31 Health and Safety Survey Questions: Types & Best Practices

Incident Reporting & Near-Miss Feedback Survey

Why & When to Use

If “nothing ever gets reported” feels suspiciously too good to be true, it probably is. A well-designed near-miss survey helps surface those “almost accidents” and nudges employees to share concerns without fear. Many hazards only get fixed when someone finally speaks up.

Organizations wheel out incident reporting barriers surveys after a sudden spike in mishaps, or just to check whether their open-door policy is actually a revolving one. Use these to benchmark and boost your reporting culture so issues get solved before they spiral.

Specific wins:

• See where reporting gets stuck (fear of blame, tricky forms, unclear process).
• Gauge understanding—do folks even know what counts as a near miss?
• Reinforce a climate where safety stories aren’t just for cautionary tales.

More reports don’t mean more danger; they mean more protective action.

5 Sample Questions

1. How easy is it for you to report an incident or near-miss at work?
2. Have you ever chosen NOT to report an incident? If yes, why?
3. Do you believe your reports are handled confidentially?
4. What, if anything, would encourage you to report near-misses more frequently?
5. On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate management’s response to reported incidents?

Additional Guidance

Anchor your wording around near-miss survey questions but keep it welcoming—nobody wants a grilling. Get specific on incident reporting barriers yet allow enough leeway for unexpected feedback. This is where you uncover game-changing insights, not tick boxes.

Implementing a near-miss reporting program led to a 64% reduction in recordable accidents at a studied company. (onlinesafetytrainer.com)

Ergonomics & Physical Workspace Survey

Why & When to Use

Those mysterious backaches and tingling wrists aren’t always just “getting older.” Ergonomic assessment survey tools spot uncomfortable truths about your chairs, keyboards, and room layouts before a mountain of pain claims (and grumbling) piles up. The right questions flag everything from monitor glare to why you accidentally keep bumping into file cabinets.

Deploy a workspace safety checklist when:

• Redesigning offices or switching to hotel desks.
  
• Running a remote-work equipment reevaluation.
  
• After reports of strain injuries or when new hires join.

Addressing ergonomic issues early ensures people stay healthy, focused, and happy. The physical setup at work often influences productivity more than caffeine or pep talks ever could.

Benefits include:

• Catching mismatched furniture or equipment before complaints escalate.
• Identifying strange workstation habits that lead to injury.
• Gathering feedback that informs sensible investments—not just fancy gadgets.

You don’t solve musculoskeletal puzzles by guessing; you close the loop with sharp, honest survey responses.

5 Sample Questions

1. Are your workstation and equipment comfortable for daily tasks?
2. Have you experienced discomfort or pain related to your workspace in the last three months?
3. Do you know how to properly adjust your chair and monitor?
4. What improvements would help make your work area safer or more comfortable?
5. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the overall ergonomics of your workspace?

More on Survey Construction

Use straightforward ergonomic assessment survey questions. Slip in a few workspace safety checklist questions to help catch everyday annoyances and not just catastrophic “ouch” moments. Employees love solutions they’ve helped design.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Compliance Survey

Why & When to Use

If hardhats go missing faster than snacks in the breakroom, it’s time for a PPE survey. Any gaps in protective equipment compliance aren’t just policy violations—they’re open invitations for injury. Figuring out whether issues stem from lousy fits, forgetfulness, or lack of training is key.

This survey is your go-to:

• After launching new PPE or updating old gear.
  
• When non-compliance is spotted or safety audits reveal missing equipment.
  
• If complaints surface about uncomfortable or difficult-to-use protection.

Using these questions provides:

• A spotlight on supply chain hiccups or poor storage setups.
• Insight into whether instructions are clear and training is memorable.
• Employee feedback on real-world usability—not just what looks good in a catalog.

Peeling back the layers on PPE usage often reveals jesters, not rule-breakers—humor can point to clumsy fits or confusing signage.

5 Sample Questions

1. Is the required PPE always available when you need it?
2. Do you receive clear training on the correct use of PPE?
3. Have you ever chosen not to use PPE? If so, what were your reasons?
4. How comfortable and well-fitting do you find your assigned PPE?
5. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate overall PPE compliance in your work area?

Guidance for Wordsmiths

Make every PPE survey question practical. Don’t shy away from humor or candor—are “those goggles fogging up again?” Keep the focus locked on protective equipment compliance, and encourage specifics where possible so common gripes don’t fly under the radar.

A study found that 89% of safety professionals observed workers failing to wear required PPE, with 62% citing discomfort as the primary reason. (ehstoday.com)

Mental Health & Stress Management Survey

Why & When to Use

Sometimes, risk wears a hard hat. Other times, it wears a smile and hides until burnout strikes. Tackling well-being requires more than posters or apps—thoughtful workplace mental health survey questions reveal what employees are truly feeling.

A great employee stress questionnaire is a must:

• After big changes like restructures, layoffs, or a traumatic event.
  
