Survey reveals gap in small-business safety training

October 17, 2025

Washington — Nearly 60% of small-business employees have witnessed a workplace injury in the past year, and almost half of those injuries were considered preventable, results of a recent survey show.

Pie Insurance, a commercial insurance provider for small businesses, commissioned a survey of more than 1,000 full- or part-time workers at businesses with 500 or fewer employees.

It found:

• Two-thirds of the respondents have ongoing safety concerns at work, but 17% are hesitant to report them.

• 44% of the workers don’t know how to report an injury and 65% don’t know how to file a workers’ compensation claim.

• Only 29% of workers said they regularly receive safety training, even though 63% of employers say they provide structured training.

• 28% said they’ve never received formal safety training.

• Mental health is the workers’ top safety and health concern, with 32% in agreement. Physical injury (20%), environmental hazards (9%) and equipment safety (4%) followed.

“What I find most meaningful about this data is that it shows the gap between what employers think they’re providing and what employees actually experience, and that’s where the real opportunity lies,” Carla Woodard, senior vice president of claims at Pie, said in a press release.

“Small businesses that close this divide by genuinely engaging employees in safety decisions won’t just prevent injuries, they’ll build modern safety cultures that attract top talent and deliver measurably safer outcomes. That’s the kind of competitive advantage you can’t buy.”