MINNEAPOLIMEDIA EDITORIAL | When a Stand-Down is Not Enough: The Unfinished Business of Safety in Twin Cities Construction

MINNEAPOLIMEDIA EDITORIAL | When a Stand-Down is Not Enough: The Unfinished Business of Safety in Twin Cities Construction

The loss of two young construction workers invites Minnesota to reflect deeply — and act with resolve.

The Twin Cities skyline is a symbol of growth, ambition, and progress. Yet in September 2025, that progress was overshadowed by heartbreak. The near-simultaneous deaths of two contractors—Pierre Mack, 29, in Burnsville, and Adam Smith, 25, in Maple Grove—were not simply accidents on the job. They were profound reminders of the risks borne by those who build our communities and of the unfinished work of ensuring their safety.

Both men were struck and killed by construction vehicles inside their designated work zones. Their loss reverberates far beyond the sites where they fell. Families are left without sons, friends without companions, and Minnesota without two skilled workers whose futures were cut short.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) decision to order a mandatory statewide safety stand-down today, September 29, was both appropriate and necessary. It provided a moment for thousands of workers and managers to pause, reflect, and recommit to safer practices. But as thoughtful as that pause was, it also raises an essential question:

What happens when the work begins again?

Reflection on the Cost of Progress

Construction is demanding work. The pace is urgent, the projects large, and the risks unavoidable. According to state data, construction claimed 13 lives in Minnesota in 2023, making it one of the state’s most hazardous industries. Nationally, nearly one in five workplace fatalities occurs in this sector.

But while the work itself carries risk, fatalities like those of Mack and Smith should not be viewed as inevitable. They remind us that safety is not a one-day reflection but a continuous commitment, built into every plan, policy, and project.

“Each worker who leaves home in the morning should return at night. That is not an aspiration; it is the very least we owe them.”

Building a Safer Foundation

If the stand-down is to carry meaning, it must be a beginning, not an end. Minnesota has an opportunity to lead in how it values and protects its workforce. That could mean several things:

• Strengthening prevention through technology: Proximity sensors, 360-degree cameras, and radar systems are widely available and increasingly affordable. If they are required for passenger cars, should they not also be standard for the heavy vehicles moving daily within our work zones?
• Designing safety into every project: Where possible, construction zones can be planned to better separate workers from active machinery, shifting the burden from constant vigilance to built-in protection.
• Elevating accountability: Safety records should matter in awarding public contracts, and enforcement of regulations should remain strong enough to remind us that worker well-being is non-negotiable.
• Empowering workers: Every laborer should feel secure in raising safety concerns or halting unsafe work without fear of retaliation.

These steps are not about punishment or blame. They are about fostering a culture where safety is not an afterthought but an instinct, supported at every level—from policymakers to project managers, from contractors to communities.

From Pause to Purpose

The deaths of Pierre Mack and Adam Smith are tragedies we cannot reverse. But they can be moments we learn from, moments that guide us to act with greater wisdom and compassion.

The safety stand-down gave Minnesota time to stop and reflect. The next step is to transform that reflection into sustained action.

“Progress that costs young lives is not progress at all. True progress is measured in what we build and in how we care for those who build it.”

As cranes rise on the Twin Cities skyline, let us ensure that our foundation is not only concrete and steel, but also conscience and care. The time to strengthen our commitment to construction safety is now—before another family receives news that no one should ever have to bear.

MinneapoliMedia