During the construction of the bridge over Taxiway R, Hensel Phelps had a very tight schedule for completing the concrete deck prior to re-opening the taxiway while construction took place overhead, says Alex Bertolini, Hensel Phelps project manager. Corbins Electric had to install 18 conduits inside the bridge structure, which would normally require weeks and interfere with placing the concrete deck. The team saved time by prefabricating the racks with sections of conduits pre-affixed and using a crane to lower these assemblies on top of the bridge's concrete web walls.

“Despite the fact that strict airport regulations required certain work to be performed at night, Corbins was able to shorten the duration to a fraction of the original schedule and at no additional cost,” Bertolini says. “This kind of innovative 'out-of-the-box' approach to issues and the collaborative spirit with which the job was approached are a testament to why Corbins Electric is an award-winning specialty contractor.”

Another factor is a focus on safety. “A strong safety culture that stresses zero-incidence has been our long-term commitment, from my office through to the field,” Fleming says. “Much of this, I believe, has been because of our focus on education rather than enforcement.”

Safety has been a particularly important component of the company's work at the Nuclear Enrichment Facility. Operated by Eunice, N.M.-based URENCO USA, the plant supplies 25% of the worldwide demand for enriched uranium. It began operating in 2010.

Corbins Electric's $15.3-million scope of work includes raceway distribution, power distribution—such as transformers, switches and substations—and cable installation on a 214,000-sq-ft, three-story concrete building on site. Work began in December 2010 and is set for delivery in October 2012. Project manager Mark Allen and his 40-plus Corbins Electric team are under stringent scrutiny by URENCO and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“Many contractors are unprepared for the extra steps and regulations associated with performing work on a nuclear site,” says David Blickenderfer, project manager at Baker Concrete Construction. “Commercial construction methods do not apply here. New subs getting used to those changes can result in lower productions and longer durations to perform scopes—but Corbins has met those challenges well.”