Safety Systems Management, a leader in wireless emergency notification systems for construction and industrial sites, today released a statement urging contractors to rethink the way emergency alerts are routed through jobsite hierarchies.

In a newly published article titled “Who Gets the Alert First? A Hard Look at Hierarchies in Emergency Response,” company founder Cory Sherman contends that traditional, top-down communication structures are slowing critical safety responses. He points out that modern technology now makes it possible to deliver alerts directly to workers in real time – as it should be.

“When an emergency unfolds on a jobsite, seconds aren’t just valuable, they’re everything,” said Sherman. “Yet those seconds are often lost in layers of supervision and manual verification. In 2025, no one should be waiting for approval to evacuate when a system can notify everyone simultaneously.”

Safety Systems Management’s cloud-based platform enables immediate, site-wide alerts across text, email, app notifications, sirens, and strobes, reaching everyone on site at once, regardless of role or employer. The company says this “flattened communication layer” replaces sequential alert chains with parallel, data-driven notifications, helping prevent the kinds of delays that lead to injuries and costly downtime.

According to Sherman, the problem isn’t supervision, it’s structure. Most construction companies still rely on a command-and-control model that routes alerts through project managers, safety directors, and foremen before reaching laborers or subcontractors. In fast-moving incidents such as severe weather, gas leaks, or crane malfunctions, even a 60-second delay can be catastrophic.

Safety Systems Management advocates for a new standard built on:

• Parallel alerts, not sequential: Everyone gets notified at the same time.
• Automated triggers: Sensors or pre-set thresholds initiate alerts instantly.
• Two-way communication: Workers can report status or hazards directly.
• Training for empowerment: Crews are encouraged to act first, report later.

“Flattening alert hierarchies isn’t about removing leadership,” Sherman added. “It’s about ensuring the people closest to danger get the message first. That’s what modern safety leadership looks like.”

The company’s approach aligns with a growing movement across the industry to merge digital tools, connected sensors, and real-time analytics into jobsite safety. As construction becomes more data-driven, Safety Systems Management is working with contractors nationwide to modernize emergency communication protocols and integrate automated alert systems into existing safety plans.

“Leadership today means enabling instant action, not waiting for approval,” Sherman concluded. “When data moves in milliseconds, safety alerts should, too.”