Building Confidence Through Safety: Schaefer General Contracting Receives the Governor’s Safety Award in Kentucky
Schaefer General Contracting (Schaefer) is proud to celebrate another company milestone as our Louisville, Kentucky team is recognized with the Governor’s Safety Award of Kentucky, honoring the company’s commitment to safety excellence. Marking Schaefer’s first year of eligibility, this award recognizes organizations that demonstrate outstanding workplace safety performance and maintain an exceptional record of accident-free work hours.
Formally accepted by Schaefer’s Safety Director, Bart Adkins, this recognition displays Schaefer’s commitment to achieving safety excellence through a world-class safety program and company culture where every employee, and visitor goes home safely at the end of everyday.
For Schaefer, this recognition belongs to every member of our team who chooses to put safety first, every single day.
Building Confidence Starts with Safety
At Schaefer, safety is about protecting the people who build our communities. It’s a commitment to our people, our trade partners, our clients, and every person who steps onto our jobsites. Going far beyond compliance, this award represents nearly 300,000 logged man-hours worked without a lost time incident from May 1, 2021 through December 31, 2026 for Schaefer.
More than a single achievement, the award reflects the values that guide every Schaefer project. Policies and procedures provide the framework, but it’s the people who bring them to life. Every conversation, safety meeting, site walk, and decision is driven by one shared goal: making sure every person returns home safely at the end of the day.
“Our goal is simple,” says Safety Director Bart Adkins. “At the end of the day, we want every person who steps onto one of our jobsites to return home safely to their family.”
That philosophy shapes every decision we make—from preconstruction planning and superintendent leadership to daily communication in the field. It’s how we build safer jobsites, stronger teams, and ultimately, Build Confidence.
A Recognition Shared by the Entire Team
To commemorate this milestone, Schaefer temporarily paused work across its Louisville jobsites, bringing together more than 30 field, operations, and leadership team members for a company-wide lunch, safety meeting, and award presentation. Joined by representatives from Kentucky OSHA and the Governor’s Office, the celebration also marked the unveiling of Schaefer’s new Louisville training facility—an investment in the continued education, health, and safety of both our team and our trade partners.
For Schaefer, receiving the Governor’s Safety Award is an honor, but it’s not the destination.
It’s a reflection of the commitment demonstrated every day by the people who plan projects, lead safety meetings, identify risks, mentor teammates, and hold one another accountable.
It represents countless conversations, proactive decisions, and moments where doing the right thing mattered more than doing the easy thing.
“This recognition truly belongs to our entire team,” says President Eric Schaefer. “It reflects the commitment each of you makes every day to creating a safe work environment—not only for our employees, but also for our trade partners, clients, and everyone who steps onto our jobsites. Safety is a core part of who we are, and this award is a testament to the culture we’ve built together.”
Celebrating Safety Excellence Across Kentucky
Earlier this August, Schaefer’s team joined Safety Director Bart Adkins at the Kentucky Governor’s Safety and Health Luncheon on August 6th, where the Governor’s Safety Award was formally accepted and celebrated alongside organizations from across the Commonwealth committed to advancing workplace safety.
For our team, the luncheon provided another opportunity to recognize the people behind this achievement and celebrate a milestone made possible by nearly 300,000 hours of working safely together. While Bart has helped lead Schaefer’s continued commitment to safety, this recognition represents the shared accountability of every employee who makes safety a priority each day.
Receiving the award is a proud milestone for Schaefer, but the work continues. We remain committed to investing in our people, strengthening our safety program, and creating jobsites where everyone looks out for one another and goes home safely.
For more than 70 years, Schaefer General Contracting has built its reputation on quality craftsmanship, trusted partnerships, and a commitment to Building Confidence. Today, that commitment continues across the Midwest, Southeast, and East Coast, where safety remains the foundation of every project we deliver.
Because at the end of the day, the greatest measure of success isn’t simply what we build—it’s ensuring everyone who helped build it returns home safely.
