Preventing SIFs, Feat. David Tibbetts

Safety in construction is always evolving, but one of the most pressing topics today is the prevention of serious injuries and fatalities. I recently had the chance to sit down with David Tibbetts, Chief Safety Officer at Highwire, to dive into this conversation. His background includes years managing safety at Harvard University before joining Highwire, a company focused on helping clients manage risks tied to the contractors they hire. Their mission is clear, deliver work safely and send workers home safely.

David shared the remarkable success the industry has seen over the past three decades. Total recordable incident rates have dropped by 80 percent, saving hundreds of thousands of workers from injury each year. Yet at the same time, the fatality rate in construction has remained flat, even showing a slight increase. That stark contrast has forced many of us to ask if focusing too heavily on recordable incident rates might blind us to the real dangers that exist on our job sites.

The numbers tell the story. Without the improvements of the last thirty years, nearly 900,000 workers would be injured annually. Thanks to progress, about 170,000 workers now experience recordable injuries each year. That is still a massive number, but it is far fewer than before. The catch is that while minor injuries are reduced, fatalities and serious injuries remain stubbornly present.

David explained that this happens because recordable rate does not tell the whole story. A company may celebrate a low rate, but that does not mean its people are free from exposure to the kinds of risks that cause life altering events. Falls from height, unprotected trenches, and exposure to live electrical systems are just a few examples. These are events that may not happen every day, but the potential is there every week on every project.

One of the most powerful parts of the discussion centered on human behavior. When we put too much emphasis on one metric, we create a system that shapes the behavior of people. For example, the drive to keep recordable rates low can create a false sense of security, or worse, encourage the underreporting of issues. The real goal is not only to reduce injuries but to keep people alive and whole. That requires a shift in focus toward the highest risk activities and serious injury or fatality prevention.

David highlighted an important concept many of us overlook, energy and discipline are finite. Just as workers get physically tired after long hours, their mental capacity to focus on safety systems can be drained. If we overburden crews with excessive paperwork or ineffective processes, we risk wasting their discipline on the wrong things. For instance, pretask plans have become standard across the industry, but many are filled out as a compliance exercise rather than a meaningful discussion of risks. If those plans were refocused specifically on the highest risk activities, the energy invested could have a much greater impact.

This idea resonated with me deeply. I was reminded of advice I once received from a project executive. He told me to imagine having one hundred units of time and energy, and then to decide where to invest them. The same principle applies to safety. We only have so much mental and physical energy, and it must be invested in preventing the exposures that truly threaten lives.

Our conversation also uncovered the unintended consequences of relying too much on recordable rate. A contractor with a low rate might appear safe but still be exposing people to serious risks. On the other hand, a contractor with a higher rate may have only experienced minor injuries while doing an excellent job of controlling the activities most likely to cause fatalities. The metric should drive conversation, not conclusions.

The challenge for leaders, safety professionals, and workers alike is to balance both perspectives. Continue reducing overall injuries, but never lose sight of the activities that can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. It is not either or, it must be both.

Talking with David reinforced that safety is not about compliance for its own sake, but about using our limited time, focus, and energy in the most effective way possible. The industry has made incredible progress, but the next leap forward requires us to shift our attention to the highest risk activities and the systems that prevent life ending or life altering events.

Key Takeaway
Reducing recordable incidents matters, but true safety comes from focusing energy on preventing the exposures that lead to serious injuries or fatalities.