Windsor Locks, CT – The Bradley International Airport consolidated rental car facility project now under construction in Windsor Locks is the newest site of a safety training partnership between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) federal and Hartford Area offices; Austin Commercial, design-builder for the project; and KBE Building Corporation, general contractor for the project.
This is the sixth invitation-only safety training partnership that KBE has partnered on with OSHA since 2014. When completed, the 1.4 million sq. ft. consolidated rental car facility will house car rental services, add public parking, and incorporate public transit connections.
The project includes a four-story building and garage complex for six rental car agencies, along with 830 public parking spots, with half of those under cover. A second four-story garage will provide service areas for the rental agencies, including fuel, vacuuming, window washing, fluid replacement, car washes, and maintenance bays for routine car work.
As part of the partnership programs, KBE’s onsite safety manager will work with trade contractors to develop pre-task plans and to help them recognize and eliminate any safety issues. In addition, KBE’s safety department, Hartford Federal OSHA, Conn-OSHA, or an outside vendor provides safety awareness training on various topics each month for all trade contractors. Conn-OSHA is a huge resource in these partnerships as well performing all types of consultation services for subcontractors.
The focus is not only on creating a very safe jobsite, but on fostering a more knowledgeable construction workforce that is well-educated in safety protocols. The Austin Commercial/KBE Building Corporation project is slated to be complete in May 2022.
“It’s always great to work with our partners at Hartford Federal OSHA and Connecticut OSHA on these safety partnerships,” explained Adam Peters, KBE’s corporate safety director. “We have high expectations for its success and look forward to the significant impact it has on the jobsite.”
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The partnership between Austin Commercial, KBE, Hartford Federal OSHA, and Connecticut OSHA has been established to formalize a cooperative effort between these entities. The partnerships encourage companies to voluntarily improve their safety and health performance, provide methods to assist them in their efforts and recognize companies with exemplary safety and health programs.
“We’re extremely proud of all our OSHA safety partnerships,” said Mike Kolakowski, CEO of KBE. “The partnership at Bradley International Airport Consolidated Rental Car Facility is no different. These partnerships fit in well with our ‘relationships are everything’ corporate philosophy at KBE.”
OSHA has recognized KBE with six partnerships over the last six years. Each is part of OSHA’s nationwide strategic partnership program, which develops contractor/government partnerships that will encourage involvement of the general and subcontractors in the improvement of safety and health performance.
KBE’s previous safety partnerships include: the 105,000sf renovation and addition to the City of Waterbury, CT’s Consolidated Public Works Facility; the 291,150sf expansion and renovation of Seabury Active Life Community in Bloomfield; the 211,000sf Peter J. Werth Residence Tower for the University of Connecticut in Storrs; the new 183,000sf Litchfield County Judicial District Courthouse in Torrington; and the 372,000sf Jewish Senior Services senior living campus in Bridgeport.
