management and employees of these facilities,” says William Lindamood, safety director for the Southern Cotton Ginners Association.

To win the award, a gin must earn a 99.8-100 percent score in all categories of the SCGA safety program for five consecutive years.

“It’s tough to score that high one year, but to do it five years in a row takes a lot of effort and dedication,” says Larry Davis, who retired in 2014 after serving as the founder and manager of the organization’s safety program for 22 years.”

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Safety in ginning operations “starts at the top with owners and managers,” Davis says. “When they put safety at the top of their must-do list, it pays dividends all down the line. With everyone working together to keep attention focused on these goals, they can do everything possible to keep their workplaces accident- and injury-free.”

In addition to the diamond awards, 16 gins won the Platinum Award, 14 earned the Gold Award, 26 earned the Silver Award, and 15 earned the Bronze Award. Scoring for those awards, based on 100 points, is 94-96.9 for bronze; 97-99.5 for silver; and 99.6-99.7 for gold. Recognition was also given to Most Improved gins.

“Since 1993, Larry has worked with Mid-South gins to improve guarding, training, and documentation through safety seminars, safety inspections, and a safety program published year,” says Lindamood. “All this constitutes a road map to a safe operation.

“Larry’s passion for a safer, more efficient workplace, and his ability to communicate with and encourage management, ginners, and crew, have resulted in a tremendous reduction in workplace hazards and provided safety documentation to comply with ever-increasiong regulations.

“His is a legacy that we must continue to build on. Working together, we will strive to find additional ways to eliminate workplace accidents.”

Safety award winners in each category for 2014 were:

Arkansas: Diamond Awards — Cotton Growers Inc., Dell; Griffin Gins Inc., Helena; McGehee Producers Gin, McGehee; Pendleton Gin Co. Inc., Dumas. Platinum Awards — Black Oak Gin Co. Inc., Black Oak; Childress Gin & Elevator Co., Inc., Monette; Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin Co., Monette; McClendon Mann & Felton Gin, Marianna; McClendon Mann & Felton Gin #3, Marianna; Round Lake Co-op Gin, Grady.

Gold Award — Langston Enterprises, Inc., Blytheville. Silver Awards — Alvin Samuel Gin Inc., Paragould  (also Most Improved award winner for Arkansas); Graves Gin Corporation, Rector; Monette Coop Gin, Monette; New Peoples Gin Co. Inc., Holly Grove; Portland Gin & Warehouse, Inc., Portland. Bronze Awards — Delta Cotton Cooperative, Inc., Marmaduke; GPS Gin Co. Inc., Portland; Lindsey Brothers Gin, Widner.

Louisiana: Diamond Awards — Tanner & Co., Frogmore; Tri-Parish Gin, LLC, Lettsworth. Platinum Awards — Catavoy Cotton Gin, LLC, Jonesville; McNutt Gin Inc., Boyce; Newellton Gin Company, Inc., Newellton; Tensas Co-op Gin, Inc., Newellton.

Silver Awards — Valley Gin Inc., Shreveport; Bronze Award — Lagniappe Cotton Gin, LLC, Hamburg; Southern Cotton Ginners Association Most Improved Award — Deer Creek Gin, Sicily Island.

Mississippi: Diamond Awards —  Silver Creek Gin Co., Holly Bluff; Vance Gin Co. Inc., Clarksdale; Platinum Award — Bogue Chitto Gin, Macon (also Mississippi Most Improved); Gold Awards — Avon Gin Inc., Avon; Hi Grade Gin Corp., Winona; Quito Gin Company, Itta Bena.

Silver Awards — Cowart Gin Co. Inc., Charleston; Doolittle Gin Inc., Gore Springs; Gaddis & McLaurin Gin, Bolton; Greenwood Gin Inc., Greenwood; Mattson Gin Inc., Lyon; Midway Gin of Yazoo Cty. Inc., Benton; Tunica Gin Corp., Tunica; Yalobusha County Gin Company, Inc., Coffeeville; Yazoo Planters Gin Co., Yazoo City.

Bronze Awards — Bobo Moseley Gin Company, Lyon; Four County Gin Inc., Calhoun City; Vaiden Farmers Gin, LLP, Vaiden.

Missouri: Diamond Awards — Farmers Union Gin & Warehouse Co. Inc., Senath; Portageville Farmers Gin, Portageville; Sandy Ridge Cotton Co. LLC, Malden; White Oak Gin, White Oak. Platinum Awards — Bernie Farmers Gin, Malden; Blakemore Cotton & Grain LLC, Campbell; L. Berry Gin Company, Holland; Vanduser Gin Co., Inc., Vanduser.

Gold Awards — A.C. Riley Cotton Co., Inc., New Madrid; Bootheel Cotton Co., Matthews; D.G. & G. Inc., Sikeston (also Missouri Most Improved); Graves Kennett Gin, Kennett; McCord Gin Company, Gideon; Stokes-Mayberry Gin Co., Inc., Malden.

Silver Awards — Cardwell Cooperative, Inc., Cardwell; Caruthersville Gin, Caruthersville; Dalton Cotton Company, Senath; Peach Orchard Gin Co. Inc., Gideon; Richardson Gin, Inc., Marston. Bronze Awards — 4-Way Gin, Senath; Crowder Gin Co., Sikeston; D. G. & G. Matthews Plant, Sikeston; Mahan Gin Co, Parma.

Tennessee: Diamond Awards — Burlison Gin Company, Inc., Burlison; Espey Gin Co., McLemoresville; Longtown Gin, Mason; Zion Gin Co., Brownsville. Platinum Award — Crockett Gin Co. LLC, Maury City. Gold Awards — Arp Cotton Gin Co. LLC, Ripley; Crockett Mills Gin, LLC, Crockett Mills; Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville; Union Gin Co. Inc., Brownsville.

Silver Awards — Bemis Gin & Warehouse Co., Jackson; Cairo Farmers Gin, LLC, Alamo; Farmers Friendship Gin, Inc., Friendship; Farmers Gin of Humboldt, Humboldt; L & H Gin, Alamo; Yorkville Gin Company, Yorkville. Bronze Awards —Cotton Unlimited-Tibbs Gin #2, Brownsville; Oak Grove Gin LLC, Somerville; Tennessee Gins & Warehouses, Covington;Tibbs Gin Co., Brownsville; Tennessee Most Improved — Turnpike Gin, LLC, Brownsville.