Callahan achieves Platinum rating in ABC STEP Program

Bridgewater, MA Callahan Construction Managers (Callahan) has achieved Platinum-level certification in the Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) STEP Safety Management System. Founded more than three decades ago, STEP is a proven system that provides the framework to measure, strengthen and build industry-leading safety programs that enable top-performing ABC members to achieve incident rates nearly seven times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average. 

Callahan’s senior leadership is committed to a zero-incident safety culture that empowers employees to solve real-world safety problems via comprehensive pre-construction planning, daily jobsite safety meetings, and direct interaction with building owners and occupants. With over 50 years of combined experience, the company’s safety team is responsible for multiple job site visits per week to assist with inspections, incident management, and job safety meetings with subcontractors.

“At Callahan, we have placed a priority on safety to ensure the well-being of our workers as well as seamless operations on our clients’ project sites,” said Adam Ringo, director of safety, Callahan Construction. 

“Thanks to every member of our team, from pre-construction managers to jobsite supervisors, we have built a culture of safety that everyone takes pride in. We are grateful to ABC for providing an impressive framework that helps contractors make safety job 1.” 

STEP participants measure their safety processes and policies on key components through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of implementing or enhancing health and safety programs that reduce jobsite incidents. Callahan earned high marks in several categories, including its low EMR and incidence rate, the latter of which is less than half of the national average; a robust new hire safety orientation for employees, which includes a review of company rules, NFPA hot work training, and fall protection training; and leadership team participation in safety programs, from preconstruction planning to conducting hazard analysis within each scope of work. 

“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like Callahan to actively build health and safety into their culture, creating industry-leading, holistic safety programs to protect their workers and deliver for their clients,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “STEP measures performance on key components, strengthens and expands best practices and builds safety culture. Our people are our greatest asset, and I commend Callahan for consistently fulfilling those commitments to raise the bar of safety performance.”

According to ABC’s annual Safety Performance Report, STEP participants, regardless of company size or type of work, can reduce recordable incidents up to 85%, making the best-performing companies 688% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond, the highest, to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.