A new industry-wide survey shows that jobsite safety remains one of the most pressing challenges facing construction employers, reflecting ongoing concerns about workforce readiness, regulatory compliance, rising costs, and worker well-being. The findings come from a joint study by J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. and the American Society of Safety Professionals, which surveyed 719 construction professionals across multiple trades to evaluate today’s safety climate.
According to the results, 32% of respondents identified jobsite safety as a major challenge, making it one of the top three issues companies struggle with — second only to labor shortages (38%) and closely followed by rising material costs (35%). Training and onboarding (25%) and equipment maintenance or availability (24%) rounded out the top five challenges.
The survey highlights deep systemic hurdles that continue to shape construction workforce safety in 2025. Nearly 2 out of 5 respondents said their organization lacks a “proactive approach to safety and regulatory compliance.” This indicates that many companies may still be relying on outdated or reactionary safety practices instead of building comprehensive prevention-driven protocols.
Concerns about worker well-being also remain significant. More than half of respondents — 51% — indicated that worker mental health is taken “somewhat seriously” or “not at all seriously.” This trend mirrors findings from other recent industry studies showing increased levels of stress, burnout, and mental health strain among construction workers.
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Personal protective equipment (PPE) also continues to pose challenges on job sites. 54% of respondents agreed that inconsistent PPE use among workers is one of their greatest ongoing safety issues. Meanwhile, 48% of participants said they were “somewhat confident” or “not confident at all” that their current training prepares employees to perform their jobs safely and in regulatory compliance. These statistics signal that, despite investment in equipment and training platforms, workers may not be receiving adequate or fully understandable guidance.
A complementary report identifies six broad safety and compliance challenges the industry must overcome to improve worker protection and operational consistency. These include navigating evolving regulations, addressing the “this is how it’s always been done” mindset, improving communication between management and field teams, coordinating safety across multiple subcontractors, ensuring workers understand complex safety information, and mitigating job-specific hazards that vary widely across trades.
Ray Chishti, senior environmental, health and safety editor at J. J. Keller, stressed the urgency of using data to guide better decision-making. “Improving safety in construction requires current data to help us better understand the obstacles that safety professionals face every day,” he said. “Real-world insights are essential for building safer, healthier jobsites, and this study provides a critical picture of where the industry stands and where it needs to go to strengthen safety cultures.”
As construction activity grows and labor shortages persist, industry leaders say that addressing these challenges — from mental health to PPE compliance — will require sustained collaboration, updated training systems, and a shift toward proactive safety management. The survey’s insights point to a construction sector determined to evolve but still facing long-standing cultural and operational obstacles.
Originally reported by Safety and Health Magazine.
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