Second Nature: How Brett Burkard Made Safety Sticky 

Burkard made safety a part of every operation at Titan from the jump. “We tied safety to daily reports and payroll,” he explains. “If you didn’t submit your safety paperwork, the system wouldn’t process your hours. And if the hours weren’t processed, people didn’t get paid.” 

This integration ensured safety wasn’t an afterthought. I was a fundamental part of the workday. Automation played a big role in simplifying the process. “No more paperwork,” Burkard says. “It’s all done on phones. And when something’s easy, people actually do it.” 

But technology alone wasn’t enough. Burkard understood that not everyone on a construction site was tech-savvy. “We had some old-school, alpha-male types who weren’t keen on automation,” he says. “So we told them, ‘You’re not responsible for doing it. You’re responsible for making sure it gets done.’” 

The company delegated the task to younger, tech-savvy workers. This ensured compliance without resistance. “It was a game-changer,” Burkard says. “The paperwork came in, and everyone was happy.” 

Titan’s approach also extended to accountability at all levels. They train supervisors to lead by example, ensuring safety protocols were always followed. “You can’t just talk about safety; you have to live it,” Burkard explains. “If the boss isn’t wearing their PPE, why would anyone else?”