OHS Survey Template - Free 10-Question Workplace Safety Questionnaire

Why you need an OHS survey

The EU Framework Directive 89/391/EEC (Article 11) requires employers to consult workers on matters of health and safety. ISO 45001, clause 5.4, reinforces the same principle: without worker participation, an occupational health and safety management system is just paperwork.

In practice, most companies run a paper survey once a year - or skip it entirely. The result is predictable: safety committee meetings become a formality, and real risks remain invisible. This template gives you a starting point - 10 questions with specific regulatory references that you can adapt for your industry.

OHS survey template - 10 questions

Below are 10 questions suitable for most organizations. Each includes its regulatory basis and an explanation of why it matters.

1. How would you rate the overall working conditions at your workplace? (1-5 scale) - Basis: EU Directive 89/391/EEC, Art. 6 (general obligations). This question captures the subjective perception of safety. When the average score drops below 3, it signals a systemic issue that deserves attention at the next safety committee meeting.
2. Do you have access to the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE)? - Basis: EU Directive 89/656/EEC (PPE Directive). Lack of access is the most common reason for not using PPE. This question distinguishes between "not available" and "available but not used."
3. Is the quality of provided PPE adequate for your work? - Basis: EU Directive 89/656/EEC. Even when PPE is available, outdated or low-quality equipment fails to protect. Low scores here mean the PPE budget needs review.
4. Do you know the procedure in case of a workplace incident? - Basis: ISO 45001, clause 8.2 (emergency preparedness). If more than 20% of employees answer "no," training is not achieving its goal. A critical indicator of emergency readiness.
5. Are OHS training sessions useful for your daily work? - Basis: EU Directive 89/391/EEC, Art. 12 (worker training). Tick-the-box training is a widespread practice. This question measures whether training actually changes behavior on the shop floor.
6. Do you report hazardous situations or "near misses"? - Basis: ISO 45001, clause 5.4 (worker participation). A reporting culture is a key indicator of safety system maturity. If people stay silent about near misses, the next time it may not be "near."
7. Does management respond promptly when you report a safety concern? - Basis: ISO 45001, clause 5.1 (leadership and commitment). If employees see their reports disappear into a void, they stop reporting. This question measures trust in the system.
8. Is your workplace clean and well-organized? - Basis: EU Directive 89/654/EEC (workplace requirements). Housekeeping is basic but often neglected. Low scores here correlate with higher incident risk across industries.
9. Do you know who your safety representative is? - Basis: EU Directive 89/391/EEC, Art. 11 (worker consultation). If workers do not know their representative, the participation mechanism exists only on paper. A widespread "no" means the committee structure needs better communication.
10. What would you improve about working conditions? (free text) - Basis: EU Directive 89/391/EEC, Art. 11 (right to consultation). An open-ended question catches issues that structured questions miss. Often the most valuable signals come from here.

How to use this template

Step 1: Adapt the questions for your industry

A manufacturing plant and an IT office face different risks. Replace or supplement questions to cover the specific hazards of your sector - noise, chemicals, ergonomics, psychosocial factors.

Step 2: Choose a survey method

Paper forms, online survey, or QR code - pick a method that all employees can access. If part of your team works on-site without a computer, a QR code scanned with a phone is the most practical option.

Step 3: Guarantee anonymity

Without anonymity, responses are unreliable. Employees will not report real problems if they fear consequences. Clearly explain how anonymity is ensured before launching the survey.

Step 4: Analyze and present to the safety committee

Collect results, identify the top 3 problem areas, and include them in the agenda for the next meeting. Without analysis, the survey is a waste of time for everyone involved.

Step 5: Plan corrective actions

Every action must have a specific owner and deadline. "We will improve PPE" is not an action. "John Smith will evaluate glove options by April 15" is an action. Document everything in the committee minutes.

Paper vs. digital surveys

Paper surveys have one advantage - simplicity. But the drawbacks are significant: manual data entry, inability to track trends over time, questionable anonymity (handwriting gives people away), and lost forms.

Digital surveys solve these problems: results arrive in real time, automatic reports are generated, and trends are tracked month over month. Anonymity is guaranteed technically, not by promises.

See how the digital OHS survey by kazva.bg works in practice.

Regulatory framework

The questions in this template are based on the following regulations:

• EU Framework Directive 89/391/EEC (Art. 6, 11, 12) - general obligations for employer-worker consultation on health and safety matters.
• EU Directive 89/656/EEC - minimum requirements for the provision and use of personal protective equipment.
• EU Directive 89/654/EEC - minimum safety and health requirements for the workplace.
• ISO 45001 (clauses 5.1, 5.4, 8.2) - international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, with emphasis on worker participation and emergency preparedness.

For EU member states, these directives are transposed into national law. For example, in Bulgaria: ЗЗБУТ (Health and Safety Act, Art. 26-31), Наредба 3/2001 (PPE), Наредба 4/1998 (training), and Наредба 5/1999 (risk assessment). Check your country's transposition for local specifics.

Learn more about employee surveys and how they fit into your OHS management system.