Basin duo receives district safety leadership awards

Two Wyoming Department of Transportation workers in Basin received district safety leadership awards Wednesday.

Steve Otto, district traffic supervisor in Basin, and Basin mechanic Jesse Preator received the annual awards for their outstanding dedication to workplace safety.

WYDOT employees Karissa Kister and Clint Brower, both of Lander, received safety awards in engineering and maintenance, respectively, last week in Lander.

Otto believes in WYDOT safety culture, said WYDOT striping crew member Keith Carothers of Basin.

Carothers nominated both Basin winners.

"Otto pushes the (traffic) crews to do their safety meetings, makes sure everyone is complying with OSHA regulations, and he advocates for safety equipment when he identifies a safety hazard," Carothers said.

Preator "is a reflection of WYDOT's safety culture," said Carothers. "Any and every time I go over to the mechanics shop (in Basin) to have something fixed, Preator always makes it a point to do the toolbox talks before we begin the work.

"Preator is skilled at identifying hazards associated with the job, he makes sure all parties involved are aware and encourages everyone to stay clear of hazards," Carothers said. "Preator is an example of how we should all work, as he helps create a safe work environment for his shop."

More information about this news release is available from WYDOT public relations specialist Cody Beers at (307) 431-1803.