Hembree Brandon, Editorial director

March 15, 2016

18 Slides

Eleven Mid-South cotton gins won the Diamond Award of Excellence for outstanding worker safety programs in 2015. It is the highest level in the Southern Cotton Ginners Association’s annual safety awards program. To win the award, a gin must earn a 99.8 percent to 100 percent score in all safety inspection categories 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, beginning at the top with management, and including every gin employee,” says William Lindamood, SCGA Safety Director.

Additionally, 16 gins earned the Platinum Award, 11 the Gold Award, 21 the Silver Award, and 11 the Bronze Award. Most Improved Awards were also presented.

Award winners at all levels of the safety program were honored at a luncheon held in conjunction with the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show.

In addition to the Diamond level, other scoring levels are: Platinum, 99.8-100; Gold, 99.6-99.7; Silver, 97-99.5; and Bronze, 94-96.9.

“Even those qualifying for the Bronze level have done an outstanding job in meeting our rigid safety standards,” Lindamood says. “Even that award requires a 94 percent or better score. All of the award winners are constantly striving to improve their programs, working toward a higher level award.

“Safety in ginning operations starts at the top, with owners and managers. 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, we can do everything possible to keep our workplaces accident-free.”

Accidents at member gins were reduced during the 2015-16 operating season, Lindamood says. “We’re very pleased that there were no deaths. We will continue striving to eliminate workplace accidents through safety teamwork. ”

SCGA will continue to emphasize guarding of all chain drives,” he says. “Equally important is a written lock out/tag out program that emphasizes securing all hazardous energy. Special emphasis should be given to rotating saws and press components after the electrical disconnect has been padlocked. SCGA will continue emphasis on effective operational training, documentation, and assistance to gins on regulatory compliance.”

Concurrent with sharp reductions in cotton acreage in 2015, Lindamood noted that 17 of the gins that won safety awards in 2014 — five of them Diamond Award winners — did not operate last year.

“We sincerely hope to see increases in cotton acreage that will enable them to operate in the future.”

Buddy Cochran, Chairman of the SCGA Safety Committee, agrees that “the dedication shown by management and employees of our member gins has resulted in an exceptional record in reducing accidents and injuries, and they are to be commended for their achievements.”

“We congratulate all the award winners on improving compliance, training documentation, and most importantly, for reducing accidents.”

Serving with him on the committee are Kevin Watts, Arkansas; Buddy Tanner, Louisiana; David Blakemore, Missouri; and Bubba Burks, Tennessee.

Holt Shoaf, SCGA outgoing president, said, “It’s rewarding for us to honor member gins who have successfully made safety a priority, and have fully implemented safety programs in their operations. Our association recognizes how vital safety is, and we continue to promote improved safety performance and documentation.”

 

Southern Cotton Ginners Association
Excellence in Safety Award Winners 2015

Arkansas

Diamond Award of Excellence

McGehee Producers Gin, McGehee


Platinum Award of Excellence

Childress Gin & Elevator Co., Inc., Monette
GPS Gin Co., Inc., Portland
Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin Co., Monette
 Lee Wilson and Company Gin, Wilson
Monette Coop Gin, Monette


Gold Award of Excellence

Langston Enterprises, Inc., Blytheville
Portland Gin & Warehouse, Inc., Portland


Silver Award of Excellence

Delta Cotton Cooperative, Inc.,  Marmaduke
Graves Gin Corporation, Rector
Senter & Sons Gin LLC, Osceola


Bronze Award of Excellence

Dixie Gin of Poinsett County, Inc.,  Trumann
New Peoples Gin Co. Inc, Holly Grove
Rabbit Ridge Gin & Warehouse, Dyess

 

Most Improved

Taylor Gin Co., Gould

 

Louisiana

Diamond Award of Excellence

Tanner & Co., Frogmore
Tri-Parish Gin, LLC, Lettsworth

 

Platinum Award of Excellence

Catavoy Cotton Gin, LLC, Jonesville
McNutt Gin Inc., Boyce
Tensas Co-op Gin, Inc., Newellton

