Mainline Operator Steve Scott Shares Safety Honor

Pipelayer Jose Martinez (left) congratulates Maryland’s 2024 Year-End Safety Excellence Achievement Award recipient Steve Scott (right) for ensuring jobsite safety.

There are times when speed is important – sports races, emergency situations, Black Friday shopping. But speed is overshadowed by safety and quality on a Gaines jobsite. Mainline Operator Steve Scott is once again recognized for his safe work performance with the Year-End 2024 Safety Excellence Achievement Award.

STEVE SCOTT – Mainline Operator

2024 Year-End Safety Excellence Achievement Awardee – Maryland

Steve – who has been with Gaines and Company for 14 years – was recognized in the third quarter of 2024 with the Safety Excellence Achievement Award for thoroughly following safety procedures and not cutting corners.

“Steve is a fantastic operator,” said Safety Director Dominic Pope. “You know the saying, ‘Slow and steady wins the race’? That’s Steve. He carefully makes sure the jobsite is safe before starting up any equipment.”

Foreman Pat Dixon added, “He makes sure boxes are installed correctly and slopes are adequate. He won’t continue if something doesn’t look right.”

Dominic, along with a team of other managers, reviews the year’s quarterly safety award winners to identify one year-end winner at both Gaines’s Maryland and North Carolina locations. They look for employees who exceeded safe work expectations and enhanced the company’s safety culture.

“All the winners did such a great job with safety this year that we couldn’t pick just one winner in Maryland,” Dominic said.

So they didn’t. Both Steve and Pipelayer Jose Villalta were recognized with the year-end honor. Both recipients received an award certificate and safety bucks to use for company apparel and gear.

What’s next for Gaines and Company’s safety culture in 2025?

“Safety and production are intertwined. They rely on each other for success,” said Dominic. “As we move into 2025, my goal for our organization is to continue safety mentorship and leadership throughout all levels of our organization. We did well with this last year, and I believe we can push it even further this year.”

Gaines and Company is a full-service grading and excavation company with offices in Maryland and North Carolina. The organization has 70 years of experience in underground utilities, grading and excavating, sediment and erosion controls, and road work. Gaines and Company delivers safe, reliable, turnkey site development services in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and Delaware on time and within budget.