North American Workers Face Safety Gaps Despite High Confidence, EcoOnline Research Finds

81% say they feel safe at work, though 46% report first- or second-hand experience with workplace accidents or illness.

TORONTO, July 22, 2025 /CNW/ — EcoOnline, a leading technology provider for safety and sustainability software, has released its latest research findings: How Safe & Sustainable Is Your Workplace? The study surveyed over 5,700 employees across North America, the UK & Ireland, and the Nordics to understand the state of workplace safety and sustainability from a frontline perspective. The data from 1000 respondents in the US and Canada explores whether modern environmental, health and safety (EHS), environmental, social and governance (ESG), and chemical management initiatives are keeping pace with the needs of today’s workforce.

How safe are North American workplaces?

Workers overwhelmingly feel that their workplace is safe (81%), but nearly half (46%) have experienced – either personally or through a relative – a workplace accident or work-related illness. The majority of these incidents are stress-related (54%), which a higher concentration in Canada, where 68% link incidents to stress.

Exposing chemical safety gaps

Chemical safety is rife with risk and a critical gap. 44% of workers are exposed to chemicals on the job, and of that, nearly 40% say their company is not actively working to substitute hazardous chemicals.

Most workers (78%) receive formal chemical training and 80% have access to safety data sheets (SDS), however, say these aren’t available via QR code on mobile devices. These solutions and initiatives are essential – chemical risk is highest where digital controls are weakest.

Rising pressure for lone workers

One in three North American workers identify as lone workers (35%). Of those, 45% strongly agree their employer takes lone worker safety seriously; a notable gap compared to the 53% of all North American workers who feel safe.

Psychosocial risks like mental health and fatigue outrank physical hazards for lone workers, with 48% naming them top concerns, followed by environmental hazards (43%) and accidents or falls (43%).

Digitisation and AI: Trust in a Safer Future?

70% of employees say they’d feel safer with more digital health and safety tools, rising to 81% among those aged 18-34. Even though 41% want to report incidents digitally, many still rely on manual processes.

62% of workers are open to AI improving workplace safety, increasing to 70% for 18–34-year-olds, but trust will depend on how it’s implemented. The biggest opportunities lie in showing how AI can support rather than replace human safety processes, with potential use cases such as predictive alerts or virtual assistants.

Safety and sustainability: Two sides of workplace experience

Although health and safety is a key part of workplace experience, sustainability matters deeply too. 72% of North American workers say it’s important their company actively reduces environmental impact. However, only 33% say their business uses a recognised ESG framework and 24% don’t even know what ESG is – signaling a disconnect between values and corporate communication.

Speaking on the research, EcoOnline’s CEO Tom Goodmanson, said: “Today’s workplace experience hinges on the three S’s: Safety, Stress and Sustainability. Supporting employee well-being means going beyond compliance, creating environments that are productive, supportive and safe. With 81% of workers saying they’d consider leaving due to poor conditions, the link between safety, sustainability and job satisfaction is clearer than ever. Embracing technology to tackle psychosocial risks and make tangible sustainability commitments will be essential to keeping people protected and engaged. This is a business imperative, not just a regulatory one.”

Read the full report for further insights on frontline worker perspectives.

Methodology

EcoOnline has previously surveyed workers in the Nordic region to assess safety and sustainability perceptions. This survey expands to include North America (NAM) and the UK & Ireland (UKI) regions, conducted by Origo Group from April to May 2025. The online survey targeted 1,000 respondents each in NAM and UKI, aged 18 to 65, with a total of 2,097 responses (1,059 from NAM and 1,038 from UKI). Separate analyses were done for each region, along with a global analysis including Nordic data.

About EcoOnline

EcoOnline delivers innovative environment, health and safety (EHS), chemical management and ESG/sustainability technology solutions to forward-thinking leaders. Founded in 2000 and trusted by over 10,000 brands worldwide, EcoOnline’s connected suite of SaaS software enables businesses to protect their people and the planet by ensuring compliance, mitigating risk and streamlining operations. Backed by an unwavering commitment to customer success, EcoOnline’s software is powerful yet simple to use – built on decades of real-world expertise, data and insights.

Visit ecoonline.com to immediately and positively impact your workplace safety and sustainability.

Media Contact

Alyssa Fishwick

Sr. Director

Global Public Relations

alyssa.fishwick@ecoonline.com

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SOURCE EcoOnline