When an urgent service call runs into the evening, getting the job done is only part of what an employee still faces. There is also the drive home, when often along a familiar route could feel more demanding after several unexpected hours of work. An employee who started the day well rested may need a different travel plan by the time the work is finished, and employers can strengthen drowsy driving prevention by making room for that conversation before the keys turn in the ignition.

. ��helps bring attention to a risk that could follow employees beyond the jobsite, production floor, or a customer’s door. This annual campaign encourages people to prioritize sleep and drive well-rested. For commercial businesses, prevention begins within the workday, as well as schedules that allow for rest, realistic travel expectations, and supervisors who are prepared to help when an employee is too tired to drive safely.

“Fatigue management is more than reminding employees to get enough sleep. It requires employers to evaluate workloads, scheduling practices, and travel expectations,” said Chadwick Holliman, Senior Risk Management Consultant at 91������.

“When employees feel comfortable reporting fatigue and supervisors have the authority to respond, organizations are in a much better position to prevent incidents before they happen.”

When the Workday Follows You Home

Fatigue often builds gradually, making the effects easy to underestimate. A commercial driver may feel capable of finishing a familiar route, even as attention narrows and reactions slow.

Recent research shows that . An employee who wakes up early, works a full day, then stays late to finish an assignment may have been awake far longer than the shift itself suggests.

And this exposure reaches beyond an employee whose primary job is driving. Service technicians, construction supervisors and healthcare employees may begin a trip home after a demanding day. Workers on rotating or overnight shifts, commercial vehicle operators, and emergency responders frequently face additional scheduling challenges, as make fatigue harder to manage when recovery time is limited.

Lack of sleep is only part of the picture. Poor-quality sleep, stress, extended work hours and sleep disorders can also contribute to .

Timing matters, too. , when the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle brings a dip in alertness. Those periods could coincide with an early departure, a shift change, or the final trip between locations.

A Few Seconds and a Significant Distance

One of fatigue’s most dangerous effects is how briefly a driver might lose awareness, and how far the vehicle travels in that time. A severely sleep-deprived driver may experience a “microsleep” lasting four or five seconds. At 55 mph, that means . Coffee or energy drinks could create a temporary feeling of alertness without preventing these sometimes significant lapses.

Warning signs also appear before a driver nods off. may signal that fatigue is affecting performance. For example, lane drifting or hitting a rumble strip could each be an early warning sign. Drivers should understand that difficulty in staying alert is a reason to stop driving in a safe location and seek an alternative, and that adequate rest remains the foundation of prevention; a demanding schedule needs to leave room for it.

Always be sure to take into consideration the return trip when estimating how much time an assignment will require, and reassess the travel plan if the work happens to run late. That conversation is much easier while a driver is still on site, and a supervisor can help arrange another, safer option.

Strengthen the Plan Before Departure

Consider a technician whose repair extends well beyond the expected finish. Rather than leaving the employee to decide alone whether to make the drive home, a supervisor should check-in about fatigue and discuss a potentially safer alternative. Depending on the circumstances, that might mean arranging a rested driver or finding alternate overnight accommodations.

Those options need to be workable before someone asks for assistance. When reviewing assignments, account for the time employees will spend traveling, as well as the hours they will work. If an urgent call extends the day, the return trip deserves another look along with the schedule.

Planning for absences can also reduce the need to keep extending the same employees’ shifts. should be supported by sleep-health training that helps people recognize when fatigue is affecting them. During extended work, regularly scheduled rest breaks and opportunities for planned naps support that effort, while adequate sleep remains essential.

For drivers covered by , monitor compliance with applicable driving and rest requirements. Employees also need to know who to call if they become too tired to continue, and supervisors need the authority to arrange a safe response.

Connect the Signals

A helps a business examine how work schedules and employee reports relate to incidents or near misses. A recurring concern on the same route, for example, may prompt a closer look at the hours required to complete it and whether the assignment leaves enough time for recovery.

can contribute to that review by revealing possible signs of fatigue. Wearables, including instrumented wristbands and glasses, are another option to evaluate, with attention to whether the tool suits the work and how the information be might used.

Before introducing telematics, be sure to explain the purpose to employees and establish who will review subsequent alerts. The entire team needs to understand what happens when a concern appears, so information leads to sustained support while there is still time to act.

��

Speaking Up

When an employee reports being too tired to drive, the response from safety management might affect whether that person feels comfortable raising the concern again. Arranging a safe next step should be followed by a conversation about what contributed to the situation, with the employee involved in finding a solution. helps make that process useful. If a route regularly takes longer than planned, review the assignment with the people driving it, and explain what will change and how.

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week offers an opportunity to practice that response before it is needed. Walk supervisors and employees through a late assignment followed by a report of fatigue, then work out how another travel arrangement would be approved. If the discussion exposes a gap, address it while the team has time to prepare.

Carrying Safety Through

By the end of a demanding day, an employee should know that asking for help with the drive home will receive a practical response. That confidence grows when schedules allow for rest and supervisors are prepared to adjust plans as work changes. 91������’s Risk Management team works alongside agency partners and policyholders to examine exposures and explore ways to make safer travel part of every workday.

And for more information, resources from the and the help keep the conversation going beyond the annual campaign.

On an active construction site, mobile equipment rarely operates in isolation. Trucks back into position. Loaders move materials. Cranes lift overhead. Workers on foot move between tasks—sometimes only feet away from equipment weighing thousands of pounds.

That proximity makes mobile equipment safety a shared responsibility.

The risk becomes particularly important when workers on foot enter areas where an equipment operator’s visibility is limited.

Preventing these incidents requires more than knowing how to operate a piece of equipment. It requires planning how equipment and people will move around one another, understanding blind spots and maintaining clear communication throughout each task.

“Mobile equipment safety really starts before the equipment moves,” said Todd Bernardoni, Risk Management Expertise Specialist at 91������.

“When operators and workers on foot understand the travel path, the blind spots and how they’re going to communicate, they can address those exposures before everyone is in motion.”

Build Mobile Safety Into the Plan

Developing, implementing and enforcing safety programs focused on struck-by hazards can help prevent injuries. Operators should be appropriately trained, not only to operate equipment safely, but also to understand the limitations and inherent hazards of working around nearby employees.

