When adopting AI tools as part of an organisation’s safety programme, there are a few key considerations health and safety leaders should take into account, namely, where will AI best serve a purpose, and what needs to be in place to make the adoption effective.

Blackline Safety’s new research report, Keeping People Safe, surveyed 200 safety and operations leaders and found they see AI as a top future technology as predictive intelligence continues to be a differentiator.

Of those leaders, 65 per cent expect integrated AI tools that predict upcoming risks to become more prominent over the next two years, and 84 per cent have a great deal or fair amount of trust in AI when it comes to safety data analytics and reporting. 

AI’s ROLE IN HEALTH & SAFETY 

In the world of health and safety, AI has so much potential, but if you’re just getting started with this emerging technology, here are some parameters to consider upfront.

Whether it’s automating tasks, predicting risks, improving compliance, or boosting training, here are some detailed responsibilities that can be transformed with the right AI tools:

• Compliance and regulation: With pain points like staying updated on evolving regulations and standards and preparing regular compliance reports, AI-drafted compliance checklists and SOPs based on summarised regulatory changes are valuable tools for navigating intricate legal landscapes. 

• Risk assessment: AI’s ability to analyse historical safety data to predict high-risk scenarios helps EHS leaders more easily conduct risk assessments and recommend data-driven controls to mitigate identified risks. 

• Training and education: AI-generated customised learning modules tailored to specific roles or simulated accident scenarios in virtual environments make education more interactive and specific. 

• Policy development: Creating, communicating, and enforcing policy can be enhanced by AI suggesting best practices by analysing industry trends and benchmarks, and reviewing and refining existing policies using feedback and analytics. 

• Data analysis and reporting: Automated reporting from EHS data and summarised key insights and trends from compliance data help leaders leverage data insights to improve safety programmes and demonstrate progress to stakeholders.

Data streams from workers, equipment and industrial sensors feeding into a central platform

KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN ADOPTING AI IN HEALTH & SAFETY 

For organisations considering further implementing AI into their safety programme, choosing the right tools for the job is just part of the equation.

Here are three principles that can help leaders avoid common pitfalls, boost AI effectiveness, and ensure these efforts drive real, measurable impact without compromising safety. 

1. Define your AI purpose and goals: AI is most effective when applied to specific, well-defined goals. 

Instead of starting with a broad question, like “How can I use AI?”, focus on identifying the problems you want to solve. Ask questions like:

• What tasks delay safety compliance the most? 

• What repetitive tasks consume the most time? 

• Where do we struggle with incident management, risk assessment, or emergency response? 

2. Know your data and manage it well: AI is only as good as the quality of data it processes. If the input is poor, then the output will be poor. Before integrating AI, ask questions like:

• What safety data is available (for example, incident reports, audits, compliance logs, IoT data, etc)? 

• Where is it stored (for example, spreadsheets, cloud platforms, IoT devices, regulatory databases)?

• Is it structured and accessible for automation (for example, is data in a structured database that can be easily analysed by AI algorithms)?

According to Benchmark Gensuite’s 2025 report, when asked how they collect and track EHS data, almost half (49 per cent) of respondents still rely on manual spreadsheet management or outdated technology solutions.

Only 2 per cent are using advanced technology or AI to track and manage EHS data, indicating a major missed opportunity for improvement. 

Centralised, structured data not only improves AI performance but also supports responsible AI use.

As you integrate AI tools, be mindful of corporate data governance, especially around ethics and security.

Avoid sharing sensitive information with public GenAI platforms like ChatGPT. 

3. Exercise good judgement: AI is a valuable decision-support tool, not a replacement for human judgment.

In safety, particularly, it’s crucial to recognise both the strengths and limitations of AI, as these decisions directly affect human lives and infrastructure 

The safest approach is to use AI to assist decision-making, not make decisions on its own. Always be mindful of its limitations, especially issues like ‘hallucinations’ (instances where Gen AI produces inaccurate or fabricated information that seems plausible but is not based on real data or facts). 

PARTNER WITH AN EXPERT TO MAKE AI IN EHS WORK FOR YOU

AI has enormous potential in EHS with the ability to help leaders better manage compliance, assess risk and predict incidents, strengthen training, develop policies and create in-depth reports.

It works best when applied to well-defined challenges, backed by quality data, and used as a support tool.

While safety professionals don’t need to be AI experts, they do need to understand their own challenges, data, AI’s capabilities, and their own responsibility in driving AI transformation.

Blackline Safety is a technology leader driving innovation in the industrial workforce through Internet of Things (IoT).

With connected safety devices and predictive analytics, Blackline enables companies to shift towards increased safety and improved operational performance.

Blackline provides wearable devices, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and enhance overall productivity for organisations.

With customers in more than 75 countries, Blackline provides a lifeline to tens of thousands of people, having reported over 336 billion data-points and initiated over eight million emergency alerts. For more information, visit blacklinesafety.com.