• For regular biannual check-ins to monitor shifting stressors.
  
• When growing workloads or absenteeism suggest morale is sagging.

Diving into mental health surveys does wonders for well-being, retention, and the overall courage to ask for help. It also makes organizations more resilient—because teams that feel heard weather more storms.

Perks from exploring stress levels:

• Bright ideas for practical workload fixes, not just morale boosters.
• A read on actual support use—EAPs, helplines, chillout zones.
• Honest signals if people are wrestling alone or trust their managers to listen.

5 Sample Questions

1. Do you feel comfortable discussing stress or mental health concerns at work?
2. Have you experienced increased stress or anxiety related to your job in the past three months?
3. Are you aware of the mental health resources and support services available to you?
4. What changes would help reduce work-related stress or improve your mental well-being?
5. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your current stress level at work?

Approach to Clarity

Workplace mental health survey questions should always use open language. Ditch corporate jargon. Channel empathy and curiosity—treat each response as a story, not a stat. Bravery rewards you with honesty.

Emergency Preparedness & Response Survey

Why & When to Use

When the fire alarm shrieks or the lights flicker in a storm, panicking wastes precious seconds. Sending out an emergency preparedness survey ensures that when chaos calls, staff aren’t left guessing.

Distribute these questions:

• After a drill, real-life scare, or policy update.
  
• Ahead of high-risk periods, like hurricane or fire season.
  
• During onboarding, to check awareness of alarm systems and exits.

Why it works:

• Reveals where knowledge gaps or confusion could spell disaster.
• Pinpoints needs for signage, extra training, or clearer procedures.
• Validates whether first-aid kits and emergency contacts are actually known—not just somewhere in an old manual.

A practiced evacuation is always smoother than a theoretical one, and rehearsed calm is much better than rehearsed excuses.

5 Sample Questions

1. Are you familiar with the emergency evacuation routes in your work area?
2. Do you know where to find the nearest fire extinguisher and first aid kit?
3. How confident are you in responding to an emergency situation at work?
4. Have you participated in an emergency drill in the past year?
5. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the overall emergency preparedness of your team?

Tips for Question Design

Simple, scenario-based evacuation plan questionnaire questions work best—less abstract, more “what would you actually do?” Keep the tone helpful. Every answer can unlock real-world changes that keep everyone safe, even when (not if) the sirens wail.

Risk Perception & Hazard Awareness Survey

Why & When to Use

Some folks see risks everywhere—others whistle past the forklift. Untangling real versus perceived danger makes your risk controls smarter. A well crafted hazard awareness survey cues up fresh eyes before a risk-assessment workshop or ISO 45001 visit.

Deploy if:

• You’re prepping for compliance audits.
  
• It’s time for annual risk-mapping with your team.
  
• Employees are moving to new roles or hazardous operations.

Reports let you:

• Map out where perceptions match minor or major hazards.
• Spot dangerous “blind spots” due to overfamiliarity.
• Prioritize fixes and education where it matters most.

A dialed-in sense of risk doesn’t just prevent boo-boos—it shapes investments, training, and what gets leadership attention.

5 Sample Questions

1. How confident are you in identifying hazards in your daily tasks?
2. What types of hazards do you think exist in your workplace?
3. Have you received adequate training on hazard recognition and risk controls?
4. Are there any safety risks you feel go unnoticed or ignored here?
5. On a scale of 1-10, how aware do you feel of potential workplace hazards?

Guidance for Clarity

Center your risk perception questions on common, relatable scenarios. Steer away from technical lingo that makes little sense outside an engineer’s notebook. Every answer you gather helps zap complacency and arm your team against not only obvious risks, but those that sneak up when vigilance fades.

Best Practices: Dos and Don’ts for Crafting Health & Safety Survey Questions

A survey is only as good as its design. To get the most value—and the least eye-rolling—follow these pro tips for building brilliant health and safety survey questions.

Dos:

• Keep language short, crisp, and free of muddling terms.
  
• Use a mix of rating scales and open-ended prompts for richer data.
  
• Guarantee anonymity so people feel safe sharing real feedback.
  
• Align questions with current legal and standards requirements.
• Always pilot test your survey to iron out misunderstandings.

Don’ts:

• Avoid leading wording that nudges staff toward “right” answers.
  
• Skip jargon that only safety nerds understand.
  
• Don’t ignore the need for honest follow-up—outline next steps.
• Never neglect roles or shifts; make sure night staff and field teams are included.

Keep your workplace safety survey cycles regular—a survey once a year won’t cut it. Survey results aren’t the end: they’re the opening act. Keep learning, keep improving, and watch your safety culture become the envy of the industry.

Health and safety survey questions, from incident reporting to emergency drills, create a workplace where every voice matters. As you roll out these surveys, remember: smart questions, honest answers, and follow-through are what transform compliance into genuine care. That’s a win for everyone, every shift.