Workers on the ground need that same awareness. Training should address appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), situational awareness, equipment travel paths and the blind spots created by different types of vehicles and equipment.

Those blind areas can be significant. , noting that limited visibility contributes to struck-by incidents. Its equipment-specific diagrams show what an operator can see at ground level and at heights representing common objects and workers.

The goal is to make safe movement around mobile equipment part of the work itself, and not leave workers to react to hazards in the moment.

Workers on Foot: Stay Visible, Stay Connected

Workers on the ground share responsibility for maintaining mobile equipment safety.

1. Always wear high-visibility apparel.
2. Separate people and equipment where possible. During preconstruction planning and development of site-specific safety plans, consider designated mobile-equipment and pedestrian paths to reduce exposure.
3. Know the blind spots. Understand the unique blind areas of the equipment and vehicles operating nearby, and stay clear of those areas.
4. Stay clear of suspended loads and attachments.
5. Stay where the operator can see you. Position yourself so you can see the operator through the equipment’s windows or side/rear-view mirrors.
6. Communicate before approaching. Use established communication signals and verify that the operator sees you. Do not approach until the operator acknowledges you.
7. Know the travel path. Stay clear of equipment routes whenever possible and remain alert to equipment operating or backing in the area.

Creating physical distance between workers and equipment is one way to reduce that exposure. , providing enough space to safely turn and operate equipment, and designating loading and unloading zones to help keep uninvolved workers out of those areas.

“Never assume an operator sees you just because you can see the equipment,” Bernardoni said. “Know where the blind spots are, make sure communication has been established and get acknowledgment from the operator before you enter the equipment’s work area.”

Operators: Know What—and Who—Is Around You

For operators, that responsibility begins before the equipment moves.

• COMPLETE required training and qualifications for the equipment being operated.
• INSPECT equipment before the start of each shift.
• ADJUST mirrors and visibility aids before operation begins.
• CONFIRM workers are clear before starting or moving equipment.
• ACKNOWLEDGE workers who signal or alert you and allow safe passage.
• FOLLOW equipment-specific procedures for parking, securing and exiting equipment.

Keep People in View

Backup cameras and proximity alerts can help operators recognize hazards around their equipment, adding another layer of awareness on a busy jobsite. Using those tools effectively means understanding their limits. Operators should pair the information on a screen with direct observation and mirror checks to confirm that workers are clear of the travel path. During backing or other movements with limited visibility, spotters and established communication procedures can help operators account for what they cannot see.

notes that camera placement affects what an operator can see and that large vehicles may need several cameras to cover blind areas. It also advises drivers to stop backing immediately if they lose sight of their spotter — a reminder that technology and communication work together to support safe movement.

Understanding what an operator cannot see is just as important as knowing what is directly in view. found its blind-area diagrams could serve as a valuable training resource, helping drivers and road crews identify areas around equipment that may be outside an operator’s view.

For employers looking to make that training specific to the equipment on a particular jobsite, NIOSH also provides a .

��

Loading and Unloading

Loading and unloading can create significant struck-by hazards. Operators may be focused on moving equipment or materials safely without damaging the load, while delivery drivers and ground workers move within the same work area.

Because crews may perform these tasks every day, the activity can begin to feel routine. Taking a few minutes to establish where people will stand, how the load will move and who is controlling the activity helps keep attention on the people working around the load as well as the materials being moved.

A formalized work process can help put that coordination into practice:

• Coordinate with delivery drivers. Ask drivers to wait to retrieve cargo-securement devices until materials have been unloaded.
• Establish safe positions. Make sure the equipment operator, delivery driver and other ground workers know where people should stand during loading and unloading—and remain in those designated areas.
• Control high-traffic areas. When necessary, position a worker safely outside the activity to monitor the area and help keep other employees clear, particularly when backing is involved.
• Create adequate clearance. The wider the load, the more distance may be necessary if materials shift, swing, fall or become snagged.
• Secure equipment before workers approach. Follow appropriate shutdown and parking procedures before a delivery driver begins securing equipment to a trailer.

Planning before the first load arrives can help bring greater order to an activity with multiple moving parts. reinforces that approach, including establishing pedestrian routes away from primary vehicle routes and using internal traffic control plans to help separate construction traffic from pedestrians.

Make Every Movement Count

Mobile equipment will always bring movement to a jobsite. The opportunity is to make every movement deliberate. Clear traffic patterns, trained operators, visible workers and consistent communication can help crews anticipate one another’s movements.

That environment rarely stays the same for long. Work areas shift. New deliveries arrive. Crews change throughout a project. Maintaining safety requires the same attention and coordination later in the day as during the morning safety briefing.

“A jobsite can look very different at the end of a shift than it did at the beginning,” Bernardoni said. “That’s why situational awareness can’t be a one-time conversation. As the work changes, crews need to keep communicating, reassessing the exposure and making adjustments.”

91������ Risk Management Consultants work alongside policyholders to identify real-world jobsite exposures and develop practical strategies that help employees work safely around mobile equipment. Visit our Risk Management page to learn more about our expertise, resources and support.

Construction is work in motion. Materials arrive. Packaging comes off. Lumber is cut. Tools and cords move from one task to the next. As a project takes shape, so does something less noticeable: the debris, scrap and clutter left behind along the way. What happens to those materials matters.

Good construction housekeeping is more than keeping a jobsite looking clean. It can help maintain clear work areas, improve access to tools and materials, and reduce everyday hazards that can interrupt the work or put employees at risk.

The numbers help put that exposure into perspective. . Construction workers also experienced 44% of all nonfatal slips, trips and falls that year.

Federal requirements reinforce the importance of managing jobsite hazards. . Combustible scrap and debris must be removed at regular intervals, and containers must be provided for collecting and separating waste.

For Sean Yakicic, Risk Management Expertise Specialist at 91������, the condition of a jobsite can say a great deal about how the work itself is being managed.

“Housekeeping is one of those things you can see as soon as you walk onto a jobsite,” Yakicic said. “When materials have a place, access points are clear and debris is being managed as the work progresses, it shows that safety is being considered as part of the operation—not just at the end of the day.”

Keep the Path to the Work Clear

A piece of scrap lumber may seem insignificant until it ends up in a walkway. The same is true of discarded packaging, unused materials or tools left where employees need to move.

