Hainsworth was awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Tribology Bronze Medal in 1995, the Rosenhain Medal of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining in 2008, and was nominated as one of the Women's Engineering Society's Outstanding Technical Women in 2009. In 2015, she received the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Engineering Sciences Section Andrew H. Payne Jr. Special Achievement Award in recognition of her contributions to forensic engineering sciences. In 2016 she was elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering. She was awarded an OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to engineering and to forensic science.
