Refining definitions/metrics, integrating human factors and AI offer opportunity to radically improve SIF risk prevention

Environment, health and safety (EHS) leaders will start 2026 at a critical crossroads, according to results from a new report released today by the What Works Institute and Evotix, the world-leading provider of EHS&S software. There is an opportunity to radically improve risk prevention, but only if organizations recalibrate workplace safety approaches.

While standard safety metrics still dominate the dashboards of many organizations, EHS leaders say they do little to prevent serious, life-altering harm. The new report, Risk Recalibrated: 2026 Executive Leadership Report on AI, SIF, and Human-Centric EHS, highlights a growing recognition that preventing serious harm requires new definitions, careful adoption of AI and a deeper understanding of human factors.

SIF Prevention: Agreement on What Gets Measured

Serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) definitions vary widely, resulting in inconsistent classification, muddled data and confused priorities. Most (80%) have SIF prevention efforts in place today, yet they do so with different definitions, scopes and maturity levels. Nearly 1 in 5 EHS leaders say current safety metrics have no relation to real risk.

“Leaders agree on the destination—preventing life-altering harm—but not yet on the common language or tools needed to get there,” said Jonathan English, CEO, Evotix. “This misalignment slows progress at a time when safety leaders won’t be satisfied with incremental change.”

Cautious Curiosity About AI

Nearly all (94%) EHS programs use some form of digital management, and many are cautiously exploring AI:

• Piloting AI in limited scopes (42%)
• Exploring use cases (33%)
• Have not started (17%)

Organizations are exploring or implementing AI for automated dashboards and reporting (44%), chatbots, copilots to support Standard Operating Procedures or training (44%) and incident investigations (29%).

While AI can offer speed, insights and real-time field guidance, enthusiasm and scale are tempered by concerns over data quality (58%), bias (36%) and governance (27%).

Human-Centric EHS Gains Traction

EHS leaders increasingly recognize human-centric factors such as stress, fatigue, cognitive load, neurodiversity and psychological safety contribute to risk. Many organizations acknowledge psychosocial contributors, including:

• Control of work conditions (71%)
• Mental-health strain (66%)
• Fatigue/cognitive overload (60%)

But recognition so far outpaces integration—89% say psychosocial contributors are not or only partially embedded in EHS or SIF strategy.

“AI advances and a deeper understanding and appreciation for human-centric approaches present a compelling opportunity to radically improve risk prevention in 2026, but leaders must first recalibrate their approaches,” said John Dony, Co-Founder and CEO, What Works Institute. “That means refining definitions and metrics, investing in human-centric systems and governing new technologies wisely.”

The Risk Recalibrated: 2026 Executive Leadership Report on AI, SIF, and Human-Centric EHS report brings together insights from an EHS executive roundtable and the Strategy & Innovation Survey. Participants are senior, cross-industry EHS professionals.

Download the report here.

About Evotix

Evotix is a global leader in environment, health, safety and sustainability (EHS&S) software solutions for mid-size and enterprise markets. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Chicago, Evotix serves more than 800 clients worldwide across industries. Evotix’s all-in-one, no-code platform centralizes incident management, audits, inspections and risk mitigation, automating workflows and digitizing procedures to enhance regulatory compliance and data management. Evotix’s mobile app provides workers with on-the-go training and safety guidelines to ensure they receive health, safety and sustainability information anytime, anywhere. To learn more, visit www.Evotix.com.

About What Works Institute

What Works Institute is a member-driven research-to-practice think tank accelerating the future of environmental, health, and safety (EHS). Built on decades of hands-on and executive experience, the Institute partners with leading experts in research, impact, and practice to translate evidence into practical tools and insights that professionals can use immediately. Through its participatory model and experiential learning communities, members engage around industry-specific, regional, and emerging challenges. By fostering real-time learning and cross-industry collaboration, What Works Institute helps EHS leaders strengthen safety culture, share what works, and drive meaningful innovation across sectors. To learn more, visit www.whatworksinstitute.com

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There is a growing recognition that preventing serious harm requires new definitions, careful adoption of AI and a deeper understanding of human factors.