As these obstacles accumulate, even routine movements can become more difficult. Workers carrying materials or operating equipment may find themselves navigating around hazards that could have been addressed before the task began

. Storage areas also must be kept free of material accumulations that create tripping, fire, explosion or pest hazards.

The principle extends beyond designated walkways. . This makes housekeeping an ongoing responsibility rather than a task reserved for the end of a shift. As materials are used and work areas change, crews have opportunities to address hazards before they accumulate.

��

Make Housekeeping Part of the Work

Nearly every construction project operates against a schedule. But maintaining a clean site does not have to compete with productivity. Done consistently, housekeeping can support the flow of work.

Consider arriving at a work area where materials are stored intentionally, access routes are open and tools are where crews expect them to be. Employees can focus on the task ahead rather than first moving scrap, searching for equipment or navigating around yesterday’s work.

“A clean jobsite isn’t just about appearances; it’s about preventing accidents before they happen,” said Yakicic. “Good housekeeping turns every step you or someone else takes into a safer one.”

Putting that principle into practice starts with a few consistent habits:

• Clean as work progresses. Remove scrap, packaging and other debris before it accumulates.
• Keep access routes open. Maintain clear aisles, stairs, passageways and work areas.
• Give materials a place. Establish appropriate storage areas so supplies and equipment do not migrate into travel paths.
• Plan for waste. Position dumpsters and waste containers where they are accessible without creating additional exposures.
• Address special waste appropriately. Follow applicable requirements for combustible, flammable or hazardous materials and waste.
• Look ahead. As the project changes, reconsider whether storage areas, waste locations and access routes still make sense.

To help bring these practices into daily safety conversations, crews can use the from . This helpful resource offers practical reminders and discussion questions for identifying hazards and maintaining clear work areas.

Put the Crew in the Conversation

Effective housekeeping also depends on the people who know the jobsite best. Employees performing the work can identify where debris accumulates, materials interfere with access or waste containers could be better positioned.

Including crews in project planning, pre-task discussions and regular safety conversations can help turn those observations into practical improvements. Where should dumpsters or trash containers be located? Which travel paths need particular attention? How will scrap be handled as one trade finishes and another moves into the area?

“The crew sees the jobsite change in real time,” Yakicic said. “Giving employees a voice in how materials, waste and access points are managed can uncover practical improvements that may not be obvious from the original site plan.”

Supervisors can reinforce that process by setting expectations, monitoring conditions and making adjustments as the project evolves.

Build a Cleaner Site Into Every Day

A construction site will never stay perfectly clean; nor should that be the goal. Work creates waste, materials move and conditions change as a project advances. The opportunity is to keep those changes from becoming hazards.

By making housekeeping a shared responsibility throughout the project, construction teams can create an environment that supports safer movement, more efficient work and greater awareness of changing conditions.

91������ Risk Management expert consultants continually work alongside policyholders to identify jobsite exposures and develop practical approaches to construction safety.��

Recently, more than 5,000 people gave of their time to help the Detroit community thrive through annual . Among them were 11 91������ colleagues who spent a day helping tackle blight at vacant properties, contributing to the Michigan-based nonprofit’s neighborhood beautification efforts across the city’s east and west sides.

The work brought colleagues together away from their desks, with a common task and visible results. Eric Austin, Risk Management Expertise Specialist, traveled from Holland, Michigan, to join the efforts. For him, the experience reinforced how giving time and working alongside others can turn a commitment to community into something concrete.

“It’s a great reminder that meaningful change often starts with people simply showing up, working together, and giving their time to make a difference,” Austin said.

Working Together for Detroit

This year, ran from September 28 to October 3, beginning near Anchor Detroit on the east side before moving to the area surrounding the Durfee Innovation Society on the west side. Volunteers removed litter, mowed lawns, cut back overgrown weeds, and swept away debris. Their work left vacant properties better cared for, improving the spaces neighbors and local residents pass every day.

Bringing colleagues together for a day of volunteering took coordination long before cleanup began. Roslin Tyler, Corporate Services Coordinator, organized 91������’s participation and kept everyone connected throughout the process, helping the team make the most of their time in Detroit.

“The best part was seeing everyone come together and get to work,” Tyler said. “There were details to coordinate beforehand but, once we were there, everyone brought their energy and willingness to help that made the day a huge success.”

91������’s contribution was one part of the week’s work, giving colleagues a chance to accomplish something together that would benefit the neighborhood long beyond their volunteer day. The effort came together through the time and hard work of these 91������ colleagues

Eric Austin

Dawn Baltes

Tony Burbank

Alicia Clemons

Rachel Frassetto

Tracie Hendrix

Janika Lile

Makavia McKinnon

Melissa Spinazzola

Tonya Stankov

Roslin Tyler

“Our team worked hard, and it was rewarding to see what we could accomplish together,” said Tony Burbank, Director of Facilities & Corporate Services at 91������.

“Clearing these properties gave us a practical way to contribute, and we were glad to be there alongside others giving their time to support Detroit’s neighborhoods.”

Leaders Investing in Community

That shared commitment was also reflected in remarks from Life Remodeled President and CEO Diallo Smith, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, representatives from the Detroit Pistons and Amazon, and local school leadership. Smith thanked the volunteers and community leaders whose involvement makes the project possible, emphasizing the value of each person’s contribution:

“So this six-day project matters, you matter, and we’re very thankful for you.”

Support took several forms throughout the event. Amazon donated 250 Ring doorbells for seniors and nearby residents, while the Detroit Pistons provided 200 preseason game tickets for Life Remodeled to distribute to residents and community members participating in its neighborhood efforts. These contributions added to the hands-on work happening across the city, bringing different organizations and resources into a common effort.

A Connection That Continues

The annual Six Day Project is part of . The organization repurposes vacant school buildings into opportunity hubs, bringing nonprofit organizations together to provide education, health and wellness, and employment services. Neighborhood beautification gives volunteers a way to participate in that continuing work.

For Austin, the experience connected the camaraderie of a workplace team with a shared commitment to giving back to the community beyond it.

“I’m proud to be part of a team that believes in supporting the communities where we live and work,” he said. “The experience was both humbling and inspiring, and a good reminder that when we come together, even small contributions can have a lasting impact.”

