Accidents happen. In the manufacturing industry, one accident or incident can lead to long lasting injury impacting not only the worker, but the business itself. The 2024 Travelers Injury Report identified that roughly 35% of workplace injuries occur during a worker’s first year on the job, resulting in more than 6 million missed workdays. Out of those industries included in the report, 30% of all manufacturing injuries were to first-year employees.
Rich Ives, senior vice president of business insurance claim at Travelers, says factors such as inexperience, workforce shortages and maintenance issues contribute to these unfortunate, and often avoidable, accidents. And while the number of injuries overall has been trending downward in recent years, analysis shows that there’s never been a better time for businesses to invest in workplace safety and injury prevention.
The average number of days reportedly missed due to workplace injuries in manufacturing is around 67, proving workplace injury isn't something that's always easily moved past. Chris Hayes, assistant vice president of workers compensation and transportation, risk control, at Travelers, says, "There are tangible consequences to any injury, and many include long-term, sometimes permanent, effects. By understanding where the risks were in the past, businesses can better identify what to look for and tailor their risk management and employee safety strategies accordingly to help prevent injuries from happening.”
According to Travelers, the most common causes of injury across all manufacturing employees include:
- Overexertion- 34%
- Slips, trips and falls- 16%
- Being struck by an object- 10%
- Repetitive motion- 8%
- Caught-in or caught-between hazards- 7%
Taking a proactive approach to worker safety in manufacturing proves beneficial to the business as a whole and promotes a stronger workplace for employees. In an era continuously plagued by labor shortages and an industry easily fraught with safety concerns, crafting risk management strategies with consideration on workplace injury can improve the future for manufacturing.
