The Daily Dig
Turner Construction is making its AI-powered safety tool available to the broader industry at no cost. SafeT Coach, developed internally and piloted extensively across Turner job sites, is now open to any construction professional who wants to use it.
The tool runs inside OpenAI's ChatGPT environment and works as a virtual safety consultant. Workers can take a photo, ask a plain-language question, and get guidance grounded in Turner's EHS framework and OSHA standards. A version built on Google's Gemini platform is in development, giving users a choice between whichever service they prefer.
SafeT Coach came out of Turner's AI Innovation Challenge, a companywide initiative to help employees build and prototype their own AI solutions. Before going public, it was validated through field pilots and an independent external review by a risk partner. Since that initial pilot, the tool has logged more than 25,000 interactions with Turner staff, trade partners, and field teams.
One real-world example: superintendent Darren Dreas used SafeT Coach on a higher education lab project to determine whether a vertical shaft qualified as a permit-required confined space. The tool returned a decision flow chart, a start-of-day permit checklist, and policy citations, giving the crew what they needed to have an informed conversation with the trade partner's safety manager.
Turner announced the public release during Construction Safety Week, which runs May 4 through 8. QR codes are posted at Turner jobsites this week so workers can download the app directly. External users' data remains separate from Turner's internal environment, which operates under strict data controls.
Snapshot:
Technology: SafeT Coach
Developed By: Turner Construction
Current Platform: OpenAI ChatGPT
Next Platform: Google Gemini (in development)
Tool Type: AI-powered virtual EHS safety assistant
Knowledge Base: Turner EHS policies, procedures, and OSHA standards
Access: Free to external construction industry users
Interactions Logged: 25,000+ (Turner staff, trade partners, field teams)
Validation: Field pilots and independent external review by a risk partner
Release Timing: Construction Safety Week, May 4-8, 2026
Data Privacy: External user data not visible to Turner
Developer HQ: New York City, NY
Industry Rank: Largest U.S. contractor by revenue
TheJobWalk Thoughts
SafeT Coach being free is a real resource for smaller subs and specialty contractors without a dedicated safety officer on every project. Photo-based, plain-language EHS guidance tied to OSHA standards puts meaningful support in the hands of a foreman running a small crew on a complex scope.
The confined space example illustrates exactly where this tool earns its place. On-demand decision support with permit checklists and policy citations is what prevents a miscommunication between a super and a trade partner's safety manager from turning into an incident or a work stoppage.
