Construction safety leaders across North America are calling for a fundamental shift in how risks are managed on job sites, emphasizing proactive strategies as project timelines tighten and operational pressures intensify.
During EcoOnline’s 2026 North America Construction Safety and Operations Forum in Dallas, industry experts highlighted the urgent need to move beyond traditional safety metrics and adopt more predictive, data-driven approaches. The forum brought together major construction players to discuss how evolving conditions are reshaping safety expectations and project delivery.
Participants agreed that while common hazards such as slips, trips, and falls remain unchanged, the environment in which projects are delivered has become far more demanding. Shorter schedules, frequent design changes, and compressed execution windows are leaving little room for error, increasing both risk and complexity.
A key theme at the forum was the growing importance of identifying risks before incidents occur. Leaders emphasized focusing on Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention rather than relying solely on traditional lagging indicators.
“We put much more emphasis on Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention. Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) reflects past outcomes, not future risk.” - Dan MacLeod, Global Lead for Programs & Systems, AtkinsRéalis
This shift reflects a broader industry move toward tracking high-potential near misses and early warning signals that can prevent serious incidents. By identifying patterns in near misses and high-energy hazards, companies aim to intervene earlier and reduce exposure on site.
Similarly, Ghislain Malouin of Borea Construction stressed the importance of internal accountability in safety tracking.
“We track serious near misses internally, even when clients do not request them, because if you do not track it, you do not improve.”
Experts noted that focusing on leading indicators—such as weak signals and near misses—can provide a clearer picture of future risk, enabling teams to take corrective action before incidents escalate.
Another major priority discussed at the forum was the need for standardized safety systems that can scale across projects while still allowing flexibility for regional requirements.
As construction firms expand operations across multiple regions, consistent data and processes are becoming essential for effective decision-making. Standardization allows companies to benchmark performance, identify trends, and respond quickly to emerging risks.
“Standardization is what allows us to compare performance meaningfully across projects and regions,” said Shaan Gehlot, HSE Analyst at AtkinsRéalis.
However, leaders emphasized that these systems must remain user-friendly to ensure adoption among frontline workers. Simplified reporting tools and real-time insights were identified as critical to improving data quality and engagement on job sites.
In parallel, contractor competency has emerged as a growing concern. With supervisors managing increasing workloads, there is a push to digitize key processes such as certification, onboarding, permitting, and safety training. This approach aims to reduce administrative burdens while ensuring consistent safety standards across all contractors.
Tom Goodmanson, CEO of EcoOnline, underscored the importance of balancing technology with human judgment.
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“As pressures grow and technology moves faster than ever, construction leaders are looking for a trusted partner to help carry the burden, so they can protect people and future-proof their business. That’s why we bring leaders together through forums like this: to share what’s working, debate priorities, and accelerate safer operations. Our role is to support better decisions with insight, not replace human judgement. As the forum reinforced, construction safety should be data-driven, but it is fundamentally people-centered.”
The discussions at the forum reflect a broader transformation within the construction industry, where safety is increasingly tied to data, technology, and operational efficiency. As projects grow more complex and timelines tighten, companies are under pressure to deliver faster without compromising worker safety.
Investment in digital tools—such as control-of-work software, analytics platforms, and real-time monitoring systems—is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. These tools not only improve safety outcomes but also enhance overall project predictability and performance.
Ultimately, industry leaders agree that achieving safer construction environments will require a combination of cultural change, technological adoption, and stronger collaboration between contractors, owners, and safety professionals.
Originally reported by Business Wire.
