Ross Daly of Rogers-O'Brien Construction Named 2025 Gary E. Bird Horizon Award Winner

Honoring Innovation in Construction Safety for the Groundbreaking Use of Wearable Technology

Indianapolis, IN, November 17, 2025—International Risk Management Institute, Inc. (IRMI), proudly announces Ross Daly, vice president of safety at Rogers-O'Brien Construction, as the recipient of the 2025 Gary E. Bird Horizon Award. Mr. Daly is honored for his pioneering submission, Adoption of Wearable Technology to Monitor for Heat Stress, a breakthrough advancement in protecting construction workers from heat-related risks.

About the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award

The Gary E. Bird Horizon Award, sponsored by Travelers, is presented annually at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference to recognize exceptional achievement and innovative thinking in construction risk management. This prestigious award celebrates innovative techniques, processes, and programs that are effective in construction risk management. The award is named for Gary E. Bird—the original author of The Wrap-Up Guide, which IRMI publishes, and a forward-thinking and respected member of the construction risk management community—who tragically died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"Ross Daly's pioneering work embodies the spirit of the Horizon Award," said Jack Gibson, CEO of IRMI. "Integrating wearable technology into daily safety protocols shows innovation and a genuine investment in people. His work proves technology-driven safety solutions can have an immediate and lasting impact."

Recognizing Excellence in Innovation

Mr. Daly's initiative directly tackles one of the most urgent challenges in construction safety: heat stress. His program leverages wearable sensor-enabled watches to actively monitor a worker's heart rate and body temperature in real time. The technology alerts both employees and supervisors when intervention is needed, enabling a proactive shift from reactive response to prevention.

Rogers-O'Brien Construction's comprehensive heat stress monitoring program extends safety benefits beyond its own workforce, providing the technology to trade partners at no cost and fostering a culture of care and collaboration across jobsites.

Industry Impact and Future Initiatives

The adoption of wearable biometric sensors has delivered measurable improvements at Rogers-O'Brien Construction, including significant reductions in heat-related incidents, decreased worker compensation claims and associated costs, enhanced productivity through optimized work-rest cycles, and improved employee retention due to a greater confidence in workplace safety measures. Employees report increased health awareness, making more thoughtful decisions about hydration, nutrition, and rest—both on and off the job.

Looking ahead, Mr. Daly and his team plan to expand the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Total Worker Health® program initiatives, incentivizing healthy behaviors year-round. This includes tracking physical activity, sleep quality, hydration, and readiness metrics to ensure that workers begin each day prepared and protected.

As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration moves toward a federal standard for heat hazard management, Mr. Daly's groundbreaking program stands as a model for comprehensive worker protection and sets a new benchmark for safety and health in the construction industry.

Judging Panel Comments

"Body temperature monitoring is an innovative approach to prevention of heat-related illness. This is a soundly considered technological answer to a significant problem in the construction industry."

—David Dolnick, president, Dolnick Risk Advisors

"Heat-related injuries and fatalities occur far too often in the industry. Using biometrics to monitor and proactively take action is the key."

—Karen Keniff, president, global construction, CNA

"Identifying heat stress early increases the chances of reversing it. The submission also notes that workers using the watch monitor their health more, both on and off the job, which could help reduce injuries linked to poor overall health."

—Jennifer Lee, vice president/national practice lead, loss sensitive and projects, construction, Travelers

"This is a practical, reliable, and reasonably cost-effective investment to identify potential health issues and prevent injuries or death in the construction industry."

—Sonja Guenther, senior vice president, workers compensation specialist, IMA Financial Group

"These sensors should be considered lifesavers. Easily worn, they provide such critical information the industry would rather not know. For too many years, the stress of heat was ignored. 'Tough it out' was the approach. No more."

—TJ Lyons, safety consultant, Lyonetics Consulting LLC

"Heat-related illness is a major problem in construction. Any tool that can identify potential worker injuries and address them proactively is necessary and should be encouraged."

—Joseph Russo, executive vice president, project risk resources leader, WTW North American Construction, WTW

About Mr. Daly and Rogers-O'Brien Construction

As vice president of safety, Mr. Daly has consistently championed innovative safety measures and fostered a culture where every employee is empowered to contribute to risk reduction. His leadership in merging technology with on-the-ground safety practices underscores his dedication to creating a safer future for the construction industry.

About IRMI

IRMI is committed to helping our customers save lives and livelihoods as the premier provider of risk management and insurance information, tools, and training. Through education, resources, and recognition programs like the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award, IRMI supports continuous improvement and innovation in safety and risk management.

For more information about the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award and this year's winner, please visit https://www.irmi.com/conferences/construction-risk-conference/gary-e-bird-horizon-award.

Media Contact: Heidi Vincent, (800) 827–4242