What Construction Safety Council does

Construction Safety Council is a 501-style nonprofit organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Hillside, Illinois, that delivers safety training and certification to the construction industry. It operates as one of only 26 OSHA-authorized Education Centers nationwide, a status enabled by a formal partnership with Northern Illinois University's National Safety Education Center (NSEC). The Council's portfolio spans classroom-based courses at its Hillside facility, on-site training at client worksites, federally authorized online courses delivered via ClickSafety (OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Construction, including a Spanish-language version), specialized training such as MEWP supervision through an IPAF Training Center authorization, and five free awareness-level grant-funded classes covering electrical, excavation, silica, workzone, and fall hazards.

The revenue model combines three streams: tiered course registration fees (with contributor pricing for trade union and contractor association members versus non-contributor pricing), online training sales (perpetual license, pay-as-you-go, $99-$199 for online OSHA courses), and a small Safety Store for safety-related products. The financial backbone is the contributor network of trade unions and contractor associations that provide direct financial support in exchange for member benefits and discounted training. Pricing for in-person OSHA 10-Hour runs $225-$300 and OSHA 30-Hour runs $495-$730, with contributor discounts and early bird options.

The go-to-market is event-driven and partnership-led: a public training calendar with scheduled courses through 2026, the Chicago Construction Expo presence in partnership with ASA, NIU-NSEC for registration infrastructure, ClickSafety for online delivery, and multi-channel marketing across web, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, email newsletter, and SEO. The customer base centers on construction industry workers, trade union members, and contractor associations, with named enterprise endorsements from Gurtz Electric Co. and The Dow Chemical Company.

Name

Construction Safety Council

Legal name

Construction Safety Council

Website

https://buildsafe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Construction Safety Council is a nonprofit, OSHA-authorized Education Center (one of 26 nationwide) that delivers in-person and online construction safety training and certification, serving construction workers, trade unions, and contractor associations primarily through its Hillside, Illinois facility and partner channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Safety Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Safety & Site Safety Management (EDABAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Occupational Safety & OSHA Compliance (EDABAEAA), Occupational Safety, OSHA & Workplace Compliance Training (EDAOAMAK), Working at Heights, Fall Protection & Scaffolding (EDABAEAH), Skilled Trades, Safety & Compliance Certification Prep (OSHA, HAZMAT, welding, electrical, HVAC) (EDANAIAM)

Keywords

• Construction safety training
• OSHA certification courses
• OSHA-authorized education
• Workplace safety training
• Construction industry training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillside, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Registration Fees: Revenue from in-person training courses with tiered pricing for contributors (union/association members) and non-contributors. Early bird discounts available. Includes OSHA courses, safety training, and certification programs.
2. Online Training Sales: Revenue from online OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Construction courses sold through the website. Partner provider is ClickSafety. Cards mailed directly to students after completion.
3. Safety Store: E-commerce sales of safety-related products through the Safety Store section of the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Construction Safety Council delivers OSHA-authorized construction safety education and practical training through in-person classroom courses at its Hillside, IL facility and client worksites, supplemented by online OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Construction courses sold through the buildsafe.org Safety Store. Course offerings cover OSHA standards (excavation, fall protection, confined space, electrical), equipment operation (MEWP, aerial lift, forklift, crane, scaffolding), and American Heart Association First Aid/CPR/AED, with bilingual English/Spanish options and free grant-funded awareness classes for small businesses.