 

Gold Award of Excellence

Lagniappe Cotton Gin, LLC, Hamburg

 

Silver Award of Excellence

Valley Gin Inc., Shreveport

 

Bronze Award of Excellence  & SCGA Most Improved

Planters Gin Company, St. Joseph

 

Mississippi

Diamond Award of Excellence

Silver Creek Gin Co., Holly Bluff
Vance Gin Co., Inc., Clarksdale

 

Platinum Award of Excellence

Bogue Chitto Gin, Macon
Quito Gin Company, Itta Bena
Yazoo Planters Gin Co., Yazoo City

 

Gold Award of Excellence

Avon Gin Inc., Avon
Hi Grade Gin Corp., Winona
Mattson Gin Inc., Lyon

 

Silver Award of Excellence

Four County Gin Inc., Calhoun City
Gaddis & McLaurin Gin, Bolton
Greenwood Gin Inc., Greenwood
Midway Gin of Yazoo Cty. Inc., Benton
Vaiden Farmers Gin, LLP, Vaiden
Yalobusha County Gin Company, Inc., Coffeeville

 

Bronze Award of Excellence

Como Consolidated Gin Co., Inc., Como
Issaquena S. Washington Gin Inc.,  Glen Allan
Tri County Gin Company, Batesville
Tunica Gin Corp., Tunica

 

Most Improved

Grundfest & Klaus Gin, Cary

 

Missouri

Diamond Award of Excellence

Farmers Union Gin & Warehouse Co., Inc., Senath
Portageville Farmers Gin, Portageville
Sandy Ridge Cotton Co. LLC, Malden

 

Platinum Award of Excellence

Bernie Farmers Gin, Malden
Blakemore Cotton & Grain LLC, Campbell
Stokes-Mayberry Gin Co., Inc., Malden
Vanduser Gin Co., Inc., Vanduser

 

Gold Award of Excellence

Bootheel Cotton Co., Matthews
McCord Gin Company, Gideon

 

Silver Award of Excellence

4-Way Gin, Senath
Caruthersville Gin, Caruthersville
D.G.&G. Matthews Plant, Matthews
D.G.&G., Parma
Graves Kennett Gin, Kennett
Richardson Gin, Inc., Marston

 

Bronze Award of Excellence

Crowder Gin Co., Sikeston
GT Cotton Company LLC, Cardwell
Mahan Gin Co., Parma
Peach Orchard Gin Co., Inc., Gideon

 

Most Improved

Cooter Cotton Gin, Cooter

 

Tennessee

Diamond Award of Excellence

Burlison Gin Company, Inc., Burlison
Espey Gin Co., McLemoresville
Longtown Gin, Mason

 

Platinum Award of Excellence

Crockett Gin Co. LLC, Maury City

 

Gold Award of Excellence

Arp Cotton Gin Co. LLC, Ripley
Crockett Mills Gin, LLC, Crockett Mills
Union Gin Co., Inc., Brownsville

 

Silver Award of Excellence

Farmers Gin of Humboldt, Humboldt
Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville
Yorkville Gin Company, Yorkville
Cairo Farmers Gin, LLC, Alamo
Halls Gin Company, Halls

 

Bronze Award of Excellence

Farmers Friendship Gin, Inc., Friendship
Oak Grove Gin LLC, Somerville

(Awards Scoring: Diamond – To win this award a gin must have five consecutive years of Platinum awards. A Platinum Award requires a score of  99.8 percent to 100 percent. A Gold Award requires a score of 99.6 percent to 99.7 percent. A Silver Award requires a score of 97 percent to 99.5 percent. A Bronze Award requires a score of 94 percent to 96.9 percent.)

About the Author(s)

Hembree Brandon

Editorial director, Farm Press

Hembree Brandon, editorial director, grew up in Mississippi and worked in public relations and edited weekly newspapers before joining Farm Press in 1973. He has served in various editorial positions with the Farm Press publications, in addition to writing about political, legislative, environmental, and regulatory issues.

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