Stress named top workplace safety issue

To mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work, EcoOnline, a leading global provider of safety and sustainability software, today released new findings from its annual Workplace Safety Report. The report found that, of 1,300 workers surveyed across the UK and Ireland, 90% said a safer workplace made them more productive, with 79% saying they would consider leaving a position due to unsafe workplace conditions.

Operational risks are broadening beyond traditional safety hazards

The research shows that the barriers to worker safety, productivity, and operational resilience are becoming more varied and more persistent:

• Nearly a third (30%) of UK lone workers experienced an accident while working alone in 2025, while confidence in employer responsibility fell from 68% to 62% year on year
• Stress remains the dominant factor (61%) among the 39% who say they or a family member have experienced a workplace accident or illness
• Chemical exposure is rising, with 44% of workers now handling chemicals at work, up from 42% in 2025, but efforts to phase out hazardous substances remain flat at 62%
• Just 30% say they are aware their employer has a crisis plan and understand it well

Workers also point to a broader set of operational challenges than traditional safety hazards alone, reflecting a growing awareness of risk across the workforce. Their top perceived threats to business continuity are:

• Cyberattack or data breach: 42%
• Serious workplace injury or medical emergency: 27%
• Fire or evacuation-related incidents: 23%
• Physical security threats or unauthorised access: 23%

Technology can strengthen safety, with human expertise at the core

Technology is increasingly seen as part of the workplace safety solution, with 72% of workers saying more digital EHS tools would make them feel safer, up from 67% in 2025. However, sentiment on AI remains cautious. While 47% believe it could improve workplace safety, the majority still emphasise the need for human investment and expertise. Workers top asks for safety investment were more training for all staff (37%) and ensuring more employees work specifically on safety (38%), reinforcing that technology must support safety teams and scale their expertise, not replace them.

“We know safe workers are productive workers,” said Tom Goodmanson, CEO at EcoOnline. “Not just because accidents create downtime, but because safety directly affects focus and confidence. When the workforce trusts their safety processes, they spend less time compensating for risk and more time doing their jobs well. Connected risk visibility is critical here – giving teams the clarity to act quickly and keep operations moving. Technology aids this journey by supporting better decisions and scaling human expertise, so productivity and protection reinforce each other. The companies that get this right will be the ones that treat safety as a driver of operational readiness, not just a cost of compliance.”

Read the full analysis in the EcoOnline UK and Ireland 2026 Workplace Safety Report.