Bridgeport, CT Viking Construction has achieved the Diamond level in Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) 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 job site incidents. 

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. 

“The values of the STEP program perfectly align with our core principles at Viking, making this recognition especially meaningful,” said Anthony Gaglio, Sr., president of Viking. “This designation is a testament to the entire Viking team’s unwavering commitment to safety.” 

“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like Viking 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 asset, and I commend Viking Construction for consistently fulfilling those commitments to raise the bar of safety performance.”