Manufacturing and logistics safety in Australia continues to depend largely on people identifying and reporting risks, with new research from Rapid Global indicating that system-level controls remain limited across the manufacturing sector despite growing interest in digital tools.
The Australian Workplace Safety Market Research Report, commissioned by Rapid Global and conducted by Research Without Barriers, surveyed more than 1,000 safety managers, workers and contractors across high-risk industries, including manufacturing and logistics.
It found that 75 per cent of managers rely heavily on workers to alert them to incidents, while 46 per cent said it is possible for someone to enter a site with incomplete or expired training. Only 34 per cent of managers reported having modern safety technology that is simple to use.
The research identified manufacturing and logistics as among the most operationally exposed industries, noting that safety outcomes often hinge on worker awareness and compliance rather than automated systems designed to prevent issues.
Audit and reporting processes were highlighted as a key pressure point, with 53 per cent of managers saying audits remain overly manual and 63 per cent spending more time preparing for audits than learning from them.
The report found that 57 per cent of managers are trialling AI-based safety features, but concerns persist, with 48 per cent worried about potential job displacement and 45 per cent of workers believing AI should be limited to data analysis rather than decision-making.
Professor Dr Andrew Sharman, CEO of the International Institute of Leadership & Safety Culture, said the findings reflected a common global challenge.
“Safety is often well documented, yet not consistently felt by people on the ground,” he said. “Bridging the gap between policy and practice is less about systems alone and much more about leadership. Trust is the critical differentiator.”
Ezequiel Gonzalez, Head of Revenue at Rapid Global, said the results pointed to complexity rather than intent as a growing source of risk in manufacturing environments.
“Australia has made significant progress in workplace safety, yet complacency remains,” he said. “Technology should not replace human judgement but make it sharper. When systems are easier to use and data is easier to act on, safer outcomes follow.”
According to the report, organisations showing stronger safety outcomes are those reducing friction and automating enforcement, rather than adding more tools.
Rapid Global said the findings suggest an opportunity for manufacturing and logistics leaders to move from people-dependent safety models to system-enabled approaches that reduce administrative burden and address compliance gaps earlier.
To access the report, visit: https://rapidglobal.com/lp/au-market-research/
