Washington — More employers are using artificial intelligence in their workplace safety programs, but balance and concerns about overreliance need to be part of the conversation, according to a new report.
For The Safety Shift: The State of EHS Readiness in 2026, the National Safety Council and Wolters Kluwer Enablon surveyed nearly 1,100 safety leaders, asking for their perspectives on AI and environmental, health and safety; advanced analytics and digitization; and the future of safety professionals.
Around 20% of respondents reported using AI extensively for EHS applications such as hazard identification, incident prediction and compliance, while 62% say they use it on a moderate or limited basis. Meanwhile, 11% indicated that they’re fully digital, and 71% operate in hybrid environments that combine digital and manual workflows.
Most of the respondents (90%) said they’re concerned about the implications of AI use, including 65% who feel overreliance on AI is a key risk. The report recommends that AI “be positioned as an enabler of professional judgment and a tool for decision support, rather than decision authority.”
It continues: “Preserving human accountability and responsibility in EHS performance and decision-making would seem to be essential.”
Other findings:
- More than 80% of the respondents believe their organization is mostly or fully ready to deploy AI, including 42% who say they’re fully ready.
- “Enhanced ability to predict and prevent incidents” is the leading perceived benefit of AI in EHS, with 30% of the respondents agreeing; “Improved efficiency in reporting and compliance” followed, with 26% in agreement.
“Digital tools and AI are becoming more commonly embedded in workplace safety programs,” NSC Senior Director of Research Jay Vietas said, “but findings show organizations are still working to connect systems, improve data quality and balance new risks alongside operational responsibilities.
“Effective adoption of these principles will be instrumental for EHS professionals to make workplaces safer in the years ahead.”
Raj Jayaraman, vice president of product management at Wolters Kluwer Enablon, adds that although “organizations have made meaningful progress digitizing foundational safety processes,” the survey results reinforce that “technology alone is not enough.”
Wolters Kluwer Enablon provides information, software and services to professionals in various fields.
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication