EcoOnline, a 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 – with over 1000 respondents in US and Canada – to understand the state of workplace safety and sustainability from a frontline perspective. The data 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 remains 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. 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%).

Safety and sustainability: Two sides of workplace experience

Although 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 recognized ESG framework and 24% don’t even know what ESG is – signaling a disconnect between values and corporate communication.

Digitization and AI: Trust in a Safer Future?

70% of employees say they’d feel safer with more digital safety tools, rising to 81% among younger workers. Even though 41% want to report incidents digitally, many still rely on managers.

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

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 conducted surveys in the Nordic region to assess attitudes and perceptions about Health, Environment, and Safety (HES) among workers. The primary purpose of these surveys is to understand the challenges and issues related to workplace safety and operational risks.

To expand these insights, the current survey aims to include workers from North America (NAM) and the UK/Ireland (UKI) regions. The survey was conducted by Origo Group over a period from April to May 2025. The survey was conducted online using web panels, targeting the working population aged 18 to 65 years in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The target sample size was 1 000 respondents each for the NAM (North America) and UKI (UK/Ireland) regions. Separate analyses were performed for each region, alongside a global analysis incorporating previously collected data from the Nordic region.

In total, 2 097 responses were collected, comprising 1 059 from and NAM and 1 038 from UKI.