diff --git a/cmd/kgo-verifier/main.go b/cmd/kgo-verifier/main.go
index 0ec1290..4fbf950 100644
--- a/cmd/kgo-verifier/main.go
+++ b/cmd/kgo-verifier/main.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
@@ -103,6 +104,79 @@ func makeWorkerConfig() worker.WorkerConfig {
 	return c
 }
 
+type workersGroup struct {
+	workers []worker.Worker
+	ready   bool
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+}
+
+func (w *workersGroup) Add(worker worker.Worker) {
+	w.mu.Lock()
+	defer w.mu.Unlock()
+	w.workers = append(w.workers, worker)
+}
+
+func (w *workersGroup) SetReady() {
+	w.mu.Lock()
+	defer w.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if len(w.workers) == 0 {
+		util.Die("No workers added to the group, cannot set ready")
+	}
+
+	if w.ready {
+		util.Die("Workers group is already marked as ready")
+	}
+
+	w.ready = true
+}
+
+func (w *workersGroup) StatusJson() ([]byte, error) {
+	if !w.ready {
+		return nil, errors.New("workers group is not marked as ready yet")
+	}
+
+	var results []interface{}
+	var locks []*sync.Mutex
+	for _, v := range w.workers {
+		status, lock := v.GetStatus()
+		results = append(results, status)
+		locks = append(locks, lock)
+	}
+
+	for _, lock := range locks {
+		lock.Lock()
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		for _, lock := range locks {
+			lock.Unlock()
+		}
+	}()
+
+	serialized, err := json.MarshalIndent(results, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to serialize worker status: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return serialized, nil
+}
+
+func (w *workersGroup) ResetStats() error {
+	w.mu.Lock()
+	defer w.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if !w.ready {
+		return errors.New("workers group is not marked as ready yet")
+	}
+
+	for _, worker := range w.workers {
+		worker.ResetStats()
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -155,39 +229,23 @@ func main() {
 	nPartitions := int32(len(t.Partitions))
 	log.Debugf("Targeting topic %s with %d partitions", *topic, nPartitions)
 
-	var workers []worker.Worker
+	var workers workersGroup
 
 	mux := http.NewServeMux()
 	mux.HandleFunc("/status", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		var results []interface{}
-		var locks []*sync.Mutex
-		for _, v := range workers {
-			status, lock := v.GetStatus()
-			results = append(results, status)
-			locks = append(locks, lock)
-		}
-
-		for _, lock := range locks {
-			lock.Lock()
-		}
-
-		serialized, err := json.MarshalIndent(results, "", "  ")
-
-		for _, lock := range locks {
-			lock.Unlock()
+		serialized, err := workers.StatusJson()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Failed to serialize worker status: %v", err)
+			http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Failed to serialize worker status: %v", err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+			return
 		}
-
-		util.Chk(err, "Status serialization error")
-
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
 		w.Write(serialized)
 	})
 
 	mux.HandleFunc("/reset", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		log.Info("Remote request /reset")
-		for _, v := range workers {
-			v.ResetStats()
-		}
+		workers.ResetStats()
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
 	})
 
@@ -259,7 +317,8 @@ func main() {
 			pw.EnableTransactions(tconfig)
 		}
 
-		workers = append(workers, &pw)
+		workers.Add(&pw)
+		workers.SetReady()
 		waitErr := pw.Wait()
 		util.Chk(err, "Producer error: %v", waitErr)
 		log.Info("Finished producer.")
@@ -268,7 +327,8 @@ func main() {
 			makeWorkerConfig(), "sequential", nPartitions, *seqConsumeCount,
 			(*consumeTputMb)*1024*1024,
 		), verifier.NewValidatorStatus(*compacted, *validateLatestValues, *topic, nPartitions))
-		workers = append(workers, &srw)
+		workers.Add(&srw)
+		workers.SetReady()
 
 		for loopState.Next() {
 			log.Info("Starting sequential read pass")
@@ -288,8 +348,9 @@ func main() {
 			)
 			worker := verifier.NewRandomReadWorker(workerCfg, verifier.NewValidatorStatus(*compacted, *validateLatestValues, *topic, nPartitions))
 			randomWorkers = append(randomWorkers, &worker)
-			workers = append(workers, &worker)
+			workers.Add(&worker)
 		}
+		workers.SetReady()
 
 		for loopState.Next() {
 			for _, w := range randomWorkers {
@@ -316,7 +377,8 @@ func main() {
 			verifier.NewGroupReadConfig(
 				makeWorkerConfig(), *cgName, nPartitions, *cgReaders,
 				*seqConsumeCount, (*consumeTputMb)*1024*1024), verifier.NewValidatorStatus(*compacted, *validateLatestValues, *topic, nPartitions))
-		workers = append(workers, &grw)
+		workers.Add(&grw)
+		workers.SetReady()
 
 		for loopState.Next() {
 			log.Info("Starting group read pass")