LAPLACE — In an industrial field that stresses the importance of safety, LaPlace-based Regal Industrial Group stands out as one of the best.  The local contractor that specializes in performing civil and building maintenance at industrial facilities recently received a first place Excellence in Safety award in the General Construction and Maintenance division for the second year in a row.

The recognition, handed out by The Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance, highlighted Regal Industrial Group for working more than 1,350 days and 300,000 man-hours without a recordable or lost-time accident.

Regal Safety and Human Resources Manager Shawn Cook said Regal’s staff at Marathon’s Garyville refinery includes 28 permanent employees with temporary craft added throughout the year for special projects and turnarounds.

Marathon Petroleum nominated Regal Industrial Group for its recent honor.

Regal Industrial Group has had zero recordables or lost time incidents since June 29, 2011— the first day the company began operations at Marathon Garyville, Cook said.

Company officials make it clear to all team members that safety is the No. 1 priority, taking precedence over all else with a motto of “never proceed in the face of uncertainty.”

“We’ve worked diligently to create a culture in which our employees are encouraged to ask questions if they do not understand how a task is to be performed or if they feel it is unsafe,” Cook said. “Employees are rewarded for reporting near misses and unsafe acts in order to prevent those situations from escalating into future incidents that could possibly result in harm to someone.”

Owners Marc Bourgeois and Michael St. Martin founded Regal Industrial Group in 2011 as a compliment to Regal Construction. Based in LaPlace, the two companies have a combined staff of approximately 42 permanent employees that serve clients including Entergy, Nucor Steel, Marathon Petroleum and Louisiana Federal Credit Union.

Bourgeois said their diverse workforce consists of men and women ranging from 18 to 67.

“At work, they are heavy-equipment operators, carpenters, laborers, safety managers and foremen,” Bourgeois said. “At home, they are preachers, musicians and moms and dads, which is why nothing is more important than having them return home safely every evening.”