In this blog series, we examine how leadership style affects safety in construction. Construction is one of the most hazardous industries in the world — responsible for approximately 1 in 5 workplace fatalities in the U.S. according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. A robust safety management program requires more than written policies and compliant equipment; it demands committed, visible safety leadership at every level of the organization. We spoke with industry professionals Steve Mellard, National Safety Director at Anning Johnson, and Desire’e Ropel, Safety Manager at Hermanson, to get an insider perspective on what effective safety leadership looks like in practice.
Previously, we discussed the elements that a construction safety program needs to be effective, and safety leadership consistently emerged as one of the top determinants of whether a safety effort succeeds or stalls.
Ensuring safety in the construction industry is vital for both workers and the public. But implementing a high-performance safety program involves many interdependent moving parts and requires sustained commitment from the entire organization — not just the safety department. This is why safety leadership is arguably the single most important component of any construction safety management system. ISO 45001:2018 reflects this reality in Clause 5.1, which places explicit responsibility on top management to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the occupational health and safety management system through visible, active involvement.
Construction Safety & The Importance of Fostering a Safety Climate
Safety on a construction job site is not the exclusive responsibility of the safety manager. One of the most powerful contributions leadership can make is driving widespread cultural change around safety — creating an environment where every worker, supervisor, and executive views safety as a personal value rather than a compliance obligation. Steve Mellard, National Safety Director at Anning Johnson, points to the danger of the “safety cop” mentality. When employees perceive the safety manager as an enforcement officer rather than a resource and partner, genuine buy-in becomes nearly impossible. Mellard recommends moving away from authoritarian-style safety leadership and instead adopting a leadership approach built on communicating with employees in their own language and drawing on shared field experience. This approach is consistent with research showing that transformational and participatory leadership styles correlate with lower incident rates and stronger safety climates in construction organizations.
These principles also have direct implications for hiring decisions. Mellard recommends selecting safety managers not only on the basis of formal credentials but on their hands-on construction experience and their demonstrated ability to connect with workers and understand the real demands of the job. A safety leader who has worked in the field earns credibility that no certification alone can provide.
Desire’e Ropel, Safety Manager at Hermanson, reinforces the importance of leadership being seen as an approachable safety resource. Effective safety leaders must be level-headed, composed under pressure, and genuinely accessible — qualities that make workers comfortable raising concerns, reporting near misses, and asking questions before proceeding with uncertain tasks. When employees trust their leaders, the entire safety management system functions more effectively.
30+ Audit and inspection checklists free for download.
Construction Safety & the Foundations for Safety Leadership
What specific behaviors define effective safety leadership in construction? The CPWR — Center for Construction Research & Training — has identified 5 core Skills and Actions for an Effective Safety Leader, each of which is directly observable and trainable:
- Leads by Example: An effective safety leader “walks the talk” — consistently following every safety procedure, wearing required PPE, and stopping work when safety standards are not met. They establish safety expectations as a core organizational value through their own daily behavior, not just through policy statements. Workers notice what leaders do, not just what they say.
- Engages and Empowers Team Members: Team members should be actively encouraged and empowered to report hazards, unsafe conditions, and near misses without fear of reprisal. Good safety leaders are proactive — they surface near-miss data, provide concrete solutions, and are willing to halt work when safety standards cannot be maintained. This aligns with OSHA’s anti-retaliation provisions under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
- Actively Listens and Practices 3-Way Communication: Effective leaders listen deeply to understand what workers are actually communicating — not just waiting to respond. They use 3-way communication (having the recipient repeat back the message received) to verify understanding, reduce miscommunication, and prevent instruction-related incidents, particularly in high-risk tasks like LOTO procedures, hot work, and confined space entry.
- Develops Team Members Through Teaching, Coaching, and Feedback: Safety leaders invest in the ongoing development of their teams through respectful, consistent coaching — demonstrating proper safe behaviors, observing workers performing tasks, and providing constructive feedback focused on actions and consequences rather than personal criticism. This coaching mindset builds competence and confidence across the workforce.
- Recognizes Team Members For A Job Well Done: Whether through public acknowledgment, a direct conversation, or formal incentive programs, recognizing safe behavior reinforces the right habits. Positive recognition is one of the most cost-effective tools in a safety leader’s toolkit — and a cornerstone of both Behavior Based Safety programs and high-performing safety cultures.
Looking to strengthen your team’s safety leadership capabilities? The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) offers free Foundations for Safety Leadership materials to help organizations train more effective safety management leaders at every level.
In the next blog in our series on construction safety, we’ll cover how to improve employee buy-in and participation in your safety management program.
Stay tuned!
Other blogs in this series:
4 Considerations When Improving Safety In The Construction Industry
What Must A Construction Safety Program Include To Be Effective?
Boosting Employee Buy-In To Your Safety Culture and Construction Safety Program
7 Significant Safety Issues Facing The Construction Industry
#1 Safety Issue In Construction As Told By Top Safety Management Industry Leaders
How Has Technology Changed Construction Safety?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does leadership style directly affect construction safety performance?
Research in occupational safety consistently shows that transformational and participatory leadership styles — characterized by visible commitment, worker empowerment, and open communication — correlate with lower Total Recordable Incident Rates (TRIR) and stronger safety climates than authoritarian or hands-off styles. When leaders model safe behavior and treat safety as a genuine value rather than a compliance requirement, employees are significantly more likely to follow suit, report near misses, and actively contribute to hazard identification.
What does ISO 45001 require from top management regarding safety leadership?
ISO 45001:2018 Clause 5.1 specifies that top management must demonstrate leadership and commitment to the OH&S management system by taking overall responsibility for preventing work-related injuries and ill health, ensuring resources are available, communicating the importance of effective safety management, and directing and supporting workers to contribute to the effectiveness of the system. Passive or delegated safety leadership does not satisfy this requirement — ISO 45001 expects visible, active, and documented involvement from senior management.
How can construction organizations use inspection data to reinforce safety leadership?
Safety inspection data is one of the most powerful tools a safety leader has for driving informed decisions and demonstrating organizational commitment. When leaders regularly review inspection findings, act visibly on corrective actions, and share safety performance trends with their teams, it signals that safety data is taken seriously — not collected and forgotten. Platforms like Certainty Software provide real-time inspection dashboards and corrective action tracking that give safety leaders at every level the visibility needed to lead proactively rather than reactively.
