What safety managers need to know about holiday hazards 

As the festive season approaches, many workers face heightened safety risks. Outdoor workers confront winter weather-related hazards, office staff battle seasonal illnesses and stress, and everyone may work longer hours to meet year-end goals. 

We gathered insights from 1,000 safety managers to dive into the question: what do the holidays mean for worker safety? To keep your teams safe and operations running smoothly, it’s vital to understand the top holiday hazards and take proactive measures. 

Keep reading to discover the most common seasonal risks and best practices to help keep your workers safe during this busy season.  

Table of contents

Click on a specific section below to navigate to that area:

• 1. Your holiday safety reality check
• 2. The top four holiday hazards impacting UK workers
• 3. Current holiday safety practices
• 4. Software solutions for holiday safety
• 5. The investment in holiday safety
• 6. Emerging technologies shaping holiday safety
• 7. Taking action this holiday season

1. Your holiday safety reality check

The data tells a concerning story. According to our research, 42% of safety managers report that health and safety incidents increase during the holidays, while 52% say they stay the same. The risk is even more pronounced in the United States, where 46% report an increase in incidents during the holiday period. 

When examining year-on-year incident trends in the UK, nearly half (49%) say incidents remain steady, but 32% report that incidents are actually increasing. Only 12% have seen improvements with decreasing incidents, while 7% remain unsure of the trend. These statistics underscore a critical point. The holidays are not a time to relax your safety protocols. In fact, this season demands heightened vigilance. 

2. The top four holiday hazards impacting UK workers

Our research identified four major risks that pose the greatest threat to workers during the festive season. These hazards often intensify in November and December as operations speed up and staffing levels fluctuate, making workers more vulnerable to harm. Understanding these risks is the first step toward mitigating them effectively and maintaining a safe, well-supported workforce. 

The timing couldn’t be more critical. Sickness absence rates have reached an all-time high, with the average level of employee absence rising to 9.4 days per employee, or 4.1% of working time lost. This represents an increase of 1.6 days compared with 2023, which itself was a record high. When absence rates are already at their peak, the additional pressures of the holiday season compound an already challenging situation. 

1. Seasonal illness (45%) 

Nearly half of safety managers identify seasonal illness as the top holiday hazard, and the figures are the same in North America too. Cold and flu season coincides with the busiest time of year for many businesses. When workers get sick not only does it impact their own well-being, but it can also spread throughout your workforce, creating staffing shortages at the worst possible time. 

With the UK set to see one of the worst flu surges in the past decade this winter, now is the time to implement preventative measures. Examples of preventative measures include; encouraging sick workers to stay home, providing hand sanitiser stations throughout the workplace, and making sure work areas have adequate ventilation. Consider offering flu vaccinations to your team as part of your proactive health and safety programme. 

2. Fatigue from workload and long hours (38%) 

The holiday rush means extended hours and increased workloads for many workers. Fatigue impairs judgment, slows reaction times, and significantly increases the risk of accidents. Workers operating machinery, driving vehicles, or performing physically demanding tasks are particularly vulnerable when exhausted. Fatigue is estimated to cost the UK up to £240 million per year in work accidents alone! 

Employers should enforce reasonable shift lengths and break schedules, monitor working hours closely, and consider extra staffing for busy periods. Even simple measures like enforcing break periods, rotating high-intensity tasks, or providing rest areas can help to recharge fatigued teams and reduce the chance of mistakes. EHS software makes it easy to track hours worked and identify employees who may be approaching dangerous fatigue levels before an incident occurs. 

3. Weather-related hazards (38%) 

Cold, wind, snow, and ice create serious safety challenges during the winter months. Slips, trips, and falls increase dramatically when ice and snow are present. Workers who spend time outdoors face risks of hypothermia and frostbite, while those traveling between sites contend with hazardous driving conditions. 

Regular safety inspections of walkways, parking areas, and work sites are essential. Ensure proper de-icing procedures are in place, provide appropriate cold-weather gear (e.g. insulated boots or thermal gloves), and update your risk assessment to account for changing weather conditions throughout the season. For field crews, have emergency winter kits (blankets, shovels, ice melt) on hand, and monitor weather forecasts so that severe conditions can be managed or work paused. 

