March 25, 2019
Mid-South cotton gins turned in an excellent safety performance record during the 2018 season. Seventeen gins in the five-state area earned Diamond Awards, the highest-level award conferred by the Southern Cotton Ginners Association (SCGA) to those gins who have achieved a fifth consecutive Platinum level.
Twenty-four gins achieved the next highest award — Platinum; 11 earned Gold; 22 earned Silver and five earned Bronze awards. SCGA encourages all member gins to achieve a minimum of Bronze level excellence in safety.
David Cochran, Jr., SCGA 2018 president, opened the Safety Awards luncheon welcoming the award-winning gin crews, and acknowledged the work the Safety Committee did directing the Safety Program. Cochran’s father, Buddy Cochran, past president of SCGA, gave the invocation before the lunch began.
“The SCGA Excellence in Safety Program is authorized by ownership and directed by gin managers with a constant emphasis on training,” explains William Lindamood, SCGA safety director. “This has been a great benefit to all of our member gins.
Safety Committee members include: President, Buddy Cochran, Miss.; Kevin Watts, Ark.; Buddy Tanner, La.; Jeff Lindsey, Mo.; and Bubba Burks, Tenn.
The 2018 season saw an increase in cotton acreage. “Despite the long and wet harvest, which extended the season into January for many gins, we were extremely thankful there were no OSHA-reportable deaths during the entire year,” adds Lindamood.
Gin owners and managers recognize safety starts at the top, but there is an across-the-board understanding among all award recipients that it also starts individually, with them. “Our owners and managers don’t want any employee to get hurt, and when they each make safety their number one priority, it pays dividends all down the line,” says Lindamood. “With everyone working together to keep attention focused on this goal, we can do everything possible to make our gins accident-free.”
Lindamood touched briefly on accident patterns in 2018, and how those patterns will be addressed during the 2019 safety seminars. “New hires have suffered lint cleaner amputations during the early parts of the season which demonstrates the necessity for occupational training before all employees begin working in the ginning environment,” reminds Lindamood. “Veteran gin personnel have become victims of lint cleaner and gin saw amputations later in the season when fatigue sets in, but weekly safety meetings helps discipline everyone to be more aware of their proximity to dangerous machinery.”
Machines that cycle automatically, such as module feeders, presses, and bale handling, were involved in three serious accidents in 2018. “These accidents demonstrate clearly the need for ongoing Lock Out/Tag Out training and workplace discipline,” adds Lindamood. “SCGA strives to eliminate workplace accidents through teamwork and promoting a culture of safety.”
Operational training and documentation will continue to be emphasized by Lindamood in 2019. He will also continue to assist gins with regulatory compliance. “We’re hoping to see a continued increase in cotton acres, bales ginned, and more importantly, a reduction in accidents,” concludes Lindamood.
Southern Cotton Ginners Association Excellence in Safety Award Winners 2019
Arkansas Awards
Diamond
Black Oak Gin Co. Inc., Black Oak
Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin Co., Monette
Platinum
GPS Gin Co. Inc., Portland
Lee Wilson and Company Gin, Wilson
McClendon Mann & Felton Gin, Marianna
Monette Coop Gin, Monette
Portland Gin & Warehouse, Inc., Portland
Senter & Sons Gin LLC, Osceola
Gold
Graves Gin Corporation, Rector
Silver
Childress Gin & Elevator Co., Inc., Monette
McClendon Mann & Felton Gin #3, Brickeys
New Peoples Gin Co. Inc., Holly Grove
Rabbit Ridge Gin & Whse., Dyess
Taylor Gin Co., Gould
W.B. deYampert Gin, Wilmot
McGehee Producers Gin, McGehee
Bronze
Crittenden Gin Company, Marion
Most Improved
Farmers First West, Dell
Louisiana Awards
Diamond
Catavoy Cotton Gin, LLC, Jonesville
McNutt Gin Inc., Boyce
Tensas Co-op Gin, Inc., Newellton
Tri-Parish Gin, LLC, Lettsworth
Platinum
Rapides Grant Gin II, Boyce
Silver
Tanner & Co., Frogmore
Bronze
Associated Producers Co-op, Winnsboro
Planters Gin Company, St. Joseph
Most Improved
Hollybrook Enterprises LLC, Lake Providence
Mississippi Awards
Diamond
Bogue Chitto Gin, Macon
Silver Creek Gin Co., Holly Bluff
Platinum
Avon Gin Inc., Avon
Farmers Gin, Inc. of Hamilton, Hamilton
Greenwood Gin Inc., Greenwood
Hi Grade Gin Corp., Winona
Mattson Gin Inc., Lyon
Quito Gin Company, Itta Bena
Yalobusha County Gin Company, Inc., Coffeeville
Gold
Bobo Moseley Gin Company, Lyon
Four County Gin Inc., Calhoun City
Gaddis & McLaurin Gin, Bolton
North Delta Gin LLC, Marks
Tunica Gin Corp., Tunica
Silver
Como Consolidated Gin Co., Inc., Como
Grundfest & Klaus Gin, Cary
Midnight Gin Co. Inc., Midnight
Yazoo Planters Gin Co., Yazoo City
Bronze
Issaquena S. Washington Gin Inc.,
Glen Allan
Most Improved
Linwood Gin, Vaughan
Missouri Awards
Diamond
Bernie Farmers Gin, Malden
Blakemore Cotton & Grain LLC, Campbell
Farmers Union Gin & Warehouse Co. Inc., Senath
Portageville Farmers Gin, Portageville
Sandy Ridge Cotton Co. LLC, Malden
Vanduser Gin Co., Inc., Vanduser
Platinum
A.C. Riley Cotton Co., Inc., New Madrid
Caruthersville Gin, Caruthersville
Dalton Cotton Company, Senath
Graves Kennett Gin, Kennett
McCord Gin Company, Gideon
Stokes-Mayberry Gin Co., Inc., Malden
Gold
GT Cotton Company LLC, Cardwell
Silver
4-Way Gin, Senath
Bootheel Cotton Co., Matthews
Crowder Gin Co., Sikeston
Richardson Gin, Inc., Marston
Mahan Gin Co, Parma
Tennessee Awards
Diamond
Burlison Gin Company, Inc., Burlison
Espey Gin Co., McLemoresville
Longtown Gin, Mason
Platinum
Arp Cotton Gin Co. LLC, Ripley
Cairo Farmers Gin, LLC, Alamo
Halls Gin Company, Halls
Union Gin Co. Inc., Brownsville
Gold
Crockett Mills Gin, LLC, Crockett Mills
Hickory Valley Gin, Hickory Valley
Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville
Tennessee Gins & Warehouses, Covington
Silver
Bemis Gin LLC, Jackson
Crockett Gin Co. LLC, Maury City
Farmers Gin of Humboldt, Humboldt
L & H Gin, Alamo
Two Way Gin Co., Inc., Brownsville
Bronze
Oak Grove Gin LLC, Somerville
SCGA Most Improved
Nut Bush Gin Co. Inc., Brownsville
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