Research report, Making Every Job Safe, Every Day, uncovers a surprising truth: while 90% of Australian workers say they feel safe, many workplaces lack the robust systems needed to make that perception a reality.

This gap between confidence and actual safety exposes organisations to cultural, operational, and legal risks that can’t be ignored, especially as regulators tighten enforcement under WHS Regulation 2025 and “pure risk” prosecutions rise.

Feeling safe is no longer enough; organisations must prove safety through governance, technology, and culture.

Confidence Outpaces Reality

Feeling safe doesn’t equal being safe. The research shows 56% of organisations only have partial risk management systems, 8% have none at all, and another 6% of workers don’t even know if such systems exist.

Why the disconnect? Workers often rely on routine and familiarity – what experts call “everyday normality bias.” When tasks feel predictable and accidents seem rare, people assume their environment is safe. But this confidence can mask fragile foundations.

As Avetta’s Vice President Operations APAC, Luke Boyle, warns: “If employees feel safe while risks remain unmitigated, organisations are vulnerable to ‘black swan’ events – low-probability, high-impact failures that can cause severe harm and catastrophic fallout.”

For leadership, this isn’t just a communications gap; it’s a governance issue. Without verified systems, organisations risk reputational damage, financial penalties, and even criminal liability.

Contractor Risk: A Critical Blind Spot

Contractors often perform the most hazardous tasks, yet 65% of workers are only ‘somewhat confident’ or not confident their organisation verifies contractor safety standards before work begins.

This amounts to more than a minor oversight; it’s a structural weakness. Contractors make up 26% of the construction workforce and play a critical role in industries like mining and manufacturing. When their safety is treated as peripheral, organisations inherit vulnerabilities that undermine even strong internal WHS frameworks.

Closing this gap requires more than paper records. Modern contractor management platforms provide real-time visibility, digitise inductions and credential checks, and centralise compliance tracking, reducing admin burden and preventing incidents before they occur.

Cultural Barriers to Reporting

Safety isn’t just about systems; it’s about culture. Nearly 38% of employees admit they’ve avoided reporting hazards, often due to fear of repercussions or a belief nothing will change. Meanwhile, 19% see risks acknowledged but not acted upon daily or weekly.

This silence creates blind spots that undermine even the strongest compliance programs. Under WHS Regulation 2025, organisations must demonstrate proactive risk management, not just box-ticking.

Solutions include:

• Digital reporting tools that simplify submission and provide real-time tracking.
• Leadership training to ensure prompt, visible responses.
• Transparent escalation processes that build trust and encourage reporting.

When reporting becomes easy and valued, safety moves from policy to practice.

What Workers Want

Workers are clear about what would make them feel genuinely safe, with respondents highlighting these key areas for improvement:

• More internal training on risk identification (42%)
  Training matters because hazards are often subtle and context-specific. Workers equipped to spot risks early can prevent incidents before they escalate. Regular, practical training builds confidence and embeds safety into everyday routines.
• Investment in tools and resources for hazard control (29%)
  Technology is no longer optional. Mobile apps for digital inductions, real-time credential checks, and contractor safety platforms make compliance seamless. Imagine a contractor arriving on-site and completing missing training on their phone. No delays, no gaps. These tools turn safety from a bureaucratic hurdle into an integrated workflow.
• Upskilling executives and boards on WHS issues (27%)
  Board-level engagement changes everything. When leaders understand WHS beyond compliance, safety becomes a strategic priority, not a tick-box exercise. Upskilled executives can champion cultural change, allocate resources effectively, and set the tone for proactive risk management.

As Boyle notes: “The research shows leaders tend to favour compliance frameworks such as policies and regulations. Workers, however, are calling for empowerment through training, resources, and safety culture.”

Workers want safety embedded in daily workflows, not just compliance frameworks. Technology and leadership alignment make that possible.

Moving Beyond Compliance

Compliance alone isn’t enough. Organisations that invest in systems, culture, and technology move beyond box-ticking to true safety assurance. This means:

• Embedding safety into everyday processes.
• Empowering workers with tools and training.
• Ensuring visibility across every contractor and site.

Australian workplaces may feel safe, but perception is not protection. To close the gap, organisations must strengthen governance, embrace technology, and build a culture where safety is lived, not just legislated.

Download Avetta’s Making Every Job Safe, Every Day Research Report

This study of 518 Australian professionals working in high-risk industries exposes the growing gap between feeling safe and being safe – and what organisations must do to close it.  

Avetta is a SaaS software company providing supply chain risk management solutions. Avetta’s contractor management platform is trusted by over 130,000 suppliers in over 120 countries. Contact us to learn about how our we can help you build confidence beyond compliance.