National Safety Council Recognizes Chief Safety Officer Shaun Carvalho with Highest Honor

The National Safety Council (NSC) recognized chief safety officer Shaun Carvalho with its Distinguished Service to Safety Award, the highest and most prestigious honor given by the organization, for his outstanding contribution to the field of safety on a national level. Notably, Shaun is recognized for his dedication to total worker health and wellness, spearheading mental health initiatives company- and industry-wide, and his innovative approach to safety that has led to a 47% reduction in lost workday incidents since 2019 and zero OSHA citations for nine consecutive years. Read more about the award here and Shaun’s accomplishments below.

Shaun is responsible for the safety of 60,000 workers across Shawmut’s jobsites across the country—driving a culture where safety is a shared value and the goal is to send everyone home both safe and improved. His proactive, people-first approach has transformed Shawmut into a safety innovation leader; he launched Safety Week at Shawmut in 2010, was an early adopter of Total Worker Health, and created Shawmut’s Mental Health & Wellness Leadership Group—now 70+ volunteers strong. He mobilized an Opioid Task Force in 2018, partnering with Boston Medical Center and Blue Cross Blue Shield, and ensured all staff are trained in substance use disorder response, including Narcan administration.

Technology is central to Shaun’s strategy. His team developed a custom safety dashboard that uses AI to identify risk and hazard trends to help drive incident prevention (and ultimately, prediction). Following a pilot program, Shawmut deployed HammerTech companywide, digitizing safety processes for trade partners to drive engagement and efficiency.  

Shaun also helped develop a universal safety orientation for all New England jobsites through AGC MA CARE, with the goal of expanding nationally. He’s building peer-to-peer mental health networks, safe space conversations, and deploying jobsite signage to support suicide prevention and crisis response.

A frequent keynote speaker and industry collaborator, Shaun views other firms as partners in safety. His work has earned Shawmut recognition as a Mental Health Visionary and garnered personal honors including the AGC Safety Leadership Award, BD+C’s 40 Under 40, and BuiltWorlds’ Mavericks 50.

Shaun’s mission is clear: zero incidents, and a safer, healthier industry. At Shawmut, safety isn’t just a priority—it’s a core value, embedded in every touchpoint and championed by every employee.