By the end of the day, seven properties were cleared of debris and overgrowth by the 91������ team — a visible result of a collaboration in spaces that are part of everyday life for Detroit residents. For 91������ colleagues, collaboration offers a meaningful way to support one another and their neighbors, and carry forward a commitment that extends beyond any one event.

Explore future volunteer opportunities and other resources at . To learn more about 91������’s history of giving back—and how employee passion becomes community support, visit the 91������ Charitable Foundation��website.

At 9:07 a.m., a sensor fault stops a robotic cell. The maintenance team responds quickly, but the replacement component is proprietary and the vendor is several states away. By noon, upstream material has begun to accumulate. By the end of the shift, downstream production has stalled. The failed part may be small; the interruption is not.

celebrates the ingenuity that keeps American manufacturing moving—and the people, technology and planning behind that progress. As operations become more automated and interconnected, resilience increasingly depends on understanding how those connections work together, especially when something unexpected interrupts them.

In connected manufacturing, a breakdown rarely stays where it begins. As production becomes more automated, the impact of a failure is shaped not only by what stopped, but by every process, person and customer commitment that depended on it. Reliability is no longer simply a measure of equipment performance. It is a measure of how well the entire operation can withstand, and recover from, disruption.

Reliability Is About the Whole System

Investment in robotics continues to reshape the American factory floor. The now investment across manufacturing establishments, reflecting how integral automated equipment has become to modern production. Each installation can improve throughput, precision and consistency. Across an increasingly connected plant, however, it can also create new dependencies that extend far beyond a single machine.

A disruption involving automated equipment may begin with a mechanical component, electrical system, controller, sensor, network connection or integration point. Its impact can move rapidly across connected processes. As federal guidance on operational technology explains, industrial environments increasingly depend on . A machine may be physically sound while a control issue renders it unavailable. One cell may operate as designed while a downstream dependency brings the line to a halt.

That is why a traditional asset list tells only part of the story. Federal guidance recommends developing . Two machines with similar replacement values may have very different operational importance. One may have a manual workaround and interchangeable parts. The other may be a single point of failure with specialized programming, long-lead components and no spare capacity.

“A critical asset is not always the most expensive machine on the floor. It may be the component, control or connection that gives the rest of the operation permission to move,” said Jacki Surguine, Healthcare & Manufacturing Market Segment Strategy Director at 91������. “Understanding those dependencies is where meaningful continuity planning begins.”

Map the Cost of Time

When critical equipment stops, the cost of interruption can grow by the hour. Production loss is only the first layer. Overtime, expedited freight, spoilage, missed customer commitments, contractual obligations and strain on alternate facilities can deepen the impact. Recovery may depend on a vendor’s availability, a programmer’s expertise or a component that is no longer stocked.

Manufacturers can make that exposure visible by tracing the flow of production around critical equipment. FEMA’s recommends using a business-impact analysis to identify the operational and financial effects of a disruption.

Which processes stop immediately? Where can work in process be held safely? What can be rerouted? Which customers, suppliers or locations feel the disruption next? At what point does lost production become difficult to recover within the existing schedule?

Questions like these transform continuity planning from a document into an operational strategy. They can also help manufacturers develop .

Predictive maintenance can help detect changes in vibration, heat, pressure or performance before failure. Yet data alone does not create resilience. Its value depends on whether an alert leads to a clear and timely decision. Alert thresholds, ownership and escalation should be defined before a warning appears. Teams need to know who evaluates the condition, what triggers a shutdown and how immediate production demands will be balanced against equipment risk.

Build an Actionable Recovery Plan

The strongest recovery plans connect technical preparation with clear decision-making. Manufacturers can begin by taking several practical steps:

• IDENTIFY equipment and control systems capable of stopping multiple processes.
• REVIEW original equipment manufacturer (OEM) support, service response times and obsolescence risk.
• MAINTAIN critical spares based on lead time and operational impact—not price alone.
• BACK UP software, parameters and equipment configurations, and test whether they can be restored.
• DOCUMENT manual workarounds and alternate production capacity where feasible.
• PRACTICE critical decisions through a disruption scenario before an actual outage compresses the timeline.

Recovery planning should reach beyond maintenance. Operations, engineering, information technology, finance, safety and leadership each see a different dimension of the potential loss. Bringing those perspectives together reveals how the system behaves as a whole, and where recovery could stall.

Connected Systems Create Shared Responsibility

The connections surrounding automated equipment extend beyond the production line. A manufacturer may purchase equipment from an original equipment manufacturer, hire an integrator to connect it, rely on a software provider for controls and engage contractors for maintenance. Employees operate the finished system, vendors access it, and automated vehicles may move materials around it.

When everything works, the arrangement can feel seamless. When a loss occurs, the boundaries between those roles can become consequential. Who controlled the work? Who approved the change? Which component or decision contributed to the event? Which agreement defines responsibility?

A contractor may enter an active production area to service equipment unfamiliar to plant employees. An integrator may modify a safeguard to improve throughput. A software update may change how equipment responds without changing its physical appearance. An automated guided vehicle may share space with pedestrians, forklifts and temporary workers.

These interactions deserve particular attention. OSHA notes that many robot-related incidents occur during —precisely when employees or contractors may enter a system’s operating space.

The lesson is not to resist automation. It is to define ownership as carefully as the technology itself.

Before installation or modification, manufacturers can clarify who is responsible for design review, safeguarding, commissioning, training, change approval and ongoing maintenance. OSHA recommends that host employers, contractors and staffing agencies exchange hazard information and coordinate their work before operations begin.

Contracts should be reviewed alongside the work being performed—not as a separate administrative exercise after the technical decisions have been made. Certificates, indemnification provisions and insurance requirements matter, but they do not replace coordinated field controls or a shared understanding of how work will be managed.

Preserve the Decisions Behind the Technology

Product liability questions can become more complicated when hardware, embedded software, sensors and outside components operate as one system. A defect allegation may involve the finished product, an incorporated component, a programming decision, installation work or warnings and instructions.

Manufacturers can improve clarity by documenting design decisions, supplier requirements, testing, acceptance criteria and changes over the product life cycle. When questions surface months or years later, traceability can help reconstruct not only what changed, but why.

Disciplined version control matters too. The ability to identify which component, configuration or software release was in use at a particular time can materially shape the response to an incident or allegation.

