In this blog series, we ask industry experts what a construction safety program must include to be effective. Construction is one of the most danger-prone industries in existence — responsible for approximately 1 in 5 workplace fatalities in the United States. How can construction companies build a safety program that actually works and achieve company-wide buy-in? We’ve spoken with industry professionals Steve Mellard, National Safety Director at Anning Johnson, and Desire’e Ropel, Safety Manager at Hermanson to get an insider look into how to manage safety in the construction industry.
An effective construction safety program is a structured, site-specific framework that addresses hazard identification, regulatory compliance, employee training, and leadership accountability — reducing incident rates and protecting workers from the industry’s most severe risks. The construction industry consistently records more workplace fatalities than any other sector. This makes implementing a robust health and safety program a non-negotiable business imperative — not just a regulatory obligation. Beyond the human cost, the financial exposure is significant: according to OSHA, US employers pay nearly $1 billion per week in direct workers’ compensation costs alone, covering workers’ compensation payments, medical expenses, and legal services. Non-compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 (Construction Standards) can also trigger substantial penalties, making proactive safety management a direct driver of financial performance.
Successfully adopting a health and safety program aligned with OSHA standards and ISO 45001 principles can significantly reduce those costs. For example, a study of small and medium enterprises in Ohio showed that after a structured health and safety program was implemented to align with OSHA requirements, the following outcomes were achieved:
- Claims decreased by 52%
- Cost per claim decreased by 80%
- Average time lost per claim decreased by 87%
- Claims per million dollars of payroll decreased by 88%
But having a safety program in place isn’t enough. What must a construction safety program actually include to be truly effective? According to experienced safety professionals, three pillars stand out: customization, employee buy-in, and strong leadership.
A Safety Program Needs To Be Tailored to Your Company
A safety program that simply references base OSHA standards will not be sufficient to address the full range of hazards found on a modern construction site. The construction industry spans an enormous variety of activities — from structural steel work and excavation to electrical systems and hazardous material handling — and a single generic policy cannot meet the needs of every organization. National Safety Director at Anning Johnson, Steve Mellard, stresses that construction companies must develop safety programs specifically tailored to the type of work they perform, the sites they operate on, and the regulatory landscape they face. Under ISO 45001:2018, organizations are explicitly required to understand their context and the needs of workers and other stakeholders when designing an occupational health and safety management system. Customization is not a luxury — it is a core requirement of a program that actually works. This means conducting thorough job hazard analyses (JHA), site-specific risk assessments, and regularly reviewing the program against current OSHA standards, NFPA codes, and any applicable industry-specific requirements.
A Construction Safety Program Needs Employee Buy-In
An all-encompassing safety program only delivers results if it is followed and enforced at every level. Desire’e Ropel, Safety Manager at Hermanson, identifies buy-in from all employees as one of the most critical factors in a program’s success. From senior leadership to front-line workers, every person on the job site must understand, value, and commit to the program. Achieving this is not straightforward — especially when integrating workers from different companies, backgrounds, and safety cultures. Research consistently shows that organizations with strong safety cultures, where workers feel empowered to report hazards and near misses without fear of reprisal, record significantly lower Total Recordable Incident Rates (TRIR). Effective buy-in strategies include clearly communicating the vision and the “why” behind safety requirements, addressing resistance early through open dialogue, and reinforcing safe behaviors with recognition and incentives. Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) principles can also play a powerful role in embedding safe behaviors across the workforce — a topic we cover in depth in our BBS blog series. When employees are active participants in safety rather than passive recipients of rules, compliance rates climb and incident rates fall.
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A Safety Program Needs Strong Leadership
Employee buy-in is directly reinforced — or undermined — by leadership behavior. For a construction safety program to deliver consistent results, leadership must be fully committed, visibly involved, and prepared to enforce the program without exception. Leaders who walk the job site, participate in safety inspections, and hold themselves to the same standards they expect of their teams send a clear message: safety is not negotiable. Conversely, leaders who bypass safety protocols under time or budget pressure create the conditions for incidents. ISO 45001 places explicit accountability on top management for occupational health and safety outcomes, requiring leadership to demonstrate commitment through active participation, resource allocation, and ongoing communication. Building a safety-oriented culture starts at the top, and it is reinforced every day through leadership’s actions in the field. Digital inspection and audit tools — like Certainty Software — give leadership real-time visibility into inspection completion rates, corrective action status, and compliance trends across all sites, making it easier to lead proactively rather than reactively.
While implementing a successful safety program involves far more than an employee handbook, it is the responsibility — and the competitive advantage — of every construction company to invest in these foundations. Beyond reducing costs, a robust safety program delivers measurable additional benefits, including:
- Improvements in quality and production efficiency through standardized work practices
- Increased employee morale and psychological safety, reducing turnover
- Stronger employee recruiting and retention, especially as skilled labor shortages persist in construction
- A more favorable reputation among clients, subcontractors, insurers, and the broader community
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What must a construction safety program include to be effective?
An effective construction safety program must include site-specific hazard identification and risk assessment, documented safety policies and procedures aligned with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 and ISO 45001, regular employee training and toolbox talks, a mechanism for reporting near misses and incidents, clear corrective action processes, and strong leadership accountability at every level.
How does OSHA require construction companies to manage safety programs?
OSHA’s Construction Standards (29 CFR 1926) require employers to establish and maintain a safe working environment, provide appropriate PPE, conduct regular safety training, and maintain records of workplace injuries and illnesses. OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs also advise construction employers to implement a management system approach that covers hazard identification, prevention, worker participation, and program evaluation.
How can technology improve construction safety program management?
Digital safety management platforms like Certainty Software enable construction companies to conduct site inspections on mobile devices, track corrective actions in real time, generate compliance reports, and aggregate safety data across all projects — giving EHS managers and safety directors the visibility they need to identify trends, close gaps, and demonstrate regulatory audit readiness.
Other blogs in this series:
4 Considerations When Improving Safety In The Construction Industry
How Leadership Style Affects Safety Performance in Construction
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
