FLINT - Construction of the new GM Flint Engine South Plant has a remarkable safety record of no lost time over 490,000 hours worked and only two recorded minor injuries through December 1999.

A collaborative working relationship between unions and general contractor Walbridge-Aldinger has been a big help in achieving the safety record.

"The Michigan State Building and Construction Trades Council is delighted to be a partner on a large-scale project like the Flint Engine South Plant that has achieved such an outstanding safety record," said Pete Reili, field investigator for the MBTC.

Dennis Lynch, president of the Flint Area Building Trades, said, "This safety record reflects the investment that the Flint Area Building Trades and other council affiliates have made in ensuring top-quality training and safety instruction for our union members."

Walbridge-Aldinger Safety Coordinator Larry Strayhorn said, "our firm is proud to be playing a key role in the construction of the Flint Engine South Plant. A project of this magnitude, with over 490,000 hours worked with no lost time, is an impressive safety record. It is a testament to the emphasis we place on safety and the quality of work performed by construction trades men and women."

The $500 million GM Flint Engine South Plant is scheduled to start producing a new family of six cylinder engines early next year. The plant covers about 720,000 square feet of manufacturing space and will employ 700 workers at full capacity.