NIST’s operational-technology guidance identifies as important practices for environments where digital controls interact with physical processes. The same principle applies inside the plant. If a safeguard or control setting changes, the record should explain what changed, why it changed, who approved it and how the revised condition was validated.

The Workforce Is Part of the Connection

Technology may drive an automated system, but people still determine how effectively the operation recognizes trouble and recovers from it. Maintenance technicians, controls specialists, programmers and experienced operators may hold knowledge that is critical to safety and recovery. Workforce turnover in those roles can cost a plant more than capacity. It can lose the context needed to interpret alarms, restore systems and recognize when conditions are beginning to move outside the norm.

emphasizes the importance of educating and training everyone from floor operators to engineers and knowledge workers. Cross-training, succession planning and current procedures help preserve that knowledge and reduce reliance on a single employee, vendor or specialist during a disruption.

Clear expectations for vendors, contractors and other outside specialists are equally important. A vendor’s technical capability should connect to the plant’s safety rules, permit systems, energy-control practices and incident response. When servicing could expose workers to unexpected startup or released energy, OSHA’s provide an essential safety foundation.

“Resilience comes from connecting the people who understand the equipment, the process, the contracts and the ��commitments made to customers,” said Surguine.

“When those perspectives come together before a loss, manufacturers can respond with far more speed and clarity when the unexpected happens.”

Coordinate Risk Without Assuming Coverage

In a connected operation, a single event can have operational, property, workers’ compensation and liability consequences. That does not mean every effect is covered or that one policy responds to every circumstance. Coverage depends on the facts, terms, conditions and exclusions of the applicable policies. It does mean the exposure should be considered across operational, organizational and insurance boundaries before a loss occurs. Manufacturers can work with their agency and insurance partners to describe how systems connect, where critical third parties enter the operation, how contracts allocate responsibility and how one event could develop across people, property and production.

Those conversations are most valuable when they reflect the realities of the plant: the equipment that cannot easily be replaced, the knowledge concentrated in a few people, the vendor relationships that influence recovery and the customer commitments that leave little room for delay.

Automation succeeds through connection; risk management should, too. When operations, maintenance, safety, procurement, legal and insurance partners work from a shared understanding of the operation, manufacturers are better positioned to protect production commitments, preserve customer relationships and sustain the momentum of the business.

Looking Ahead

Discover how 91������’s manufacturing expertise, proactive Risk Management and specialized insurance solutions can help businesses better understand connected exposures, strengthen continuity and keep critical operations moving.

Walk through a modern manufacturing plant and the automation advantage is visible in motion. Robots lift heavy components. Sensors detect subtle changes in heat or vibration. Computer-vision systems inspect products at a speed the human eye cannot match. Together, these technologies can make work more consistent, precise and less physically demanding.

During , that progress offers an opportunity to recognize not only how manufacturing is changing, but the people adapting alongside it. As new technology takes on more of the repetitive, strenuous and precise work, protecting the people who build, maintain and work around these systems remains at the heart of that progress.

But as the work changes, the risk changes with it.

For years, workplace safety has moved in an encouraging direction. , the lowest rate in the current federal series. Employers reported approximately 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses that year, down 3.1% from 2023. Yet contact incidents still accounted for 860,050 cases involving days away from work, job restriction or transfer across 2023 and 2024. The trend is positive, but the numbers also point to a changing challenge: understanding where serious consequences may now be concentrated.

The Automation Advantage Changes the Equation

Industrial automation is already operating at scale. , more than double the level recorded seven years earlier. In the United States, .

That growth can remove employees from repetitive, strenuous or hazardous tasks. , illustrating automation’s potential to improve safety when the technology—and the work surrounding it—is thoughtfully designed and managed.

Yet an automated line can also concentrate activity around sophisticated equipment and tightly connected systems. A routine strain may be prevented when a robot performs the lift. But when an employee enters the system to diagnose a fault or clear a jam, a routine intervention can involve stored energy, unexpected movement and multiple connected components.

Helping employees thrive throughout longer careers starts with understanding how the workforce is changing, and how the work can change with it.

Take a look around your workplace. Are you noticing more co-workers staying on the job later in life? You’re not imagining things. The segment of the workforce age 55 or older continues to grow, driven by increased longevity, later retirement and, for some, a return to work after retirement.

For many employers, that brings a clear advantage: experienced employees contribute years of knowledge, perspective and institutional expertise. It also creates an opportunity to look more closely at workplace safety and health. Age-related physiological changes, including decreased visual acuity and musculoskeletal capability, can affect how work is performed, while recovery may take longer when an older employee is injured.

reinforces an important distinction: older workers tend to experience fewer workplace injuries than younger workers, but when injuries do occur, recovery can take longer and serious outcomes may be more likely.

“An experienced workforce brings tremendous value, but experience should never be expected to compensate for a poorly designed task or an avoidable hazard,” said Ed Sowers, Risk Management Service Specialist at 91������.

“The goal is to build work that allows employees to use that experience safely—with the right controls, the right tools and the right support around them.”

A Workforce That Is Changing

The aging workforce is not a future trend—it is already reshaping the way organizations think about safety, health and job design. show labor force participation among people ages 55 to 64 rising from 66.6% in 2025 to a projected 69.5% in 2035, while participation among workers ages 65 to 74 is projected to rise from 26.7% to 29.1%.

91������’s own experience reflects the presence of this age group in today’s workforce. For policy years 2021 through 2026, across all industries, 91������ recorded 9,314 Workers’ Compensation claims involving employees age 55 or older. reinforces that age itself is not the conclusion: older workers are generally less likely to experience a workplace injury, but injuries that do occur can be more serious.

The opportunity, then, is not to make assumptions about workers based on age. It is to examine whether jobs, environments and safety practices are designed to support an age-diverse workforce. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but thoughtful changes—implemented strategically, consistently, and over time—can help organizations protect employees while preserving the experience they bring to the job.

Helping the Aging Workforce Thrive

To understand where an organization stands—and where action can make the greatest difference—start with the workforce and the work itself.

Age-Inclusive Risk Assessments

Age-inclusive risk assessments can identify the number of older workers in an organization and help create a work environment that enhances their safety and productivity. Assessments and subsequent management strategies can allow companies to retain effective, experienced employees, prevent age discrimination, and identify management and engineering practices to keep these valued employees safe.

