Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Director of Construction Safety

🎯 Role Definition

The Director of Construction Safety is a senior leadership role responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving the construction safety program across all projects and sites. This person partners with operations, project management, procurement, and HR to embed safety into project planning and delivery, ensure regulatory compliance (OSHA, local/state regulations), and drive measurable improvements in safety performance using data, behavior-based initiatives, and system-wide controls.

Primary SEO keywords: Director of Construction Safety, construction safety program, OSHA compliance, safety management systems, incident investigation, subcontractor safety management, safety training, construction risk assessment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Safety Manager – Construction
Construction Project Manager with strong safety background
Regional Safety Director / Senior Safety Advisor

Advancement To:

VP of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS)
Chief Safety Officer for Construction / Program Director
Executive Director of Construction Operations (with integrated safety responsibility)

Lateral Moves:

Director of Quality & Safety Integration
Director of Risk and Insurance for Construction

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the design, deployment, and governance of a scalable construction safety management system (SMS) that aligns with corporate EHS strategy and drives consistent safety standards across all construction portfolios, sites, and subcontractors.
Own all aspects of regulatory compliance for construction operations, ensuring adherence to OSHA, state and local construction codes, DOT, EPA (where relevant), and other applicable standards; prepare for and manage regulatory inspections, citations, and corrective actions.
Develop and maintain comprehensive safety policies, procedures, standards, and safe work practices (SWPs) for high-risk construction activities including fall protection, scaffolding, excavation, confined space entry, crane operations, heavy equipment, and hot work.
Drive performance through data: define safety KPIs and leading indicators (e.g., near-misses, observations, safety interactions), implement dashboards and reporting cadence, and translate safety metrics into actionable program improvements and executive reports.
Oversee incident and root cause investigations for serious incidents and lost-time injuries using standardized methodologies (e.g., RCA, 5-Why, TapRoot), deliver corrective/preventative actions, and ensure timely communication and lessons learned across projects.
Establish and execute a comprehensive behavior-based safety (BBS) and positive reinforcement program that increases frontline engagement, observation frequency, and empowers field crews to stop unsafe work.
Build, manage, and coach a distributed team of safety professionals (regional safety managers, site safety officers, safety coordinators), including recruitment, performance management, training, and career development.
Lead development and execution of project-specific safety plans during preconstruction and construction phases, coordinating with project managers, superintendents, and pre-construction teams to integrate safety into planning, logistics, and schedule.
Manage subcontractor safety qualification, prequalification, and performance management programs; conduct subcontractor safety audits, enforce contractual safety requirements, and use safety performance as a factor in procurement decisions.
Implement and continuously improve emergency response plans and crisis management protocols for construction sites, coordinate emergency drills, and maintain relationships with local first responders and medical services.
Design and deliver a tiered training curriculum for craft labor, supervision, and management (OSHA 10/30, site-specific orientation, fall protection, hazard recognition, confined space, equipment operation), and implement competency verification and training tracking.
Lead hazard identification and risk assessment processes including JSA/JHA, pre-task planning, HAZOP-type reviews for high-risk activities, and proactive jobsite walkthroughs to reduce exposure to identified risks.
Oversee the selection, testing, and proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), fall protection systems, and site safety engineering controls; partner with procurement to standardize safety gear and PPE policies.
Drive continuous improvement projects using formal methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen) to reduce incidents, lower severity rates, and improve operational safety performance while minimizing schedule and cost impacts.
Serve as the executive-level safety liaison to clients, owners, design teams, and joint-venture partners; prepare safety proposals, lead site safety kickoff meetings, and present safety performance and initiatives to stakeholders.
Maintain and manage safety budgets, allocate resources for training and technology (e.g., safety management software, wearables, site cameras), and evaluate ROI on safety investments to support capital and operating plans.
Oversee and manage worker health programs tied to construction activities, including respiratory protection programs, heat stress management, occupational medical surveillance, substance abuse policies, and return-to-work programs.
Champion and operationalize a positive safety culture by developing communications, recognition programs, safety observances, and leadership engagement plans that increase visibility and accountability at all organizational levels.
Lead the adoption and integration of emerging safety technologies (e.g., mobile inspection apps, IoT wearables, drones for site inspections, predictive analytics) to modernize safety workflows and improve hazard detection.
Conduct periodic site safety audits and risk-based compliance reviews, document findings, manage corrective action plans, and verify closeout to reduce repeat findings and strengthen compliance posture.
Provide strategic input to insurance brokers and risk managers on underwriting, incident trends, and policy requirements; support claims management, cost containment strategies, and return-to-work initiatives.
Coordinate cross-functional safety governance forums (safety steering committees, lessons-learned workshops, industry benchmarking) to align leadership priorities and ensure consistent program execution across regions.

