Lander duo receives district safety leadership awards

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

Karissa Kister, a technician on the Lander engineering crew, and Lander maintenance foreman Clint Brower received the annual awards for their outstanding dedication to workplace safety.

Two more awards will be given to traffic and mechanics workers next week in Basin.

Kister is currently working a temporary engineering assignment near Jackson on the Big Fill Slide on Teton Pass. Riverton engineers Doug Etsinger and Baylor Beers visited the landslide last fall, and Kister shared her passion about doing work the safe way during an on-site safety briefing.

"When we arrived, we received a thorough safety briefing from Kister, including that we were to walk behind the rope, that we were to yell "rock, rock, rock" if any rocks fell," said Etsinger. "She showed us where the equipment was and how it was moving. The work zone was very busy, tight and congested. I appreciated her concern for our safety even though she didn't really know us.

"Kister sets superior safety standards for her fellow employees," Etsinger said.

Brower, recently promoted to Lander maintenance foreman, led crew efforts in the field as heavy equipment operator prior to his promotion.

"Brower has consistently shown a strong dedication to the safety of his crew and other departmental organizations," said WYDOT area maintenance supervisor Mike Hitshew of Lander. "An example of his dedication is when Brower ensured proper traffic control was in place to redirect traffic during operations for the geology drill crew and a Wyoming Highway Patrol investigation."

Hitshew added Brower is consistent with the safe work approach of his Lander work crew.

"Brower consistently enforces proper procedures within his crew and takes extra measures to maintain a clean and organized shop and work area, and he leads his crew with daily toolbox talks, which foster a safer environment for everyone," Hitshew said.

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