Product overview

The Construction Safety Council operates as an OSHA-authorized Education Center (one of only 26 nationwide) offering a portfolio of classroom-based and online safety training courses. The online offerings include MEWP for Supervisors, OSHA 10-Hour Construction (English and Spanish), and OSHA 30-Hour Construction, sold through the Safety Store at buildsafe.org. The in-person training catalog encompasses dozens of courses spanning OSHA standards (10-hour, 30-hour, and specialized courses like Excavation, Fall Protection, Electrical, Confined Space), American Heart Association certifications, equipment operation (Aerial Lift, Forklift, MEWP), and specialized topics (Rigging, Scaffolding, Silica). Five flagship courses are offered at no cost through grant funding: Electrical Safety, Excavation Dangers, Harmful Silica, Workzone Hazards, and Fall Protection. The Council partners with Northern Illinois University (NSEC) and ClickSafety for certain course delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OSHA 10-Hour Construction (Online Training) Online OSHA outreach training program resulting in a valid DOL/OSHA 10-Hour Card. Covers recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces, workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint. Self-paced with six-month completion window and 70% minimum passing score across three attempts.
• OSHA 10-Hour Construction Spanish (Online Training) Spanish-language online OSHA outreach training program resulting in a valid DOL/OSHA 10-Hour Card. Covers recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in construction workplaces, with the same curriculum and credentialing as the English version.
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction (Online Training) Online OSHA outreach training program resulting in a valid DOL/OSHA 30-Hour Card. Provides comprehensive training on recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards with greater depth than the 10-hour course. Intended for supervisors or workers with some safety responsibility. Delivered via ClickSafety partnership.
• MEWP for Supervisors (Online Training) Online training course for supervisors responsible for overseeing MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform) operations. Covers rules, regulations, standards, equipment selection, compliance with manufacturers' operator manuals, and hazard mitigation. The Construction Safety Council is an authorized IPAF Training Center that issues PAL Cards upon completion.
• Electrical Safety (FREE Grant Class) Four-hour awareness-level in-person training on electrical dangers (shock, arc flash, fire), NFPA 70E requirements, lockout/tagout, and PPE. Covers risk prevention and control strategies. Offered free through grant funding to expand accessibility to small businesses and underserved workers.
• Excavation Dangers (FREE Grant Class) Four-hour awareness-level training on trench and excavation hazards, competent person roles, OSHA safety standards, and protective systems (Slope, Shore, Shield). Offered free through grant funding to expand accessibility to small businesses and underserved workers.
• Harmful Silica (FREE Grant Class) Four-hour awareness-level training on respirable crystalline silica hazards from sawing, drilling, and crushing concrete, stone, and brick. Covers OSHA standard requirements including engineering controls, work practices, and respirators. Offered free through grant funding.
• Workzone Hazards (FREE Grant Class) Four-hour awareness-level training on temporary traffic control areas, MUTCD regulations, and proper use of flags, signs, barricades, and message boards for workzone safety. Offered free through grant funding.
• Fall Protection (FREE Grant Class) Four-hour awareness-level training on fall hazards in construction (scaffolds, ladders, roofs, slips, trips), OSHA requirements, risk assessment, personal equipment, and protective systems. Offered free through grant funding.
• OSHA 10-Hour Construction (In-Person Training) Two-day in-person OSHA 10-Hour Construction outreach training delivered at the CSC Hillside, IL facility or client worksites. Tiered pricing for contributor union/association members ($202-$225 depending on volume) versus non-contributors ($300). Includes OSHA 10-Hour card issuance upon completion.
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction (In-Person Training) Four-session OSHA 30-Hour Construction training delivered over two weeks in-person at the CSC Hillside, IL facility or client worksites. Tiered pricing for contributor union/association members ($495-$550 depending on volume) versus non-contributors ($730). Designed for supervisors and workers with safety responsibility.
• OSHA #7410 Managing Excavation Hazards (In-Person Training) One-day OSHA #7410 Managing Excavation Hazards training course with 0.65 CEU credits. Early bird registration priced at $225; regular registration at $275. Maximum class size 40, minimum 3. Focused on excavation hazard management for construction supervisors and competent persons.
• Construction Safety Council Safety Store E-commerce storefront integrated into buildsafe.org selling construction safety equipment, supplies, and online training course registrations. Provides a consolidated channel for both physical safety products and digital course purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour cards are valid credentials recognized by employers and regulatory agencies nationwide