4. Stress and pressure to meet deadlines (34%) 

The pressure to complete projects before year-end or meet increased customer demand creates a stressful environment. When workers feel rushed, they’re more likely to take shortcuts or overlook safety procedures. Stress also takes a toll on mental health, contributing to decreased focus and poor decision-making. 

The impact goes far beyond immediate safety concerns. When stress impacts mental wellbeing, it becomes one of the leading drivers of workforce absence, particularly extended absences lasting a month or longer. During the holiday season, when staffing is already stretched thin, losing team members to stress-related health issues can create a domino effect that puts additional pressure on remaining workers. 

Supporting your team’s mental wellbeing during this high-pressure period isn’t just compassionate, it’s a critical safety measure. Our research shows that 32% of organisations now offer mental health support as a common safety practice during the holidays. 

3. Current holiday safety practices

The good news is that safety managers are taking action to address the seasonal risks that they are facing. The most common practices include: 

• Weekly team briefings (32%): Regular communication keeps safety top of mind and allows teams to discuss emerging concerns. 
• Mental health support (32%): Providing resources and assistance to help workers manage stress and maintain wellbeing during demanding periods. 
• Regular equipment checks (30%): Ensuring all tools and machinery are functioning properly before they’re needed most. 

However, there’s significant room for improvement. Worryingly, 11% of organisations report taking no additional safety measures during the holidays despite the increased risks. When it comes to health and safety software solutions, only half of organisations have implemented training and development programmes. This is a gap that leaves workers vulnerable during the busiest time of the year. 

4. Software solutions for holiday safety

Technology plays a crucial role in managing holiday hazards effectively. The top three software solutions identified to help during the holidays are: 

• Training and learning (41%): Ensuring workers are properly prepared for seasonal challenges.
• Safety inspections (40%): Systematically identifying and addressing hazards before they cause incidents. 
• Hazard and risk assessment (39%): Proactively evaluating risks and implementing controls. 

EcoOnline’s EHS software addresses all these needs with an easy-to-use solution. With solutions including incident management, audit and inspections, risk management, emergency response, and control of work, you can eliminate manual processes and uncover hidden risks that might otherwise go unnoticed during the holiday rush. 

5. The investment in holiday safety 

Organisations are recognising the importance of holiday safety, with 67% increasing spending on health and safety protocols during the holiday period. This investment makes sense when you consider the broader picture: in 2023/2024 alone, over 61,000 employee injuries were reported under RIDDOR, resulting in 33.7 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury. The financial impact is staggering, with workplace incidents costing an estimated £21.6 billion annually (2022/2023). 

Beyond these sobering statistics, incidents lead to operational downtime, potential regulatory fines, increased insurance premiums, and most importantly, harm to your people. During the holiday season when these risks intensify, the case for proactive investment in safety becomes even stronger. 

By spending less time collecting and entering data into an EHS system and more time in the field, safety managers can be where they’re needed most. Health and safety software automatically feeds your safety data into user-friendly dashboards, allowing you to spot emerging trends quickly and take corrective action before incidents occur. 

6. Final thoughts 

Looking ahead, safety managers are embracing new technologies to make their programmes more robust: 

• Artificial intelligence (39%): AI-powered tools can analyse patterns and predict potential incidents before they happen. 
• Mobile safety apps (37%): Enable real-time reporting and communication, critical during busy holiday periods. 
• Safety cameras with analytics (36%): Provide continuous monitoring and automated alerts for unsafe conditions. 

EcoOnline integrates these technologies into a suite of dedicated solutions, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of safety challenges. Our EHS software is designed to work across multiple languages and organisational needs, making it truly scalable for global businesses and enterprises. 

7. Taking action this holiday season 

While the data shows that the holidays present unique safety challenges, it doesn’t have to mean increased incidents. With proper planning, the right tools, and a proactive approach, you can keep your workforce safe during the busiest periods.