When I was asked to write this article, I hesitated. It’s a natural reaction, I suppose, to feel discomfort when facing introspection. But if there’s one truth my 25 years in construction have taught me, it’s this: Growth begins where comfort ends.
Safety isn’t just a word or a set of rules; it’s a question that demands personal reflection. As you read, I urge you to ask yourself: “What is safety to me?” By the end, I hope you’ll discover not just an answer but a call to action in your life and work.
The Early Days: A Different Era of Safety
I entered the construction industry at 19, filled with confidence and ambition. Back then, I aspired to follow in the footsteps of the journeyperson who mentored me and the foreperson who decided whether I’d make it through the week. But looking back, the approach to safety in those days was rudimentary, to say the least.
Safety gear was mostly an afterthought. I bought my own gloves, chose to wear hearing protection and only put on safety glasses if they were available and in good condition. Fall protection? It was a requirement, but training was virtually nonexistent. Operating heavy equipment often depended more on familiarity than formal certification, and accessing scaffolding involved climbing exterior ladders, no matter the height.
Fast forward to today, and the landscape has transformed. Gloves are standard-issue and mandatory. Hearing protection is universally required, safety glasses have evolved from a basic precaution into a versatile collection of protective options. Certification for equipment operation is no longer optional, and scaffolding access is moving toward safer stair towers. In the span of 25 years, we’ve seen remarkable progress in the tools and protocols that protect our people and jobsites.
The Growth of Safety as a Profession
This evolution extends beyond equipment and policies. The role of the “safety professional” has grown significantly over the years. In the past, the position was sometimes viewed as a secondary path for those transitioning away from fieldwork or project management. While this may have been a common perception—and one I shared early in my career—the reality today is very different.
Early in my career as a foreperson, I set my sights on becoming a superintendent. When the opportunity for promotion came, however, I was passed over in favor of a peer. At the time, I saw it as a setback, but in hindsight, it was a turning point—the best decision others made for my career. Soon after, an opportunity arose to step into a safety role. I knew it was time to ask myself a pivotal question: “Where can I have the biggest impact on the company?” Something clicked, and I said “yes.”
When I transitioned into the safety manager role, my mindset still reflected my days as a foreman. At that time, my approach to safety had often been about checking boxes—ensuring the minimum requirements were met rather than fully embracing the culture of safety. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about my team’s well-being—I did—but production and efficiency frequently took priority.
Unfortunately, this mentality was reflected in the company’s safety metrics—over the course of a decade, our average incident rate (IR) was 3.03, and our days away, restricted, or transferred (DART) rate was 2.41. Stepping into the safety role, I quickly realized that my approach needed to change. The learning curve was steep though, and my first six months saw five recordable incidents, ending the year with an IR of 2.42 and a DART rate of 5.25.
A Shift in Perspective
Through that challenging first year, I realized the importance of focusing on goals rather than results. But what were my goals? Were they about me or the company? That’s where I needed to start.
A pivotal moment came during FMI Leadership Training, a five-day intensive experience designed to develop leadership through self-awareness and reflection. It was the most difficult and fulfilling experience of my career.
Leadership, to me, is about inspiring others to believe in themselves and their role within the team. The training I underwent was a turning point—it showed me that leadership is not about personal achievement but about serving others and fostering a shared vision.
I realized I had to humble myself, become more relatable to the team, and focus on building authentic relationships. By showing that I genuinely cared about them—and their families—I could create a foundation of trust and respect. This shift allowed for a dynamic where I could teach and guide while also learning from the team, adapting my approach to better meet their needs.
Building a Safety Culture Through Relationships
With this new perspective, I set out to lead a department of one and inspire over 300 operational employees to buy into a shared commitment to safety, and ultimately, themselves. The results speak volumes. Over the past two years, our IR dropped to 0.36 and 0.35, and our DART rate fell to 0.00 and 0.35, respectively. As of this writing, our experience modification rate (EMR) is 0.65, the lowest it’s been in a decade.
People often ask how we’ve transformed our safety culture. My answer is simple: We care about our people by checking in with them. We listen to their challenges and work together to solve them. At the core of this approach is the belief that relationships—both professional and personal—hold the most value in our lives.
Your Turn
So, I’ll leave you with this: “What is safety to you?” Take a moment to reflect on this question. For me, safety is about more than rules and equipment. It’s about relationships, leadership, and fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute to a safer workplace.
What will it mean for you?