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Illinois University (NIU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership with NIU's National Safety Education Center (NSEC) enabling the Council to serve as one of only 26 OSHA-authorized Education Centers nationwide. NIU provides course registration infrastructure for OSHA-authorized courses. Course scheduling and registration handled through niu.edu/nsec platform.
• ClickSafetycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with OSHA-authorized online training provider ClickSafety to offer OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Construction courses online. Construction Safety Council verifies authenticity of training and issues DOL/OSHA cards upon completion. Students receive login credentials within 48 hours of purchase.
• IPAF (International Powered Access Federation)coreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized IPAF Training Center for MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform) Supervisor training. PAL Cards issued upon completion. Training covers MEWP rules, regulations, equipment selection, and hazard mitigation.
• Trade Unions and Contractor Associations (Contributors)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContributing organizations include trade unions and contractor associations that provide direct financial support to ensure the well-being of their members and employees. Contributors receive discounted pricing on training courses. Listed as Contributors on the website with dedicated page.
• ASA (American Subcontractors Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Chicago Construction Expo participation. ASA Expo held annually March 2-3 with virtual attendance option. Council provides free construction safety training at expo.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• CareerSafe: CareerSafe is an online safety training provider focused on OSHA 10-Hour and youth workforce safety programs. As an emerging player with narrower specialization, it competes for the entry-level construction worker training segment that Construction Safety Council also serves.

Direct peers

• American Safety Council: American Safety Council offers online OSHA 10/30-Hour Construction training and other safety courses with DOL card issuance. Direct competitor serving the same self-paced learner segment with similar pricing and certification outcomes.
• National Safety Education Center (NIU NSEC): NIU's National Safety Education Center is the formal partnership host for Construction Safety Council's OSHA Education Center authorization. Functions as both a partner and a peer in delivering OSHA-authorized training, including OSHA #3015 Excavation and OSHA #3115 Fall Protection courses that Construction Safety Council also offers.
• 360training.com: 360training.com is a major online regulatory and safety training provider offering OSHA 10/30-Hour Construction courses and other EHS certifications. Direct competitor in online OSHA outreach training with similar self-paced model, DOL/OSHA card delivery, and pricing structure.
• ClickSafety: ClickSafety is a leading online OSHA-authorized safety training provider. Construction Safety Council partners with ClickSafety for online OSHA 10/30 delivery while also competing in adjacent in-person and online course categories. Direct overlap on training content, audience (construction workers), and DOL/OSHA card issuance.

Others

• SafetyCulture (iAuditor): SafetyCulture provides a mobile inspection and safety operations platform used widely in construction. While primarily a tool rather than a training provider, it increasingly bundles training content and represents an adjacent player in the construction safety technology stack that could expand into CSC's training domain.

Broad incumbents

• National Safety Council (NSC): NSC is a leading non-profit safety advocacy and training organization offering OSHA-aligned courses, certifications, and thought leadership. As a broader industry player, it competes for safety training mindshare, contractor association partnerships, and enterprise training budgets.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): ABC is a national construction industry trade association that offers safety training, including OSHA 10/30 courses, to its 23,000+ members. As a competing channel for construction safety training delivered through a membership model, it overlaps with Construction Safety Council's contributor-based approach.
• UL Solutions (formerly UL PureSafety): UL Solutions is a major safety and compliance training provider serving large enterprises with construction and industrial safety content. As a broad incumbent with extensive resources, it competes for enterprise EHS training contracts where Construction Safety Council also sells.
• Vector Solutions (formerly Convergence Training): Vector Solutions provides a broad EHS and workforce training platform used by large enterprises, including OSHA construction safety content. While serving a much wider portfolio, it competes with Construction Safety Council for enterprise construction safety training budgets through technology-driven delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/constructiontradestraining
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/construction-safety-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/constructionsafetycouncil

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Construction Safety Council