Experts Address Rising Construction Site Safety Risks

Industry leaders at a national conference highlighted how high turnover rates drive injury risks for newer workers.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Construction

Isometric editorial illustration of a lone hard hat atop a concrete column, representing industrial safety management systems. — Construction industry leaders are implementing standardized training and subcontractor safety protocols to mitigate injury risks caused by high employee turnover rates. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you trust that your local construction companies prioritize worker training over production speed?

Experts gathered at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference to examine safety management challenges in an industry facing a significant labor knowledge gap. High turnover rates among new employees are emerging as a primary concern for workplace injury prevention.

Why it matters

As experienced workers retire or leave the field, the industry must address the safety vulnerabilities of an increasingly green workforce. Managing the transition period for these newer employees is critical to reducing workers compensation claims.

The construction industry currently has an average worker age of 42.5 years. Data indicates that the first 30 days of employment represent the period of highest safety exposure for new hires.

The players

Granite Construction

Headquartered in Watsonville, California, this infrastructure contractor is focused on standardizing safety procedures across its job sites.

IRMI

International Risk Management Institute hosts conferences for professionals to discuss best practices in insurance and construction risk management.

The details

Companies are now standardizing power tools to improve training consistency while integrating subcontractors into safety meetings earlier in the project lifecycle. While Granite Construction saw progress with these methods, the company still reported a spike in injuries during the 61-to-90-day employment window.

Experts spoke at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference on Monday.
New workers face the highest safety exposure during their first 30 days.
Granite Construction recorded an increase in injuries during the 61-to-90-day window.

Market Landscape

This focus on tenure-based safety risks updates the industry approach to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's construction safety standards. It marks a departure from traditional, broad-based safety training toward highly specific, milestone-driven risk management.

Consumers may see project timelines become more predictable as firms reduce injury-related work stoppages through better safety management. Companies that successfully implement these training standards may also see lower insurance premiums over time.

The takeaway

Safety professionals should prioritize the first 90 days of an employee's tenure to prevent the most common site injuries. Developing standardized tool training is a practical step any firm can take to ensure new hires start with consistent safety habits.