For the past nine years, construction companies have looked to Associated Builders and Contractors to provide research on best practices stemming from their STEP Health and Safety Management System.  

Established in 1989, STEP is a proven system that provides contractors and suppliers with a no-cost framework for measuring health and safety data and benchmarking with peers in the industry. 

Earlier this year, the organization released its 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report and found that top-performing ABC members achieved incident rates 686% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average, reducing total recordable incident rates by 85%.

“Transformational leadership means challenging the status quo and fostering a culture where every incident is seen as preventable, " said Joe Xavier, ABC senior director of health and safety, in a statement.

"When leaders refuse to compromise on safety, they set the standard for the entire industry. By implementing proven health and safety systems, companies not only protect their workers but also achieve measurable improvements in performance and reputation in the marketplace. These results are the tangible benefits that arise from the consistent application of proven best practices in jobsite safety and total human health.”

ABC’s research on more than 1.3 billion hours of work completed by participants in the construction, heavy construction, civil engineering and specialty trades in 2025 identified the following foundations of industry-leading safety and health that reduce total recordable incident rates, or TRIR, and days away, restricted or transferred—DART rates:

• Frequency of toolbox talks: Companies that conduct daily toolbox talks reduce TRIR rates by 59% and DART rates by 61% compared to companies that hold them monthly.
• Substance abuse prevention programs: Robust substance abuse prevention programs and policies with provisions for drug and alcohol testing where permitted lead to a 55% reduction in TRIR and a 57% reduction in DART rates.
• Health and safety meetings: Clear, concise and consistent communication builds trust, culture and an understanding that every worker is empowered to keep jobsites safe. Companies that follow best practices for health and safety meetings lower TRIR by 52% and DART rates by 54%.
• Employee participation: Leaders must build strong relationships, listen actively and seek input from front-line workers on how to improve safety year after year. Companies that follow best practices on engaging the workforce reduce TRIR by 55% and DART rates by 57%.

The report also identifies six core leading indicators—systems or processes used to identify hazards and eliminate or minimize them to prevent injury:

• Planning for project health and safety
• Top leadership engagement
• Leading indicators
• Incident investigation
• Trailing indicators
• Behavior-based safety observations