New Research: 45% of EHS Professionals Report a Visitor or Contractor Safety Incident in the Past Year

A FacilityOS and EHSLeaders survey of EHS professionals finds responsibility for visitor and contractor safety is a routine part of the EHS function, while the authority and tools needed to manage it lag behind.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, September 21, 2026 - Nearly half of EHS professionals say their organization had a safety incident or compliance issue involving a visitor, contractor, or other non-employee in the past year, according to new research from FacilityOS and EHSLeaders. A survey of 114 EHS professionals found that 45% reported such an incident in the past 12 months, and 35% said their organization received a citation, warning, or fine tied to non-employees in the past three years.

55% Are Held Accountable for Visitor Safety Monthly: More than half of respondents (55%) said they are held accountable for visitor-related safety or compliance issues at least monthly, including 26% who said it happens weekly.

40% Still Track Visitors on Paper: Much of the work still runs on manual processes. When asked how non-employees are primarily checked in and tracked, 40% of respondents said their organizations still rely on paper logbooks or sign-in sheets, and 22% said they have no consistent tracking process at all. Just 1 in 4 reported using dedicated visitor management software.

“Accountability alone does not create control,” said Ariel Mashiyev, Chairman and CEO of FacilityOS. “EHS teams are responsible for everyone on site, and in 40% of the organizations we surveyed, the record of who is on site is a sheet of paper at the front desk. That is a hard position to be held to.”

Only 25% Can Complete an Emergency Roll Call in Under Five Minutes:  The gaps become most consequential in a crisis. Only 25% of respondents said they could complete an emergency roll call in under five minutes, and 13% were unsure how long the process takes.

Over 40% Said Preparing Audit Documents Takes Multiple Days: More than 40% of respondents said preparing audit documentation takes multiple days or longer. Records appear to be reconstructed at audit time rather than pulled from a system. Respondents identified contractor safety training (34%) and visitor emergency procedures (24%) as the non-employee-related areas most frequently examined during audits and inspections.

“This benchmark shows that visitor management is becoming a core workplace safety and compliance issue,” said Joe Bebon, editor at EHSLeaders and lead author of the report. “It gives EHS teams a clearer view of where current practices are falling short and where organizations need to strengthen ownership, visibility and documentation.”

Download EHS at the Front Door: Closing the Gaps in Visitor Safety, Compliance, and Visibility at https://www.facilityos.com/resources/wp/ehs-research-report-data-behind-visitor-safety-audits-visibility

About FacilityOS
Deployed across more than 7,000 sites worldwide, FacilityOS powers complex work environments by optimizing and automating key facility processes to achieve regulatory compliance, enforce safety protocols, improve operational efficiencies, and drive site security requirements.
The integrated FacilityOS platform is supported by robust reporting, turnkey onboarding, and extensive configurability that ensures a strong impact in many industries, such as manufacturing, industrial, healthcare, higher education, and other mission-critical environments. Each module within FacilityOS is designed to work standalone or together with other modules to maximize the impact of the platform.
FacilityOS is a global company with offices in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Learn more at facilityos.com.

About EHSLeaders
EHSLeaders is a media and community platform serving environmental, health, and safety professionals across construction, manufacturing, energy, transportation, healthcare, and education, with regulatory coverage, original research, webinars, podcasts, and practical resources for safety teams. EHSLeaders is a division of Leadership Platforms. Learn more at ehsleaders.org.

Note to Editors
FacilityOS and EHSLeaders surveyed 114 EHS professionals in March 2026 about how their organizations manage visitors, contractors and other non-employees. Respondents represented manufacturing, chemicals, construction, utilities, warehousing, transportation and health services.

Media Contact
Rob Daleman
VP Marketing, FacilityOS
media@facilityos.com