New Avetta Research Reveals Critical Safety Perception Gap in High-Risk Industries

Over half of surveyed workers admit to inadequate safety systems and unreported risks

Avetta®, the leading provider of supply chain risk management (SCRM) software, has released the key findings of a new survey that reveals an alarming disconnect between workers’ perception of safety and the realities of workplace conditions in high-risk industries.
The October 2025 survey of 516 U.S.-based professionals across construction, facilities management, manufacturing, mining, utilities and other high-risk sectors illuminates how even though 79 percent of workers say they feel safe, 53 percent admit their worksites have at best only “some” safety systems in place, with 17 percent of those unaware of any safety system at all.

Equally unsettling, 68 percent of workers regularly notice safety risks on the job, but a staggering 72 percent choose not to report them. The top reasons for remaining silent are a belief that reporting is a waste of time and that nothing would change (36 percent) or for fear of repercussions (29 percent). Another 8 percent said they are unsure how to even report a concern.

Despite these challenges, the study also uncovered a silver lining, which may in part explain why workers generally feel safe despite significant operational safety shortcomings: 62 percent say health and safety are becoming a “bigger” (41 percent) or “much bigger” (21 percent) priority for leadership.

Workers are also optimistic about how advanced technologies can improve safety performance, ranking the following solutions in the top five, respectively:

1. Digital tools to track and verify worker credentials and skillsets onsite;
2. Unified platforms to proactively identify and mitigate risks;
3. Systems to manage induction, training and worker competency;
4. Artificial intelligence to better detect risk and recommend mitigations; and
5. Frameworks for managing dual contractor and employee workforces.

For more information about the survey, click here.