The is an assessment tool designed to help employers determine whether they have implemented evidence-based health promotion strategies to improve employee health and well-being. The ScoreCard includes 154 questions about specific programs, policies, environmental supports and health plan benefits. These questions are organized across 18 topic areas and scored to help employers identify gaps and track improvements over time. Topics include:

Organizational Supports

Tobacco Use

High Blood Pressure

High Cholesterol

Physical Activity

Weight Management

Nutrition

Heart Attack and Stroke

Prediabetes and Diabetes

Depression

Stress Management

Alcohol and Other Substance Use

Sleep and Fatigue

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Occupational Health and Safety

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Maternal Health and Lactation Support

Cancer

Why use an assessment tool? While employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and hazard-free worksite, they also have opportunities—and a clear incentive—to promote individual health and foster a health-promoting work environment. Employers can provide preventive services, training and tools, along with an environment that supports healthy behaviors.

Designing an effective workplace health promotion program can be tricky. There is no one-size-fits-all approach; a successful program needs to be tailored to employee health needs and the organization’s culture and environment. To be effective, a wellness program also must be comprehensive, weaving together a coherent set of evidence-based interventions that support a culture of health and safety within the organization.

Once the assessment is complete, the hard work begins: What can an employer do to minimize the potential for employees to become injured? There is no single solution. A combination of strategies may be best suited to the workforce, workplace and circumstances.

1. Put the Hierarchy of Workplace Safety Controls to Work

A safety professional’s first instinct may be to go to the hierarchy of workplace safety controls—elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment—but those controls should also be evaluated through an age-inclusive lens.

Consider workplace noise. What if a noise issue interferes with both hearing protection devices and the use of a hearing aid? Or, if workplace noise makes speech difficult to hear, have all available engineering controls been implemented to eliminate or minimize the hazard and help an older worker with diminished hearing hear speech? Looking first at the work itself can lead to solutions that benefit more than one employee.

Engineering controls that may help include:

• • Ergonomically friendly workstations
  • Mechanical lift-assist devices
  • Slip-resistant walking/working surfaces
  • Ventilation considerations to minimize airborne contaminants or irritants

But engineering controls are only part of the picture. Other practical changes can proactively support the safety, health and well-being of an aging workforce.

2. Make Workplace Modifications That Matter

Small steps in adapting the physical work environment may include changing signage so it is easier to read or increasing illumination to provide better lighting where needed. Other examples may include moving break rooms closer to common work areas, providing cushioned anti-fatigue mats for workers who stand on the job, and ensuring footwear is not worn or weathered. These relatively simple, inexpensive changes can support proactive injury prevention—and often improve the work environment for employees across age groups.

“Sometimes the most effective safety improvements are also the most practical,” Sowers said. “Better lighting, an ergonomic workstation or a lift-assist device can help address a hazard before it becomes an injury, and those changes can benefit employees across age groups.”

3. Promote Employee Wellness Activities

Incorporating employee wellness activities into the work setting does not have to be complicated, expensive or even time-consuming. Often the most effective activities are the simplest, and employees may be more likely to participate when they are easy to follow. Some ideas may include:

• • Starting an employee walking club.
  • Beginning staff meetings by standing up and doing light stretches.
  • Using internal communication channels to share tips and information about staying healthy and active at work.
  • Offering lunch-and-learn sessions about wellness topics such as nutrition, exercise, sleep and hydration.
  • Making healthier food options available through vending machines or the cafeteria.

4. Plan for Return to Work After an Illness or Injury

Since older workers can take longer to recover from illness or injury, return-to-work and accommodation strategies take on increased importance. Early intervention approaches can include early medical management, functional job analysis and graduated return-to-work planning programs.

The provides Stay at Work/Return to Work resources focused on helping employers retain capable, experienced workers. also emphasizes understanding job demands and developing return-to-work programs that support recovery.

5. Embrace Technology

Automation can help mitigate various injury risks. In the waste industry, for example, side-loader garbage trucks have removed the need for a worker to ride on the step while also reducing hazards outside the truck and musculoskeletal concerns related to manual lifting and repeatedly leaving and re-entering the vehicle.

In healthcare, lift aides and devices such as sit-to-stand lifts and glide sheets can help minimize the potential for strains and sprains. Will we see the age of robotic hospital beds that can eliminate manual lift and transfer exposures altogether? You never know. As technology evolves, the opportunity is to keep asking where physical demands can be reduced before an injury occurs.

6. Communicate with Care and Put Experience to Work

Although adjusting work responsibilities or redesigning job tasks to more evenly distribute physical demands can have a positive effect on older workers’ health, the effort may be met with reluctance by the workers themselves. After all, for many, perception is reality.

For supervisors who want to talk with older workers about making changes to the job, choose words wisely and with care. If a worker is beginning to pivot away from more regular manual labor, consider presenting the situation as an opportunity to take on an “apprentice” who can learn from and benefit from the worker’s expertise. The institutional knowledge older workers have may open new, safety-related doors, but communicating in a way that is not perceived as demeaning or “less than” is key.

A potential career path for older workers is to become involved in training, safety and site-safety activities. After a long career, employees may have an opportunity to continue relying on that breadth of experience in a different way. Presented thoughtfully, the transition can reinforce that the employee remains a valued contributor while helping move the organization toward a more focused safety culture.

“Some of the most valuable safety knowledge in an organization is already on the floor, in the field or at the bedside,” Sowers explained. “When experienced employees are invited to mentor, identify hazards and help shape safer ways to work, organizations are not stepping away from their expertise, they’re putting it to work in a new way.”

Looking Ahead

Older workers will remain a major component of the workforce for the foreseeable future. For safety professionals and employers, that creates a clear opportunity to act: understand the work, address hazards, adapt where needed and build systems that allow employees to contribute safely throughout longer careers.

Although incident rates are lower for older workers compared with many groups, injuries that do occur can be more serious. Providing appropriate accommodations for older workers can help prevent injuries for employees across age groups. Proactive age management can help organizations retain valuable experience while creating sustainable work systems that use the strengths of an age-diverse workforce.

The goal is not to design a workplace around age. It is to design work around people—using thoughtful assessments, practical controls, technology, communication and expertise to help employees thrive at every stage of their careers.

