Veneklasen Construction has achieved Platinum level in the Associated Builders and Contractors’ 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 six times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average.
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. Joe Spezia, VP of Field Operations detailed some of the programs and initiatives that helped Veneklasen reach the Platinum level.
“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like Veneklasen Construction 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 assets, and I commend Veneklasen 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 83%, making the best-performing companies 576% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond, the highest, to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.
To learn more about the STEP program, visit abc.org/step.
Veneklasen Construction has delivered high-quality industrial, commercial, and multi-family residential projects since 1976. Through our experienced in-house team and proprietary VENEBUILT design-build approach, we bring added value to every stage of construction. Today, our people-first mindset and commitment to strategic leadership continue to drive our growth. By investing in our team and building lasting relationships, we consistently deliver impactful client experiences—and remain the trusted general contractor for a wide range of repeat clients, including Fortune 100 companies.
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. Joe Spezia, VP of Field Operations detailed some of the programs and initiatives that helped Veneklasen reach the Platinum level.
- Safety Committee Revamp & Communication: In 2024, we restructured our Safety Committee to prioritize field representation, enabling more jobsite-driven insights, clearer corrective actions, and more relevant safety initiatives. The committee operates on a yearly rotation, follows a transparent agenda, encourages open dialogue, and shares monthly updates with the entire company through a comprehensive Safety Newsletter.
- Enhanced Good Catch Program: We overhauled our Good Catch Program with a centralized dashboard that identifies trends and individual safety gaps, supporting targeted interventions and driving engagement through a company-wide leaderboard that fosters healthy competition.
- Safety Recognition Program: To reinforce positive safety behavior, we launched a recognition program that rewards individuals for proactive safety actions with tokens redeemable for prizes, tracked via a leaderboard that has helped reshape our culture and boost peer-to-peer motivation.
“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like Veneklasen Construction 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 assets, and I commend Veneklasen 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 83%, making the best-performing companies 576% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond, the highest, to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.
To learn more about the STEP program, visit abc.org/step.
Veneklasen Construction has delivered high-quality industrial, commercial, and multi-family residential projects since 1976. Through our experienced in-house team and proprietary VENEBUILT design-build approach, we bring added value to every stage of construction. Today, our people-first mindset and commitment to strategic leadership continue to drive our growth. By investing in our team and building lasting relationships, we consistently deliver impactful client experiences—and remain the trusted general contractor for a wide range of repeat clients, including Fortune 100 companies.