AGC of California Announces Winners of the 39th Annual Construction Safety Excellence Awards

The annual awards recognize California contractors and individuals for their commitment to workplace safety, innovation, and protecting the construction workforce.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California) announced the winners of its 39th Annual Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA), recognizing construction companies and individuals showing outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment to protecting workers across California.

Presented in partnership with Safety Mojo, the awards were held Oct. 8 during AGC of California's CONSTRUCT 2026 Annual Conference at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas.

This year's honorees represent a range of construction sectors and company sizes, showing how contractors are strengthening safety performance through proactive risk management, workforce engagement, new technologies and a persistent investment in their people.

"Protecting the people who build California is one of our industry's most important responsibilities, and these awards recognize the companies and individuals putting that commitment into practice every day," said Peter Tateishi, chief executive officer of AGC of California. "What stands out about this year's honorees is how they are continually improving their approach to safety through stronger leadership, new technologies and empowering their teams to identify and address risks. Their work helps move the entire industry forward."

Beyond recognizing outstanding safety performance, this year's program stressed the importance of creating workplace cultures where employees are encouraged to speak up, identify potential hazards and take an active role in protecting themselves and their colleagues.

Allison Otto, president-elect of AGC of California and president and CEO of Otto Construction, emphasized that protecting California's construction workforce requires an approach that considers both physical safety and mental well-being.

"Safety is at the core of every successful construction project. It's reflected in how we plan our work, support our teams and look out for one another," said Otto. "As an industry, we have a responsibility to build environments where people feel safe, supported and empowered to speak up. That means continuing to strengthen our safety practices while recognizing that mental health and staff well-being are equally important to building a strong workforce."

The awards luncheon also featured keynote speaker Jason Kunz, founder and CEO of The Kunz Company and a 2025 National Safety Council Rising Star of Safety. Kunz challenged attendees to look past traditional safety compliance and consider how leadership, learning and workplace culture can help reduce serious injuries and strengthen organizational performance.

The CSEA program continues to expand beyond the annual awards ceremony, offering opportunities throughout the year to highlight award recipients, share innovative safety practices, and encourage knowledge-sharing across California's construction industry.

AGC of California will continue its recognition of industry safety leadership with the Harry Eckstein Safety Professional of the Year Award, to be presented at the 2027 Installation & Awards Gala on Feb. 5, 2027, at the Fairmont San Francisco.

2026 Construction Safety Excellence Award Winners
The following companies were recognized for excellence in their respective categories:

Heavy Civil/Highway Division

• Under 500,000 Worker Hours: Guy F. Atkinson Construction
• 500,000 to 1.5 Million Worker Hours: Myers & Sons Construction
• Over 1.5 Million Worker Hours: Teichert Construction

Building Division

• Under 500,000 Worker Hours: Blach Construction
• Over 500,000 Worker Hours: Hensel Phelps

Specialty Division

• Under 900,000 Worker Hours: ISEC, Inc.
• Over 900,000 Worker Hours: Royal Electric Company

Safety on a High Hazard Project

• Bali Construction — West Harbor Development, Phase 1 Underground Utility Infrastructure

Individual Safety Excellence

• Individual Safety Effort of a Frontline Foreman: John Kenney, W.M. Lyles
• Individual Safety Effort of a Project Superintendent: Mike Stein, Myers & Sons

About the Associated General Contractors of California

Since 1920, the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California) has worked alongside members to provide advocacy, education, career development, and networking opportunities to experienced and next generation construction and contracting professionals. AGC of California advocates for contractors with state and local governments, while helping members connect with industry leaders through services, innovative programs, and events. Learn more at www.agc-ca.org.

MEDIA CONTACT | Teresa Kent
[email protected] | 916.833.8751

SOURCE Associated General Contractors of California