Want additional resources or practical ideas to support your aging workforce? Explore our Risk Management page, or connect with your 91������ Risk Management Consultant to discuss strategies tailored to your workplace.

When a workplace injury occurs, the priority is clear: care for the employee, understanding what happened and taking steps to help prevent it from happening again. In 2024 alone, private industry nearly 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. Behind each recordable incident is information that can help organizations better understand where risks may exist, and where opportunities for prevention may begin.

For many employers, workplace injuries and illnesses also bring an important recordkeeping responsibility. requires businesses to bring together information about incidents, employees, lost or restricted workdays and other details — often months after an event first occurred.

Yet those records can reveal more than what happened. Viewed together, injury and illness data can help organizations identify workplace hazards, recognize patterns and uncover opportunities for prevention. When that information is spread across multiple records or locations, however, seeing the broader picture can become considerably more challenging.

“Good recordkeeping is about much more than documenting what happened,” said Brad Noe, Risk Management Manager at 91������.

“It offers an opportunity to better understand the injury experience, recognize what may be happening across operations and make more informed decisions about where to focus their safety efforts.”

That’s why 91������ has introduced a new resource — the Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Data tool — within our portal. Drawing on 91������’s specialization in Workers’ Compensation and risk management, this tool is designed to help policyholders put the information they already have on-hand to work.

Simplifying Injury Data

Available through the Risk Management section of , this tool effectively organizes applicable claim information by calendar year, regardless of policy effective dates. Rather than gathering information claim by claim, you can access relevant data in one place as a starting point for completing their required records.

The result is a simpler way to make claims information more actionable.

Understanding Efficient Recordability

One important distinction: the Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Data report is not an official OSHA 300 Log.

Under , recordable cases can include work-related injuries or illnesses involving days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness or certain significant injuries or illnesses diagnosed by a health care professional. Policyholders remain responsible for determining whether an injury or illness is OSHA recordable, independently verifying the information provided and accurately completing their records.

Determining whether an injury or illness is recordable can require looking beyond the claim itself. OSHA provides guidance to help employers understand which injuries and illnesses must be recorded and how recordkeeping requirements apply.

For additional guidance, explore the or use the flow chart below as a quick reference when evaluating whether an injury or illness may be recordable.

Our new recordkeeping tool is designed to make this review more manageable. You can choose the format that best fits how you work: an HTML version provides an easy-to-read report with links to additional claim information and , while an Excel version offers an editable, sortable format that can make it easier to review multiple claims or organize information by location. For businesses with multiple facilities or a larger volume of Workers’ Compensation activity, that flexibility can help bring relevant information into clearer focus.

This makes the tool valuable, not as a substitute for an employer’s own records and judgment, but as a resource for bringing relevant information together so it can be reviewed, validated and used more efficiently.

Recordkeeping Becomes an Opportunity

Accurate recordkeeping serves an important compliance purpose. Consider the information behind the numbers: 888,100 cases involving days away from work in private industry in 2024. The median time away from work for those cases was eight days.

When organizations periodically review where injuries are occurring, the types of incidents employees are experiencing and whether certain operations or locations appear repeatedly, the recordkeeping process can become another opportunity to look more closely at workplace risk.

“Recordkeeping is important, but the real value comes from what organizations do with the information,” said Noe. “When you can more easily see where injuries are occurring and recognize patterns across your operations, that information can lead to better conversations, more focused prevention efforts and, ultimately, a stronger safety culture.”

A log is ultimately a record of what has already happened. The greater opportunity is using that information to help inform what happens next.

• Are similar injuries occurring in the same operation?
• Are certain tasks producing recurring incidents?
• Are there opportunities for additional training, jobsite controls or employee communication?

Don’t Wait Until Posting Season

For employers subject to OSHA recordkeeping requirements, preparation doesn’t have to begin when it’s time to post the previous year’s information.

Policyholders may access the Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Data tool periodically throughout the calendar year to review submitted information. We recommend beginning a review of the prior year’s data in early January ahead of the , which runs from February 1 through April 30.

Reviewing information throughout the year can give you more time to identify discrepancies, consult their own records and gather information while incidents are still relatively recent.

Looking Ahead

Are you ready to put your workplace injury data to work? Visit to access the Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Data tool, or contact your 91������ Risk Management Consultant for additional expertise and guidance.

Every day, healthcare professionals lift patients, respond to emergencies, navigate busy hallways and make split-second decisions that protect the people in their care. Those demands can also create significant workplace risks. Building stronger healthcare workplaces begins with protecting the people who make exceptional care possible—through practical prevention, the right equipment and a safety culture that empowers employees to act.

Healthcare remains one of the nation’s most physically demanding industries. notes that the U.S. healthcare industry employs more than 22 million workers and has one of the country’s highest rates of nonfatal work-related injury and illness. is a particularly significant exposure, with lifting, moving and repositioning patients identified as major risks for work-related musculoskeletal disorders and overexertion injuries.

Behind every statistic is a caregiver sidelined from work, a team adjusting to the absence and patients who depend on experienced professionals. While every healthcare organization faces unique challenges, three loss sources consistently demand attention: strains; slips, trips and falls; and struck-by injuries, often associated with resident or patient behaviors.

“The safest healthcare organizations don’t simply respond well after an injury—they build systems that help prevent injuries from happening in the first place,” said Ed Sowers, Risk Management Service Specialist at 91������.

��“When organizations invest in their people through training, equipment and a strong safety culture, they’re protecting more than employees. They’re protecting the continuity of care their residents and patients depend on every day.”

Strains

Moving, repositioning and assisting patients are among healthcare’s most physically demanding responsibilities. Reducing strain injuries takes a coordinated approach that combines training, ergonomic design, safe patient handling and employee engagement. This aligns with , which emphasizes assistive lifting devices, employee training and comprehensive safe patient handling programs.

1. Build Confidence Through Training

Healthcare employees should receive ongoing training that reinforces:

• Proper Lifting and Transfer Techniques: Use safe patient handling techniques and sound body mechanics.
• Equipment Use: Train employees on mechanical lifts, transfer devices and other assistive equipment.
• Hazard Awareness: Recognize repetitive tasks, awkward postures and other ergonomic exposures before injuries occur.
• Reporting Procedures: Maintain clear processes for reporting injuries, near misses and workplace concerns so corrective action can begin promptly.

