Safety
Culture
a team of construction workers taking a group picture

All in Together: The Origins of Construction Safety Week

Building a safer industry is the foundation of Construction Safety Week. This week-long campaign started in 2014 when more than 40 companies joined forces to promote safety.
By Mike Choutka
January 29, 2025
Topics
Safety
Culture

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one in five workplace deaths occurred in the construction industry in 2022. While focusing on safety year-round is important, dedicating a focused period of time to evaluate safety processes and the ways safety is prioritized within organizations can be impactful. A unified industry-wide campaign to strengthen safety processes and procedures can drive meaningful change and reduce those numbers.

Every year Safety Week focuses on a theme to engage the industry and encourage a year-round commitment to safety. In recent years, the theme has emphasized the importance of speaking up when something seems unsafe and valuing every voice when it comes to safety in the workplace. This year’s theme is “All in Together,” focusing on three key pillars: plan, own, commit. Everyone who participates in Construction Safety Week, taking place May 5-9, 2025, has the opportunity to choose their own path in terms of how to present the event. Whether they are hosting daily toolbox talks, lunch and learns, safety webinars or larger safety events, there is a huge opportunity to improve safety culture within their organizations and show team members they are valued.

In an effort to help companies recommit to safety during Safety Week and to help build or enhance their overall safety program, a robust collection of resources are made available by the Construction Safety Week team. These include daily topics and toolbox talks that equip team members with safety knowledge that is directly applicable to the job and can translate into a safer workplace. Mental-health resources are also made available, as one in five workers suffers from anxiety, depression and other mental-health issues. Additional resources include tips on planning safety events to encourage participants to take an active role in the week.

Construction Safety Week is an opportunity to empower team members to focus on safety in a way they may not have in the past. Companies who demonstrate a commitment to enhancing safety in the workplace are leaders in the industry. While every company has a different way of approaching this goal, participating in Safety Week sets an example in the industry that the organization values its people in every role.

“I joined the Safety Week executive committee because construction is the ultimate team sport. Just as in any great team, our priority first and foremost is to look out and care for one another,” says Adam Jelen, president and CEO of Gilbane Building Company. “At Gilbane, safety is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that everyone—our people, clients, skilled craft, partners, and the public–deserves our highest commitment to ensuring their safety, health and wellbeing so they can return home safely to their families. Safety Week is an opportunity to build a safer and stronger industry together.” Jelen is co-chair of this year’s event.

Construction Safety Week is more than just a campaign—it is a national movement to ensure every construction worker goes home safely at the end of the day.

SEE ALSO: CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WEEK IS PRESENT, FOCUSED AND SAFE

by Mike Choutka
Mike Choutka is CEO of Hensel Phelps. // For more information on Construction Safety Week, visit constructionsafetyweek.com.

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