Avetta Study: Australia’s High-Risk Industries Have False Safety Confidence
▼ Summary
– A survey reveals a disconnect between Australian workers’ safety perceptions and actual workplace protections, with 90% feeling safe but 56% reporting incomplete safety systems.
– The report highlights significant contractor safety vulnerabilities, as 65% of respondents lack confidence that contractor safety standards are verified before work begins.
– Workers identified key safety improvements, including better training (42%), investment in hazard identification tools (29%), and executive upskilling (27%).
– Cultural issues persist, with 38% of workers not reporting safety concerns due to fear or inaction, and 19% seeing unaddressed hazards regularly.
– The findings call for urgent action to strengthen safety systems, technology, and culture to protect employees and contractors under new 2025 regulations.
A significant gap exists between how safe Australian workers feel and the actual safety measures protecting them in high-risk sectors, according to a recent study. While an overwhelming 90% of employees report feeling safe most or all of the time, more than half acknowledge their companies operate with only partial or non-existent safety systems. This troubling disconnect suggests a widespread false sense of security that could have severe consequences.
The nationwide survey, conducted in August 2025, gathered responses from 518 professionals across industries like construction, mining, manufacturing, and utilities. It reveals a workplace environment where confidence significantly outpaces the reality of protective measures. A concerning 56% of those surveyed stated their companies have only some risk management systems in place. The situation appears even more dire for nearly one in ten workers, who report a complete absence of such systems, while 6% are unaware if any exist at all.
Luke Boyle, Vice President of Operations, APAC at Avetta, which commissioned the report, described the findings as a warning. He stated that many workplaces are functioning on “fragile scaffolding” when it comes to genuine protection. Boyle emphasized that this perception gap is a governance failure, not merely a communication issue. He warned that when employees believe they are safe but organizations fail to properly mitigate risks, it creates a “ticking time bomb” for rare but catastrophic failures that can cost lives and devastate companies.
The research also casts a stark light on the vulnerabilities faced by contractors, who frequently perform the most hazardous tasks. A startling 65% of respondents expressed only partial or no confidence that contractor safety standards are properly verified before work commences. Boyle stressed that this is a critical blind spot, noting that contractors are central to operations, not just temporary labor. Ensuring they receive the same level of safety standards as permanent staff is essential for preventing incidents and protecting the entire workplace ecosystem.
When asked what would most improve safety, workers pointed to specific technologies. The top choices were systems to manage inductions, training, and competency (38%); mobile apps for digital credential checks (29%); and platforms dedicated to managing contractor safety (21%). Beyond technology, nearly half of the respondents believe their company should take health and safety more seriously. They identified three key measures for improvement: more internal training on risk management (42%), stronger investment in tools to identify hazards (29%), and upskilling executives and boards on health and safety (27%).
The report further uncovered cultural weaknesses that undermine safety. A significant 38% of workers admitted they have held back from reporting safety concerns, fearing repercussions or believing no action would be taken. Compounding this issue, 19% reported seeing hazards acknowledged but not addressed on a daily or weekly basis. These cultural failures now carry greater weight under the updated Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025, which imposes stronger obligations on employers to manage both physical and psychological risks and expands penalties for non-compliance.
Ultimately, the findings highlight an urgent need for organizations to transform safety perception into concrete action. Investing in robust systems, modern technology, comprehensive training, and a protective culture for both employees and contractors is no longer optional. It is a fundamental requirement for safeguarding human lives, corporate reputations, and long-term operational resilience.
(Source: ITWire Australia)