Secondary Functions

Develop, maintain, and present executive-level safety reports and board-level safety metrics to inform strategic decision-making.
Support digital transformation of safety processes by specifying requirements, piloting safety technology, and ensuring successful roll-out across project teams.
Assist HR and legal teams with policy development related to workplace conduct, investigations, and disciplinary actions tied to safety violations.
Facilitate cross-functional projects to integrate safety considerations into procurement, design, and construction phasing activities.
Participate in bid and proposal reviews to ensure safety-related scopes, budgets, and staffing are appropriately represented in commercial submissions.
Mentor and develop future safety leaders through formal coaching, shadowing programs, and succession planning.
Maintain active membership and participation in industry associations (AGC, NSC, ASSE/BCSP) to benchmark practices and incorporate industry-leading ideas.
Lead targeted initiatives to reduce workers’ compensation costs by improving first aid care, claim management, and early intervention programs.
Support client audits, prequalification meetings, and external safety performance reviews, providing evidence of program controls and continuous improvement.
Coordinate vendor and equipment safety acceptances and verify compliance with manufacturer and regulatory requirements.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Construction Safety Management: Advanced experience designing and executing construction-specific safety programs, policies, and management systems.
Regulatory Compliance: Deep knowledge of OSHA construction standards (29 CFR 1926), state and local construction safety codes, DOT, and relevant environmental regulations.
Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis: Proficient in formal investigation techniques, evidence preservation, corrective action tracking, and prevention strategies.
Risk Assessment & Job Hazard Analysis: Skilled at conducting JSA/JHA, risk matrices, and hurdle analyses for complex construction operations.
Safety Analytics & KPI Development: Experience defining leading and lagging indicators, building dashboards (Power BI/Tableau), and using data to drive decisions.
Subcontractor Safety Management: Proven ability to implement prequalification, performance scoring, audits, and contractual enforcement of safety requirements.
Emergency Response & Crisis Management: Capability to design and coordinate emergency plans, drills, and post-incident recovery.
Safety Training & Competency Programs: Experience building role-based training curricula, tracking systems (LMS), and competency verification processes.
Fall Protection & Equipment Safety: Technical knowledge of fall arrest systems, scaffolding standards, hoists, and heavy equipment safety protocols.
Safety Technology Implementation: Familiarity with mobile inspection platforms, incident management tools, IoT wearables, drones, and predictive analytics tools.
Occupational Health Programs: Background in respiratory protection, hearing conservation, heat stress, industrial hygiene basics, and medical surveillance coordination.
Budgeting & Financial Acumen: Experience managing program budgets, measuring ROI on safety investments, and aligning safety spend to risk reduction.

Soft Skills

Strategic Leadership: Able to translate safety vision into measurable objectives, align stakeholders, and lead change across the organization.
Influential Communication: Strong written and verbal skills for executive reporting, toolbox talks, client interactions, and safety coaching.
Coaching & People Development: Demonstrated ability to mentor safety staff and frontline leaders to raise overall competency levels.
Problem Solving: Structured thinker who applies root cause analysis and continuous improvement to complex safety challenges.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Comfortable working cross-functionally with operations, procurement, HR, legal, and external partners.
Decision Making Under Pressure: Reliable in crisis scenarios with the ability to make timely, compliant, and pragmatic decisions.
Cultural Sensitivity: Ability to engage a diverse workforce and drive inclusion in safety messaging and practices.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous documentation and follow-through on corrective actions and compliance tasks.
Negotiation & Influence: Strong at enforcing safety contractual terms with subcontractors and suppliers while maintaining productive relationships.
Results Orientation: Focused on measurable outcomes (reduced TRIR/ DART, improved near-miss reporting, reduced claims costs).

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Occupational Safety & Health, Industrial Hygiene, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Safety, Occupational Health, Construction Management, or Business Administration (MBA).
Professional certifications such as CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist), CHST (Construction Health and Safety Technician), or ASP/SSI-equivalent.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Construction Management
Occupational Safety & Health
Civil or Environmental Engineering
Industrial Hygiene
Business Administration (preferred for leadership roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 8–15+ years in construction safety, with progressive leadership responsibility.

Preferred:

10+ years of direct construction safety experience and at least 5 years in a director/managerial role leading multi-site safety teams.
Demonstrated track record of reducing incident rates across large construction portfolios, managing accidents and serious incident investigations, and implementing industry-leading safety programs.
Experience with large commercial/industrial construction projects, public/private owners, and multi-jurisdictional regulatory environments.