The Safety Brief

Safety Training - Is It Really Necessary? | OSHA's Proposed Heat Standard

Safety Training - Is it Really Necessary?


Short answer - yes! Good companies train their employees. And it sure beats the dreaded "Hope" training method - hoping that no one gets hurt, OSHA doesn't show up, or worse.

OSHA's Proposed Heat Standard - What to Know...


As of May 2026, OSHA has not finalized its heat-specific standard but is enforcing a renewed "National Emphasis Program (NEP) for Heat-Related Hazards."

Facts & Figures

Did you know?

INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

70% of Construction managers dislike communicating with their employees, BUT 85% of employees desire information from their employer. Yikes…


SAFETY ON THE JOBSITE

Only 22% of employees said they feel “very safe” on their work sites, indicating there is room for stronger safety measures and improved communication. What’s the solution?


EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Just 60% of our employees feel confident in how to respond to a jobsite or workplace emergency. Wouldn’t we like that to be 100%?


REPORTING OF SAFETY CONCERNS BY EMPLOYEES

Only 39% of employees say their safety concerns are taken seriously by management, while 10% of employees say their safety concerns are completely ignored. Ouch…


ACCESS TO PPE

While 88% of employees said they had access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from their employer, just a fraction of them reported using it. Whoops…

 

We can DO BETTER & BE BETTER! Remember, good companies train their people!



Sources from www.alertmedia.com and Tom VanderLinden


STEP Is Essential.

I consider STEP an essential for our members! Why?


  • You get to self-assess your safety program with the objective of continually improving - no one is looking over your shoulder or judging you.


  • It's FREE and takes only 30-45 minutes to complete.


  • Like it or not, this is where Safety is headed - be/stay ahead of the curve. STEP is ABC of Iowa's premier safety program, and Nationally recognized in our industry.


  • Your employees will appreciate working for a company looking out for their safety & health!


  • Once in STEP, make it part of your bid process and blast it out on social media. Be a leader in safety in your industry and community!



Safety should always be the top priority on any construction site.


As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I'm here to partner with you and help you navigate SAFETY in 2026 and beyond.


Appreciate you all! Tom VanderLinden, Safety Director, ABC of Iowa / 515-681-1542


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