5 Signs Your Crew Has Stopped Believing in Your Safety Program

Compliance and belief are not the same thing. Your crew might check every box, sign every form, and still be completely disengaged from actual safety. The dangerous part is that it’s hard to see until something goes wrong. I’ve walked onto sites and felt that uneasy vibe something’s off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Now, I know what to look for. This post is about spotting those warning signs before the worst happens.

Toolbox Talks Have Become a Formality

What it looks like: You gather the crew for the daily toolbox talk, but half the guys are on their phones. Answers to your questions are one-word, and nobody asks anything back. The whole thing wraps up in under four minutes. It’s like a box checked, not a conversation.

How to fix it: Stop running toolbox talks yourself. Instead, hand them off to crew members on rotation. When workers have to teach it, they have to think about it. Change the format too. Use a real photo from your site, a recent near miss, or a “what-would-you-do” scenario instead of reading off a card. This makes the talk relevant and gets people thinking.

PPE Comes On When You’re Watching

What it looks like: You round a corner, and suddenly everyone’s gloves are on. The hard hats and safety glasses appear like magic only when you’re in sight. It’s clear the crew isn’t wearing their PPE consistently.

How to fix it: This is a leadership and accountability problem, not an equipment problem. Start holding foremen responsible for what happens when you’re not there. Recognize crews publicly when they’re doing it right unprompted. Positive reinforcement works faster than consequences on jobsites. When crews see that good behavior gets noticed, they’re more likely to keep it up.

Near Misses Go Unreported

What it looks like: You only hear about close calls secondhand, days later, and casually. No one is stepping up to report near misses directly. It’s like the crew has decided that reporting leads to paperwork, blame, or embarrassment.

How to fix it: Rebuild that trust by running a near miss debrief that focuses entirely on the system, never the person. Make it clear that reporting a near miss is the most professional thing a worker can do. When you treat near misses as learning opportunities, not punishments, the crew will start to open up.

Safety Conversations Only Flow Downward

What it looks like: Workers never push back, never suggest anything, and never bring up a hazard unless directly asked. Safety talks feel one-sided, like a lecture instead of a dialogue.

How to fix it: Create a standing “what’s bugging you about our safety this week” moment at the start of every week. It doesn’t have to be formal. The goal is to signal that their observations are worth something. When someone flags a hazard and you act on it, tell them you acted on it. Close the loop every time. This builds trust and shows that their input matters.

Your Best Workers Are the Worst Offenders

What it looks like: The guys with the most experience are the ones skipping steps, assuming risk, and setting a bad example without realizing it. They’re comfortable, and that comfort is breeding shortcuts.

How to fix it: Experience creates comfort, and comfort creates shortcuts. Pull those workers aside privately not to discipline, but to recruit. Tell them the crew watches what they do more than what you say. Give them ownership over a piece of the safety program and watch the behavior shift. When they feel responsible, they’ll lead by example.

When a crew stops believing in a safety program, it’s almost never because they don’t care about going home safe. It’s because somewhere along the way, the program stopped feeling like it was built for them. TriCore Safety partners with construction and industrial teams to turn safety intent into real-world execution using visual tools, trusted field consultants, and human-centered training that people actually understand, remember, and follow. Our approach is to rebuild that connection not with new binders or stricter rules, but by working alongside the crew until safety feels like theirs again.

If you’re starting to wonder if your crew really believes in your safety program, reach out. Let’s get safety back where it belongs on the front lines, owned by the people who live it every day.