New research reveals workplace safety is now a business performance driver, but broadening operational pressures are making progress harder to sustain.

As UK productivity plateaus, with output per hour worked down 0.5% year on year, new research from EcoOnline reveals that gaps in workplace safety may be holding back workforce performance and business growth.

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.

About EcoOnline
EcoOnline delivers uncomplicated environment, health and safety (EHS), chemical management and ESG/sustainability technology solutions to forward-thinking leaders. Safeguarding your entire workforce, from frontline employees to lone workers and contractors, EcoOnline’s always-on solutions support your organization through everyday operations and moments of emergency and crisis alike. Our connected suite of SaaS software enables over 11,000 businesses to protect their people and the planet by ensuring compliance, risk visibility and mitigation, operational predictability, and long-term resilience. 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260427712284/en/

Media contact
Alyssa Fishwick, Sr. Director, Global Public Relations,
EcoOnline
alyssa.fishwick@ecoonline.com

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