Push, Pull, or Walk Away: The Reality of Safety Culture on the Jobsite
Building a strong safety culture means recognizing these groups, understanding their motivations, and leading in a way that moves everyone in the right direction. Whether you’re in construction, mining, or industrial work, safety culture doesn’t happen by accident, it’s built, maintained, and reinforced every single day.
8-Minute Read
Every company says “safety comes first.” But the reality is that not every worker or manager, sees safety the same way. Some people need to be pushed into compliance. Others can be pulled into a culture of safety through leadership and example. And then, there’s a third group, the people who simply don’t care.
Building a strong safety culture means recognizing these groups, understanding their motivations, and leading in a way that moves everyone in the right direction. Whether you’re in construction, mining, or industrial work, safety culture doesn’t happen by accident, it’s built, maintained, and reinforced every single day.
Push: Compliance Through Accountability
Some employees need clear rules, strict policies, and firm enforcement to stay safe. This “push” group usually isn’t reckless, but they’re not naturally motivated by safety unless it’s structured around accountability.
For example:
Daily toolbox talks set clear expectations.
Supervisors perform frequent inspections and corrective coaching.
Written safety programs like a Site-Specific Safety Plan establish the framework for accountability.
This group thrives when leadership takes the guesswork out of safety. By holding them accountable to OSHA and MSHA standards, you reduce risky shortcuts and build consistency across crews.
Pull: Leading With Example and Engagement
The “pull” group responds to leadership, example, and a shared mission. These are your early adopters, the ones who buy into the company’s safety culture when they see it modeled and rewarded.
Here’s how to pull people in:
Share real stories about incidents and lessons learned (see NIOSH case studies).
Recognize and reward safe behavior publicly.
Involve workers in safety decisions, like PPE selection or equipment upgrades.
Pulling people into safety is about influence, not enforcement. When leaders walk the talk, wearing PPE correctly, stopping work for hazards, investing in training—crews notice. They follow suit.
They Don’t Care: The Hard Truth
Every workplace has them: workers who don’t care about safety. They ignore rules, cut corners, and believe accidents “won’t happen to them.” This mindset is dangerous, not just for them, but for everyone around them.
For this group, the only solution is non-negotiable accountability. Supervisors must:
Document unsafe behavior.
Provide retraining or disciplinary action.
Remove repeat offenders from the job if necessary.
Allowing a “don’t care” attitude to spread is toxic. According to the National Safety Council, cultural buy-in from all employees is one of the strongest predictors of reducing injuries. A single careless worker can undo years of effort to build trust and safety awareness.
Safety Culture Is Built, Not Bought
True safety culture doesn’t come from posters, slogans, or once-a-year training. It comes from daily decisions at every level of the organization. The most effective companies understand that workers need different approaches:
Push people with accountability.
Pull people with leadership and recognition.
Confront those who don’t care with clear consequences.
At Kelly Safety, we believe safety culture is more than compliance, it’s a legacy. Contractors, miners, and industrial workers depend on leaders who won’t compromise. That’s why we provide tools like online training, contractor starter packs, and custom safety programs to help companies build cultures that last.
Final Thoughts
Safety culture isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some workers need rules. Others need role models. And some simply don’t belong on the job until they change. The companies that recognize these differences and lead accordingly, are the ones that keep their workers safe and their businesses strong.
Push, pull, or consequences: that’s the reality of safety culture.