WASHINGTON — Associated Builders and Contractors told Congress this week that proactive, measurable safety systems are delivering dramatically safer construction jobsites across the country and should play a larger role in national workplace safety policy.
Patrick Sughrue, senior corporate director of health, safety, and environmental at Cianbro Corp., testified on behalf of ABC
Testifying before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, Patrick Sughrue, senior corporate director of health, safety and environmental at Cianbro Corp., highlighted findings from ABC’s 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report, which demonstrates how leading indicators and private-sector safety systems are helping construction companies identify hazards before injuries occur.
Speaking during the hearing, “Building a Safer Future: Private-Sector Strategies for Emerging Safety Issues,” Sughrue emphasized that contractors using ABC’s STEP® Health and Safety Management System are achieving measurable improvements in construction safety performance.
Key findings from ABC’s 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report include:
- Top-performing ABC members achieved incident rates 686% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average
- Participating contractors reduced total recordable incident rates by 85%
- Leading indicators helped employers identify risks and improve safety outcomes before incidents occurred
- Companies using proactive safety systems strengthened workforce engagement, accountability, and safety culture
“The lesson is clear: Proactive, measurable safety systems work,” said Sughrue. “Construction professionals operate in high-risk environments every day, and preventing injuries requires leadership, communication, worker involvement and a culture of trust.”
Sughrue explained that while OSHA enforcement, workers’ compensation requirements, insurance oversight and contractual accountability all play important roles, contractors also face major business consequences when safety incidents occur, including damaged client relationships, lower workforce morale, reputational harm and increased difficulty attracting skilled workers.
ABC urged policymakers to place greater emphasis on prevention-focused safety strategies rather than relying primarily on lagging indicators such as total recordable incident rates.
“In contrast, leading indicators measure the inputs and processes that prevent injuries before they occur,” Sughrue testified. “These indicators help leaders identify risks, improve safety systems and provide support before someone gets hurt.”
ABC also called for expanded use of compliance assistance programs, safety education initiatives and cooperative industry partnerships that help construction employers implement proven safety best practices.
According to ABC, its STEP® Health and Safety Management System has helped contractors nationwide build stronger safety cultures through continuous improvement, worker engagement and measurable accountability.
Established 37 years ago, STEP provides construction contractors and suppliers with a no-cost framework for measuring health and safety performance and benchmarking results against industry peers. The program is designed to help companies strengthen safety performance while becoming employers of choice in an increasingly competitive construction workforce market.
ABC said the findings reinforce a broader industry message: when construction companies invest in proactive safety systems and prevention-based leadership, injury rates decline and workforce outcomes improve.