2. Design Workspaces That Reduce Physical Demands

Adjustable beds and chairs, mechanical lifts, transfer devices and ergonomic tools can reduce pushing, pulling and lifting forces. Routine workstation assessments can also help identify hazards before they contribute to injury. identify repeated manual patient handling, heavy lifting and awkward postures as major contributors to musculoskeletal injuries.

3. Make Safe Patient Handling the Standard

Before a transfer, assess the patient’s mobility and assistance needs and determine the appropriate equipment or level of support. Use mechanical lifts when appropriate and permitted by applicable licensure or regulatory requirements, use team lifts for heavier or higher-risk transfers, avoid awkward positions and encourage regular stretching or recovery breaks to reduce fatigue.

4. Strengthening Safety

Leadership commitment, open communication and employee participation help turn into everyday habits. Additional opportunities may include pre-shift stretching, wellness initiatives and admissions planning that evaluates each resident’s mobility, cognitive condition and equipment needs. Regularly reviewing individualized care plans can further reduce strain-related exposures.

“Equipment certainly matters, but culture is what determines whether those tools are used consistently,” Sowers said. “When employees feel empowered to speak up, coach one another and continuously improve, safety becomes part of everyday care instead of another item on a checklist.”

Struck-By Injuries

Many of the same resident assessments that help prevent strains also play an important role in reducing struck-by incidents. Residents experiencing cognitive impairment, pain, illness or emotional distress may respond unpredictably during routine care. Understanding what is driving the behavior can help caregivers intervene before a situation escalates. provide additional prevention guidance for healthcare and social service settings.

1. Recognize the Root Causes

Medical Factors: Pain, infections, medication side effects and unmanaged medical conditions can contribute to aggressive behaviors.

Environmental Factors: Noise, glare, clutter, lack of personal space or sudden changes in routine can be triggering.

Communication Challenges: Difficulty communicating needs or wants can lead to frustration and agitation.

Emotional Factors: Fear, anxiety, depression and loss of control can also contribute to challenging behaviors.

2. Move from Reaction to Prevention

Individualized Care Plans (ICPs) should address each resident’s medical needs, preferences, communication style and potential behavioral triggers. A calmer physical environment, familiar routines and consistent staffing can help reduce uncertainty, while meaningful activities and regular attention to pain, hunger, thirst, fatigue and toileting needs can prevent physical discomfort from becoming a behavioral challenge. provide additional guidance on safer healthcare delivery.

3. Equip Employees to De-escalate with Confidence

Training should prepare caregivers to remain calm, use clear and simple language, listen actively, maintain non-threatening body language and appropriate personal space, and redirect attention when appropriate. Teams should also share information about resident triggers and effective interventions and debrief after incidents to identify lessons learned. reinforces the importance of training, communication and post-incident evaluation.

4. Use Observation as a Safety Tool

Some organizations use Observational Safety Programs to evaluate associate-resident interactions through both strain and struck-by injury prevention lenses. Peer observations can recognize what went well, identify opportunities for improvement and suggest practical next steps. Over time, observational data may also reveal trends that help organizations identify emerging risks before injuries occur.

5. Respond Safely and Learn from Incidents

When aggressive behavior occurs, prioritize immediate safety: move nearby residents and staff away from danger, remove potential hazards, maintain appropriate supervision, use verbal de-escalation and request trained assistance when needed. Physical restraints should remain a last resort and be used only when necessary to protect immediate safety, consistent with applicable requirements. Regular medication reviews may also help identify side effects or interactions that contribute to behavioral changes.

After an incident, and root cause analysis can help teams understand contributing factors, evaluate interventions and strengthen future practices. Sharing those lessons turns individual incidents into opportunities for continuous improvement.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Busy hallways, changing floor conditions, medical equipment, electrical cords and the fast pace of patient care can Busy hallways, changing floor surfaces, equipment, cords and the pace of care can create opportunities for slips, trips and falls. In fact, , with many involving slips and falls on the same level. Reducing those risks requires attention not only to the environment, but also to the everyday practices that help employees move safely through it.

Steps to a Stronger Safety Culture

• Identify and Correct Hazards

Regularly inspect for uneven flooring, wet or slippery surfaces, clutter and other hazards. Clean spills promptly and maintain clear walkways, aisles and stairways.

• Strengthen the Environment

Use slip-resistant flooring and appropriate mats in high-risk areas, maintain adequate lighting and handrails, and manage cords and equipment properly. Footwear is another important part of that equation. Clear dress-code expectations around appropriate slip-resistant footwear—and consistent reinforcement of those expectations—can help address a common source of preventable risk.

• Reinforce Safe Practices

Train employees on hazard recognition, fall prevention, incident reporting and safe lifting or carrying practices that preserve visibility. Educate patients and families about fall risks and provide mobility assistance when needed.

• Encourage a “See Something, Say Something” Mindset

Empower employees to before they lead to an incident. Routine inspections, prompt reporting and shared accountability can make prevention part of the way work gets done.

• Pre-Shift Stretching and Flexing

Consider incorporating brief stretching and flexing before a shift or physically demanding work. Regular stretching can provide movement breaks and may help reduce or lessen ergonomic issues, and also identifies stretching as an option during rest breaks for nurses.

“Every healthcare organization has unique challenges, but the organizations that consistently outperform in safety share something in common: they’re always learning,” Sowers said.

“They look beyond the incident itself, ask what can be improved and make small changes every day that help protect both caregivers and residents over the long term.”

Looking Ahead in Healthcare

There is no single solution to healthcare’s top workplace injury risks. Safer, stronger workplaces are built through consistent investment in people, training, equipment, communication and leadership commitment—and by identifying risks early rather than waiting for an injury to reveal where improvement is needed.

91������ Risk Management professionals work alongside policyholders to help identify real-world exposures and strengthen practical prevention strategies. For more information, visit our Risk Management page.

In the latest issue of Safety Connect®, we explore how can improve driver performance, why timely reporting supports better workers’ compensation outcomes, and how and can help businesses move from understanding risk to strengthening workplace safety.

Explore practical guidance from 91������ Risk Management and Claims professionals designed to help organizations protect their people, improve operations and turn insight into action.

Your Safer Workplace Starts Here