A recent survey by Wolters Kluwer Enablon and the National Safety Council found that more than 80% of safety professionals say their organizations are ready to implement AI, but 90% report at least one concern.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from experimentation to routine use in environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs, but increased adoption is accompanied by concerns about overreliance on AI and the need for human participation to maintain judgment.
New research published by Wolters Kluwer Enablon. National Security Council (NSC)while most safety professionals say their organizations are ready to implement AI across their EHS systems, many organizations still rely on hybrid digital and paper-based EHS processes, limiting AI adoption and effectiveness.
“Our research shows that technology alone is not enough,” said Raj Jayaraman, vice president of product management at Wolters Kluwer Enablon. “Effective EHS programs rely on maintaining a strong data foundation, clear governance, and human accountability as analytics and AI become more widely used. Organizations are making meaningful progress in digitizing fundamental safety processes, and many are now using AI to analyze and apply that data.”
In the research report, Pivoting to Safety: Ready for EHS in 2026is based on survey responses from 1,053 professionals in EHS, operations, and risk management roles across U.S. industries.
“EHS leaders are at a critical transition point,” said Jay Vietas, senior director of research at the National Safety Council. “While digital tools and AI are being incorporated into safety programs, organizations are still grappling with connecting systems, improving data quality, and balancing new workforce risks with long-standing operational responsibilities.”
AI adoption is becoming mainstream throughout the EHS process
The findings show that AI is moving beyond pilot projects. Many organizations are already applying AI to core EHS activities such as incident prediction, hazard identification, regulatory compliance, analysis, and reporting.
The main research findings are as follows.
- AI is widely used.
- 20% report extensive AI application within EHS programs
- 62% report moderate or limited use of AI
- Cultural preparation is underway:
- Over 80% say their organization is mostly or fully ready to adopt AI
- 42% think they are completely ready
- Concerns about AI are nearly universal.
- 90% report at least one concern about AI
- 65% cite overreliance on AI as a key risk
Concerns about AI remain high even among organizations that consider themselves well-prepared, and the growing use of AI emphasizes the importance of governance and human oversight.
EHS digital transformation is underway
Despite strong interest in AI, most organizations are still in transition when it comes to digitizing EHS processes, limiting the full value that AI can provide.
The findings show that:
- only 11% have fully digital EHS systems in place
- 71% operate in a hybrid environment that combines digital and manual workflows.
- 18% still rely primarily on manual or paper-based processes
Fragmented systems and inconsistent data continue to limit visibility, integration, and automation across EHS functions.
The processes most closely tied to day-to-day EHS operations and employee behavior are the slowest. Less than half of respondents reported digitalization in safety processes such as emergency response planning, behavioral safety observations, occupational health monitoring, and work permit systems.
Mental health emerges as a core EHS responsibility
This research also shows that a broader evolution is occurring in the way organizations define safety risks. Although respondents increasingly recognize human-centered and psychosocial risks as part of their EHS obligations, short-term priorities continue to focus on operational challenges.
- 87% Agree that mental health falls within the scope of EHS
- However, fatigue management, infectious disease preparedness, and managing the transition of an aging workforce rank high as short-term priorities.
As AI adoption accelerates, the findings demonstrate a shared imperative for safety and technology leaders to ensure advanced AI-enabled tools enhance decision-making without replacing human expertise.
Established over 110 years ago. national safety council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocacy organization. The organization works to eliminate the leading causes of preventable deaths and injuries, with a focus on workplaces, roads and everyday life, and plays a central role in advancing safety research, education and policy nationwide.
The full research report is Pivoting to Safety: Ready for EHS in 2026available for download.
Additional findings and commentary from the National Safety Council are available in the accompanying press release. National Security Council website.
