AECOM Cares for Families After the Oso Landslide Tragedy
AECOM collaborated to coordinate the removal of landslide debris after a hill collapsed in Washington, killing 43 people.
On March 22, 2014, 43 people were killed and 49 homes were destroyed in Oso, Washington, United States, when a portion of an unstable hill collapsed — engulfing a rural neighborhood and sending mud and debris across the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River.
AECOM’s building + places, environment, global support services and water teams collaborated to coordinate the removal of more than 200,000 tons (181,437 metric tons) of landslide debris across 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers). With safety at the forefront, the team worked more than 16,000 hours in often-adverse weather conditions and in close proximity to more than 30 pieces of heavy construction equipment — achieving zero recordable injuries.
This safety milestone follows comprehensive initial project planning; initial and ongoing training; strong field safety leadership; and attitudes focused on continual improvement, active engagement and caring. As part of this strong safety culture, employees were encouraged to identify, address and correct hazards, risks and at-risk conditions or behaviors with urgency.
“I am so grateful for the teamwork, skills, professionalism, demonstrated safety culture and collaborative approach that we experienced with everyone,” said Danny Wickstrom, Snohomish County’s sheriff deputy in charge of search and rescue, who worked closely with AECOM throughout the project. “The leaders, operators, spotters, and safety and support personnel are all second to none — simply outstanding! Thank you for helping to give back to a family and a community that has suffered so much.”
About AECOM
AECOM is a premier, fully integrated professional and technical services firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients. With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in over 150 countries around the world, AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings. The company is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering customized and creative solutions that meet the needs of clients’ projects. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM companies, including URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group, had revenue of approximately $19 billion during the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2014. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.
Media:
AECOM
Ed Mayer, +1.732.564.3380
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Ed.Mayer@aecom.com
