As organisations set their safety priorities for 2026, one question deserves attention before any other. The latest Verdantix research on "Best practices: New approaches to SIF prevention" makes it clear that most high-risk industries stand at a crossroads. Despite years of effort and investment, serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) have not decreased as much as they were expected to.

Many organisations have been tracking incidents, reporting numbers, and analysing outcomes for decades, yet they are still missing the signals hiding in their data.

Verdantix highlights a turning point in smarter use of data, supported by AI and analytics, to uncover what traditional systems overlook. We were pleased to see COMET Signals, our AI Data Analytics solution, recognised among the technologies already demonstrating that shift in action. COMET Signals uses machine learning to make sense of unstructured safety data and highlight early indicators before an event occurs.

This kind of innovation is what we have been driving at COMET, because SIF prevention starts long before an incident reaches the reportable stage.

The problem with hindsight

In our years of investigating incidents, one pattern has never changed. Most serious events give plenty of warning signs, but they are scattered across systems, spreadsheets, and conversations that never connect. The lessons are there, but they stay hidden. That is why so many organisations still find themselves learning the same lesson twice or more times.

Verdantix points out that underused data, weak knowledge sharing, and fragmented systems keep firms reactive. Too often, investigations focus on the outcome rather than the chain of signals that led there. Human judgement remains the foundation of every strong safety decision. What changes now is how much visibility and clarity technology can provide.

Used well, AI enhances experience instead of replacing it.

From data to decisions

At COMET, we have seen how structured analysis can influence how teams think about risk. The introduction of COMET Signals came from a simple frustration. Too much valuable information was being lost in text fields, reports, and emails. By using machine learning to surface recurring themes and highlight emerging risk patterns, organisations can now see connections between seemingly unrelated incidents. It is the difference between asking “what happened?” and “what might be developing beneath the surface right now?”

This is where the Verdantix findings align closely with what we see in our world. AI is most effective when it is domain specific, designed around the real-world context of EHS. Generic models do not understand the nuance of safety data. COMET Signals was built by investigators, not technologists alone, which means it is grounded in the realities of root cause thinking. Data science is powerful, but it needs direction. It needs context. That is what makes it meaningful.

If you would like to explore how AI is already transforming EHS data into actionable insight, read some of our content on HSE Analytics.

Investigation as the foundation for prevention

While technology like COMET Signals helps organisations identify early warning signs, prevention still starts with how we investigate. The COMET Investigations and RCA software has long been the foundation for structured learning across industries, giving teams the method, consistency, and shared language they need to uncover systemic causes.

Verdantix’s research stresses that poor knowledge sharing and underutilised data limit progress on SIF prevention. That is exactly what structured RCA addresses. Instead of fragmented findings, COMET ensures that every investigation contributes to a single evolving knowledge base. The methodology captures context, contributing factors, and preventive actions in a way that is repeatable and transparent.

When RCA insights are paired with the early risk detection capabilities of COMET Signals, the result is a continuous improvement loop. Issues are not only resolved faster but recognised earlier. It is the combination of deep human investigation with intelligent pattern recognition that gives organisations the edge in preventing serious incidents before they occur.

Building a culture that learns faster

Technology is only one part of the story. Verdantix often emphasises that culture and leadership still make or break SIF prevention. You can have the best analytics platform in the world, but if teams do not feel safe to report near misses or raise concerns, the data will never tell the full story.

What we have found is that once people see data working for them, showing patterns, closing feedback loops, and preventing incidents, confidence grows. Reporting becomes proactive rather than reactive. That is when culture starts to change from compliance driven to learning driven.

As we often tell COMET users, the smartest systems do not replace people; they make their judgment sharper and their actions data-driven.

What the research tells us about progress

Verdantix’s reference to COMET Signals highlights a wider movement taking place across safety-critical sectors. The conversation is changing from “how many incidents happened” to “why do they keep happening.”

The next few years will belong to organisations that can combine human expertise with intelligent data interpretation to anticipate risk. That is not the future, it is already happening.

This recognition builds on previous Verdantix analysis highlighting COMET’s role in shaping AI-driven safety intelligence. As Chris Sayers, AI Applied Senior Manager, commented on COMET’s mention in an earlier report:

“As the digital landscape evolves, the HSE field is witnessing a transformation driven by the accelerating integration of Artificial Intelligence. Complexities of Health, Safety, and Environmental management, the increasing importance of AI, exemplified by solutions like COMET as mentioned in the report, emerges as a transformative force. AI has the potential to streamline processes, enhances predictive capabilities, and empowers organisations to achieve new heights in safety and compliance."

His words capture a broader shift within HSE, where technology is being seen as an enabler of insight rather than a replacement for expertise. When applied with purpose, AI helps organisations interpret their data, respond with clarity, and improve safety outcomes over time.

Another recent Verdantix report, AI Applied Radar: AI Applied to Safety Management report reinforces this direction. In their assessment of emerging AI use cases, COMET is noted for how COMET Signals applies machine learning to large volumes of unstructured safety data to help identify hidden causal patterns within our RCA taxonomy, supporting more consistent and informed decision making.

What really resonates with us is Verdantix’s emphasis on pairing AI generated insight with expert oversight. That aligns closely with how we design our tools. AI supports the investigative process, but it is the combination of structured methodology and practitioner judgement that turns early signals into meaningful prevention.

For those leading safety transformation in their organisations, Verdantix’s latest research provides a comprehensive look at how EHS leaders are using technology, analytics, and culture change to tackle one of the toughest challenges in our field, preventing serious injuries and fatalities before they occur.

Read the full AI Applied Radar report

Download the “Best Practices: New Approaches to SIF Prevention” report

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Other Verdantix features

This is not the first time COMET has been recognised by Verdantix:

• SIF Intelligence: Critical Information To Keep Your Workers Safe

“Advanced solutions such as COMET Signals leverage ML to detect trends and supply early warnings, though predictive risk analysis still faces challenges around data integration and scalability.” Read here

• Future Of AI-Enabled EHS Software Solutions

Under section: Increasingly sophisticated AI models to enhance predictive and prescriptive analytics. Read here

• Tech Roadmap EHS Technologies (2025)

This report clarifies the business value, pace of innovation and maturity of 43 EHS technologies. Verdantix conducted a fact-based assessment of the maturity, innovation, future prospects and business value of each solution. Read here

• AI in EHSQ: How Are Vendors Influencing The Market?

We were mentioned in the EHS data management category, with Verdantix saying, “Take Aberdeen-headquartered risk control and assurance software provider COMET, whose AI tool COMET Signals deploys machine learning on unstructured EHSQ data to map common fields and attributes to a consistent taxonomy, assisting in data aggregation.” Read here

• Benchmarking Safety Management: COMET Featured in Verdantix's Buyer's Guide. Read here

• We were featured in the report "Strategic Focus: AI And The Revolution Of EHS Compliance," highlighting our AI-driven capabilities in incident analysis and data aggregation. Check out a blog we wrote about this. Read here

• Verdantix's "Market Insight: 10 Predictions For EHS Technology In 2024 And Beyond" recognised COMET as a key player in integrating AI within EHS management platforms. Read here

• Additionally, Verdantix also recognised our collaboration with Peterson Energy Logistics. In their report, "Market Overview: The EHS Software Partnership Ecosystem," our partnership is referenced among some of the most successful in the EHS market. Read here