Jim E. Lapping of Springfield, Ill., who was the safety engineer for the Washington Monument Restoration, received the Construction Division Safety Professional of the Year (SPY) Award from the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).
ASSE said this award recognizes Lapping''s determination and hard work in advancing safety in the construction profession.
While Lapping worked as safety engineer and consultant for the Washington Monument project for the Grunley-Walsh Joint Venture, there were no accidents or injuries.
The monument -- an obelisk that stands 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches tall -- attracts 1.2 million visitors annually and is set to reopen Monday after being closed for a year-and-a-half.
The award acknowledges members who have demonstrated superior work and dedication to the advancement of the safety profession. Chosen members are nominated by either their peer, region or chapter members.
The Washington Monument Restoration included constructing scaffolding for the entire monument, sealing 500 feet of exterior stone cracks, cleaning 59,000 square feet of interior wall surface, sealing eight observation windows and eight aircraft warning lights, repairing 1,000 square feet of chipped and patched stone, and preserving and restoring 193 interior commemorative stones.
The operating systems of the 1950s elevator and the 1970s heating and air conditioning were also replaced.
Lapping is one of six out of 32,000 ASSE members from around the United States that received the Division SPY Award this year at the association''s annual meeting in Florida.
Division awards are available for construction, health care, management, environmental, international and mining.
Lapping is the manager of EEI Safety Services and vice president of environment, safety and health of the EEI Holding Corp.
He served as the national director of safety and health for the Building and Construction Trade Departments, AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C., and also served for four years as special assistant to OSHA Administrators Joe Dear and Charles Jeffress for construction and engineering.
Lapping received his bachelor''s and master''s degrees from the University of Oregon at Eugene and is a Professional Engineer (PE) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
by Virginia Sutcliffe
