HGC celebrating Safety Month 2025
December 15, 2025

Safety Month 2025: Celebrating a Culture of Care at HGC

At Hoopaugh Grading Company (HGC), safety is more than a policy—it is the backbone of how we operate. With over 40 projects active at a time, our commitment to safety requires intentional focus, continuous education, and total team buy-in. National Safety Month gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate that commitment and deepen it even further.

In June 2025, we celebrated Safety Month through a series of meaningful events that brought our teammates together, recognized exceptional safety leadership, and highlighted the incredible work of our team.

Celebrating Safety Month in Construction with a cookout
the HGC team enjoying safety month 2025

Serving with a Purpose

This year, we hosted Safety Month Cookouts across our job sites to thank our teammates for their daily commitment to staying safe. These weren’t just a chance to grab a plate of food—they were also a time to reinforce safety protocols, spark conversations, and show appreciation.

Each teammate walked away with: An HGC reusable water bottle, a “Committed to Safety” sticker, and health and wellness resources.

The events also included leadership messages, safety refreshers, and on-site engagement like guessing games and a little HGC trivia with the bonus of gift cards for the winners.

HGC's Community Impact

Real Talk: Safety Messages this Month

Our safety team led focused conversations around:

  • Communication

  • Buffer Zones

  • Heat Stress

  • Hydration

 

With summer heat in full swing, hydration remained a top priority—as did reinforcing each teammate’s right to be Empowered. Meaning, they can Stop Work and Say Something when they see something unsafe.

 

Safety Champions at HGC

Recognizing the Safety Champs

We continued our tradition of recognizing individuals who lead by example and uphold our safety standards with excellence. This year’s Safety Champs went above and beyond in keeping their teams safe, efficient, and incident-free. Their leadership is what makes our job sites better for everyone.

women in construction celebrating at safety month cookout
a oompany standing behind a booth at a job site

Partners We Trust

HGC is extremely grateful to have the medical partners that we do. Thank you to Cigna Health Coach Nurse Kelly and Kendall from Tryon Medical Partners for coming to our cookouts to help spread the word about benefits and offer valuable insights and health services on the spot.

Preferred Construction Supply was also out in the field this year, making it an even better time!  Not only do they provide great service and quality products, but they took the initiative to come out and celebrate with us—bringing great energy, fun raffles, and games that our team truly enjoyed. Thank you for your continued partnership and for spending time with our teammates! We appreciate your generosity.

Meet the Safety Team

Behind every training, orientation, and safe jobsite at HGC is our experienced and passionate safety team. Their role goes far beyond compliance—they’re here to train, develop, mentor, and support every teammate on their safety journey.

Mason Kirkley, CHST - Director of Safety

Mason

A certified Construction Health and Safety Technician, Mason leads the vision and strategy behind our evolving safety programs. With years of industry experience and a heart for mentorship, Mason continues to innovate how we approach education, accountability, trust, and safety on the jobsite.

• Rusty Duncan – Senior Safety Superintendent

Known for his hands-on approach and deep field knowledge, Rusty plays a vital role in cultivating jobsite culture. Believing that the most effective safety practices are those that teammates take ownership of—and he works daily to empower them to do just that and more.

Rusty

• Chris Williams – Safety Superintendent:

Chris

Chris brings practical safety into the field, providing real-time guidance and proactive risk assessments. His approachable leadership style helps bridge the gap between training and day-to-day implementation.

• Brayan Lopez – Safety Trainer

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Brayan supports bilingual safety training and education across our projects. He’s passionate about equipping teammates with the tools they need to work safely and confidently from day one.

Brayan Lopez

• Cory Carver – Safety Trainer

Cory Carver

Cory brings sharp insight, practical field knowledge, and energy to our safety initiatives. Whether in a classroom or on a jobsite, his mission is to connect with teammates and build confidence through education and experience.

• Jackson Osborn – Safety Trainer

Focused on field development, Jackson works closely with new hires and crews to help make classroom learning into job-ready habits. With a background of working in the field, he is a resource teammates trust and turn to for guidance.

Jackson

• Yanny – Safety Trainer

UT 10 (2)

Yanny has been part of HGC for over a year and a half and recently joined the safety team. He quickly became skilled in leading bilingual trainings and supporting a variety of safety initiatives both in the field and behind the scenes. His hands-on approach and willingness to jump in wherever needed make him a strong resource for keeping safety a priority across the team.

• Anthony Medrano – Safety Trainer

Anthony is also fluent in both English and Spanish and helps support our safety efforts by communicating it to our teammates in a simple way they can easily understand. He specializes in helping people understand the “why” behind every rule. His detail-oriented approach ensures that lessons stick—and that safety stays top of mind in every task.

Anthony

What’s Next?

As we reflect on another successful Safety Month, one thing is clear: safety doesn’t stop when June ends. It lives in every decision, every crew, and every teammate who chooses to speak up, stay alert, and take care of one another.

We’re proud of how far we’ve come—and even more excited about where we’re headed.

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