Fake IDs are showing up at high-risk worksites, and industries like construction, utilities, and food processing are feeling the impact, from safety violations to unqualified labor. At the same time, labor shortages are widening a skills gap, as experienced workers retire and critical knowledge is lost.

In the world of high-risk worksites, we often talk about safety in terms of hard hats, fall protection, and lockout-tagout. But today, the biggest risks aren't just physical.

Right now, industries are facing a couple issues that Simon Goncharenko, Director of HSE at Veriforce, talks about in this podcast episode: How do we verify who is actually on our sites? And how do we ensure the next generation of workers has the expertise to stay safe?

On the latest episode of ISHN’s podcast, Goncharenko, dissects the dual challenges of fraudulent site access and the massive generational knowledge transfer currently facing the workforce.

The Growing Threat of Fake Credentials

The industry has officially evolved past the era of a supervisor giving a quick visual nod to a paper ID. Fraudulent credentials and fake IDs are being used by unqualified personnel to bypass site access controls, a trend Goncharenko warns is a precursor to disaster.

When an unqualified worker sneaks onto a high-risk site, they introduce an unmanaged hazard to everyone around them. They lack the training to identify specific risks, leading to hesitation, improper shortcuts, and a rapid breakdown of site rules. By the time a supervisor notices the warning signs, the site is often already careening toward a Serious Injury or Fatality (SIF).

The Regulatory Fallout

If an incident occurs and it is discovered that a worker used fraudulent credentials, the legal blowback impacts both the contractor and the host organization. Regulators will aggressively audit the safety checks performed by the site owner.

Goncharenko said: "The fallout... is going to affect the host organization as well... because how did they allow that unqualified individual to sneak into [the site]?"

To combat this, Goncharenko highlights tech-forward solutions such as an identity verification system that recently blocked upwards of 20 unverified people from accessing a single client site, successfully preventing 20 potential incidents.

Navigating an Aging Workforce

The second major crisis is the ongoing labor shortage, compounded by a massive retirement wave of veteran workers.

Industries are currently experiencing a historic phenomenon: up to five different generations working on a single job site simultaneously. Between 2011 and 2030, an estimated 10,000 Baby Boomers reach retirement age every single day, taking decades of safety intuition and institutional knowledge with them.

Interestingly, Goncharenko notes that this labor drain isn't just affecting work sites — it is also straining supporting infrastructure, like occupational health clinics.

Bridging the Generational Learning Gap

To prevent decades of vital safety intuition from getting lost in translation between a 30-year veteran and a Gen Z hire, organizations can no longer rely on luck. They must approach knowledge transfer strategically and adjust to how younger generations communicate.

To illustrate this, Goncharenko points to a simple cultural nuance: how different generations gesture to mimic a telephone. An older worker holds an imaginary receiver to their ear, while a younger worker holds a flat hand to their cheek to mimic a smartphone. If communication styles vary over something as simple as a phone, safety training must adapt too. While a veteran might expect a face-to-face talk, a Gen Z worker interacts heavily through collaborative technology and digital apps.

The Role of AI in Safety Evolution

Goncharenko highlights Artificial Intelligence as a promising custodian for capturing the specialized knowledge of retiring workers and translating it into formats that resonate with younger demographics.

Furthermore, the very definition of a "healthy safety culture" has shifted. Twenty years ago, workers were expected to leave their personal problems at the gate. Today, modern safety leadership embraces psychological safety, human organizational performance (HOP), and human factors.

"As humans, we're not built to be able to make a clean separation, clean break between work and home,” Goncharenko said. “So if I've got troubles at home, that affects my work... We have to approach, especially the younger generation, as a more complex system.”

Enforcing a Unified Standard for Subcontractors

A major point of vulnerability for safety managers occurs when multiple tiers of subcontractors enter a site. While primary and secondary contractors are typically well-vetted, qualification standards often degrade further down the supply chain.

"When it goes to the second, third, fourth, and so on tier, it gets to the point sometimes where the only qualification is, 'Ah, you're breathing. Okay. You're qualified to be here.' So we can't do that. We have to have a consistent standard,” Goncharenko said.

The solution is unyielding consistency. Safety managers must enforce the exact same verification and safety expectations for a fifth-tier subcontractor as they do for their direct internal employees. Establishing a clear, shared standard across all regions and fields is the only way to build a cohesive, reliable safety culture.