Beyond Hard Hats: How We Build a Culture of Safety Every Day

We don’t see safety as just a checklist. It’s a company core value that shapes how we operate, lead, and care for our people. 

During Construction Safety Month this May, we’re especially proud to spotlight the individuals who bring our projects to life: our field teams.

Many leaders have shaped our commitment to safety over the years — none more influential than the late Scott Beron, who served as our safety director for 27 years. Scott’s unwavering dedication to protecting our people left a lasting impact on our culture, and his legacy continues to guide how we build today.

In recognition of our efforts, we were named the winner of Procore’s 2024 Groundbreaker Award in the Excellence in Health & Safety category. This award acknowledges our commitment to safety in the construction industry, and most importantly, our dedication to protecting our people, our greatest asset.

For the fourth consecutive year, we’ve also achieved zero lost-time injuries, with over 15.5 million hours worked and an experience modification rate (EMR) of 0.45—well below the industry average, setting a new benchmark for our team.

To ensure our commitment to safety is more than just a value, we’ve established clear standards and practices that guide our teams every day on the job.

Setting the Standard for Construction Safety

Before a single tool is picked up, our teams are equipped with the training, expectations and resources they need to stay safe. Here’s how we put that into action on job sites every day:

• PPE Requirements: Hard hats, high-visibility vests, safety glasses and more are mandatory on all sites — even beyond legal requirements. It’s about setting a higher standard.
• Overdose Response Training:  To combat the opioid epidemic, we’ve equipped 100+ project sites and offices with naloxone and provided annual overdose response training for nearly 2,000 employees.
• Dedicated Oversight: Every job site is led by a senior superintendent who owns the safety plan. On larger projects, we also bring in third-party experts to add an extra layer of accountability.
• Project-Specific Orientations: Every crew member completes a safety orientation tailored to their site's risks and protocols.
• Exceeding OSHA Standards: While California OSHA requires fall protection at 15 feet, we enforce a 6-foot tie-off rule (4 feet in the state of Washington) across all sites. 
• Subcontractor Safety Vetting: We only partner with subcontractors who meet our rigorous safety standards.
• Daily Safety Meetings and Stretching: Each day begins with a crew huddle focused on that day’s tasks, risks and physical readiness.

We also go beyond the site. From daily safety questions shared company-wide to participation in events like OSHA’s Fall Prevention Stand-Down, we keep safety at the top of everyone's mind.

Supporting Field Teams, Physically and Mentally

We also believe safety also includes mental well-being, especially for those in high-pressure field roles.

With support from executive leadership, our Support Without Stigma Employee Resource Group (ERG) continues to launch mental-health focused initiatives that foster compassion, awareness and connection, including:

• Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training to help team members recognize and respond to signs of distress.
• Expanded Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering $0 copays on all in-network therapy and wellness tools for employees and their families.
• Ryan Remembers Walks to honor lost loved ones and support those navigating grief at our office locations across the country.
• Field Insights Podcast featuring a special mental health awareness episode with a field team member’s personal story.

Protecting our people means caring for the whole person, on and off the job site. For us, safety isn’t just part of the job; it’s how we build.

*Lost-time injuries: an injury that occurs while on the job that makes you unable to complete your regularly assigned job duties for a minimum of one shift or one full workday.

**Experience modification rate (EMR): a metric that insurers use to calculate a company’s insurance compensation premiums.