A new benchmark study from the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights and the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) reveals that many U.S. construction employers are struggling to maintain adequate staffing, training and day-to-day safety practices—even as they continue to view safety as a central value within their organizations.
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The 2025 Construction Industry Safety Challenges report ranks labor shortages (38%), rising material costs (35%) and jobsite safety (32%) as the top concerns. But the findings extend much deeper, highlighting persistent obstacles related to personal protective equipment (PPE), mental health engagement, and confidence in safety training programs.
“Improving safety in construction requires current data to help us better understand the obstacles that safety professionals face every day,” said Ray Chishti, senior EHS editor at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
“Finding qualified workers has been a problem with a lot of our clients.”
Chishti noted that today’s construction workforce has become increasingly specialized. This trend, while beneficial for technical proficiency, has intensified pressure on contractors who must recruit niche talent to complete complex projects.
One of the most troubling findings centers on workforce readiness. Nearly half of respondents reported being only “somewhat confident” or “not confident at all” that their current training programs adequately prepare employees to work safely and remain compliant with regulations.
Chishti said many contractors are actively exploring new delivery methods that better fit the realities of remote or dispersed crews.
“A lot of the contractors are looking for the latest mousetrap, so to speak, in terms of learning management platforms, really looking for digitized training, especially being in remote areas on job sites,” he said. “They’re looking for a lot of digitized training forums.”
As firms rethink training, they are also adopting more advanced safety technologies. From AI-driven analytics to mobile apps that consolidate audits, inspections and compliance tracking, contractors are steadily modernizing their safety infrastructure.
“Contractors are kind of looking at AI as the next solution for technology advancement,” Chishti said. “So that they can track leading and lagging indicators better.”
The study notes growing interest in real-time incident reporting, expanded use of drones and cameras for hazard monitoring, and digital dashboards for analyzing safety trends.
Wearable devices are also gaining traction—especially those capable of detecting heat stress, cold exposure or fatigue. Chishti said respondents want “advancements in wearable technologies that can read signs and symptoms or give output, monitor employees better.”
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Despite decades of regulatory guidance, PPE usage remains inconsistent across many job sites. More than half of respondents listed PPE non-compliance as their most pressing challenge.
“We have found that respondents have said that a large percentage of their workers are not wearing PPE consistently,” Chishti said. “Typically, the greatest reason is just discomfort or poor fit.”
Weather-resistant gear, proper training on PPE selection, and delays in accessing specialized equipment were also cited as contributing factors.
The report shows that mental health remains an underdeveloped part of safety culture. Fifty-one percent of respondents said their organization takes employee mental health only “somewhat seriously” or “not at all seriously.”
Chishti explained that mental health has become more intertwined with the safety conversation in recent years, evolving from a traditional HR matter into a recognized hazard management issue.
Despite the gaps identified, Chishti emphasized that the industry still places enormous value on safety.
“If we take the study in totality, safety continues to be of value with our respondents,” he said. “We were happy to see that safety is not a priority, it’s a value that’s instilled with a lot of the respondents and in the industry.”
He said the issue is no longer convincing employers to care about safety—it is equipping them with modern tools, better data, workforce support, and improved training to navigate an increasingly specialized and fast-moving industry.
Originally reported by Shane Mercer in The Safety Mag.
