Recognize, Respond, Respect: Building a Stronger Safety Culture

In this episode, CMAA’s Carly Trout and Evan Hendershot are joined by Joaquin Diaz, health and safety director at Gilbane Building Company and an ambassador for the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, for a conversation ahead of Construction Safety Week focused on the realities of near-miss reporting in construction. Drawing from his doctoral interpretive phenomenological study, Diaz shares insights gathered from interviews with 15 construction workers across projects in San Antonio, Houston, and Galveston. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, the research explores how workers perceive near-misses, why incidents often go unreported, and what organizations can do to improve safety communication and trust. Diaz explains that while workers generally understand the importance of reporting and want to protect their coworkers, many view near-misses as too common or already resolved by the time they occur. He also discusses how barriers to reporting are often self-imposed rather than driven by fear of punishment, and why visible employer follow-through matters more than incentives alone. The conversation also highlights the need for clearer, multilingual, and standardized reporting processes, while connecting the findings to Construction Safety Week’s “Recognize, Respond, Respect” theme. Along the way, Diaz reflects on how certifications like the CSP help strengthen discipline, credibility, and leadership within the safety profession.   The Construction Leaders Podcast is produced by Association Briefings.