By Dr. Atif Ansar | May 2025

According to the National Safety Council, construction accounts for 20% of all workplace fatalities in the United States. That is a sobering truth for an industry under immense pressure to deliver even more complex projects with fewer skilled workers and tighter deadlines.

Long-term labor challenges compound this pressure. Today, 94% of construction firms report difficulty hiring qualified workers, and 22% of the workforce is over 55. The result is an environment where teams are stretched thin, and even small inefficiencies can quickly compound into risk.

As we observe Construction Safety Week, it's worth asking not just how we respond to incidents but how we design systems that help prevent them. The answer, increasingly, lies in how we schedule, manage, and support the people doing the work.

Rethinking Safety Through Scheduling

This Safety by Design white paper highlights that safety is not just about compliance. It's about predictability. When schedules are rushed, fragmented, or unclear, teams are more likely to make reactive decisions under pressure. The more time they spend firefighting, the greater the risk of burnout and mistakes.

AI helps shift this paradigm. Predictive project delivery platforms like Foresight allow project leaders to identify high-risk activities earlier, balance workloads, and communicate updates in real time. These aren't just productivity gains — they're safety interventions.

AI Doesn't Replace People — It Protects Them

When we introduced the tagline People Build Faster with AI, it reflected our belief that AI's real value lies in how it supports decision-makers. As my co-founder Igor Shifrin noted in this article, a veteran project manager captured it well:

"At the end of the day, no matter how advanced the technology, it's still the people who make or break a project."

That insight stuck with us. AI is not a substitute for good judgment — it's a tool to enable it. And in an era defined by labor shortages and increasing project complexity, giving teams better information earlier is one of the most effective ways to enhance both performance and safety.

From Safer Projects to Smarter Systems

As we apply these principles in the field, one theme becomes clear: the most effective construction systems are designed around people. When we plan better, coordinate better, and communicate more clearly, we don't just reduce risk — we create a culture that values foresight over firefighting.

This philosophy also shapes how we operate at Foresight. Investing in safety means investing in people — within project teams and within our own.

Strengthening the Team and Connecting Globally

To that end, we're pleased to welcome Sarah Hoffman as our new Product Marketing Lead. With more than eight years of experience in enterprise SaaS, AI strategy, and go-to-market execution, Sarah brings a sharp understanding of connecting product value to the real-world challenges our customers face. Her leadership will help us better articulate how Foresight empowers project teams across industries.

We're also excited to share that Foresight is a Silver Sponsor at the Datacloud Global Congress 2025, taking place June 4–5 in Cannes. I'll be speaking on the Innovation Stage, exploring how AI can help teams manage growing complexity, improve schedule reliability, and keep major builds on track.

If you're attending and would like to meet with our team, we'd be glad to connect.

Click here to schedule a meeting.

In Closing

Construction Safety Week reminds us that real safety starts well before boots hit the ground. It begins with how we lead, how we plan, and how we equip our teams to succeed. AI gives us the opportunity to design systems that support — not strain — the people who build the infrastructure our societies rely on.

Let's use that opportunity wisely.

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

If you're managing a portfolio — or a single high-stakes build — and can't clearly see what's on track, what’s slipping or where to intervene, it's time to talk.

👉 Book a consultation with a Foresight expert → https://www.foresight.works/schedule

Let’s turn your confidence into control and your plans into projects that finish on time.

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