May Safety Roundup 2026

May 2026 Roundup

This series serves as a monthly highlight of recent news to keep you informed about the safety industry, including airport, construction, events, and general safety. Each month we compile recent and current safety highlights, newsroom releases, and national stories here to keep you up to date on all things safety.

This month, we’ll highlight climbing construction material prices, how the FAA is increasing safety at airports across the US, why work zone safety should be a higher priority year-round, and the NHTSA’s recently launched “Click it or Ticket” campaign ahead of summer travel.     

Table of Contents

1. ABC: Construction Materials Prices Soar in April, Up 6.2% Since January
2. FAA Takes Action to Improve Airport Safety
3. FAA Releases Bold, New Air Traffic Controller Hiring Plan
4. Why construction and trucking need to take action on work zone safety
5. Five-Year Plan – Construction Safety Week
6. NHTSA Debuts “Click it or Ticket” Campaign Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, Summer Travel

ABC: Construction Materials Prices Soar in April, Up 6.2% Since January

The beginning of 2026 has seen construction prices – specifically materials – increase exponentially, with just the first four months showing just over a 6% increase – more than the last three years total (4.8%). Many factors play into these increases, with oil prices, tariffs, and the labor market among them. The potential for further increases is possible due to the current economy and the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will choose not to cut rates any further this year. In a volatile industry like construction, it’s always best to plan ahead and expect the unexpected.  

FAA Takes Action to Improve Airport Safety

The Federal Aviation Administration is continually working toward safer skies and airfields. As of May 13, 2026, the FAA has dedicated a large budget to equip all its airport vehicles with transponders that will help air traffic controllers identify and track them on the airfield. This accelerated plan comes after an incident at LaGuardia Airport where an aircraft struck an unequipped Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle after landing. With the transponders installed, air traffic controllers will be able to alert pilots of any vehicles nearby on the tarmac and better direct them to avoid collisions. Approximately 1,900 vehicles will be equipped.  

FAA Releases Bold, New Air Traffic Controller Hiring Plan

One of the most essential elements of airport safety is its air traffic controllers. They manage flight paths, coordinate movement in the air and on the tarmac, issue takeoff and landing instructions, and provide critical updates about weather and emergencies. This job is demanding, and the need for excellent air traffic controllers is always at a high due to the continued staffing shortage.

The FAA recently announced a new air traffic controller hiring plan that focuses on hiring adequate numbers to eliminate the staffing shortage, optimizing current air traffic controller efficiency, and upgrading and modernizing the National Airspace System (NAS). The 2026 plan is slated to make great strides during the next three years and will go a long way toward ensuring long-term safety of US airspace.

Why construction and trucking need to take action on work zone safety

Work zone safety has long been an issue in the United States, especially when construction season ramps back up to full speed. History shows us that, while we may expect busier roads and increased danger, driver behavior doesn’t actually change much. This opinion piece highlights why work zone safety needs more than a yearly awareness week and offers a call to action.   

Five-Year Plan – Construction Safety Week

Construction Safety Week took place May 4-8, 2026. The original safety week began in 2014, with more than 40 global construction firms from the Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) group and the Incident and Injury Free (IIF) CEO Forum joining together with the aim to “inspire everyone in the industry to be leaders in safety”. 

This year, the organization launched a five-year plan to “drive alignment in how safety is understood, owned and engineered across the entire project life cycle”.

NHTSA Debuts “Click It or Ticket” Campaign Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, Summer Travel

Summer is heating up, and so is the “Click It or Ticket” campaign announced by the NHTSA as a precursor to summer travel. From May 11-31, state and local law enforcement will join forces and increase patrols to ensure everyone in every vehicle on the road is buckled in safely. Data shows that unbuckled seatbelts occur frequently in accidents and fatalities on the road, and the NHTSA is continually working to bring the fatality count down to zero.