The report says that the trend is driven by two trends: an aging workforce on one hand, and the vulnerability of new employees on the other.
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A new data analysis from insurer Travelers Cos. finds that workplace injuries rates are declining overall, but the injuries that do occur are more complex and workers are out longer as a result.
The report says that the trend is driven by two trends: an aging workforce on one hand, and the vulnerability of new employees on the other.
Travelers 2026 Injury Impact Report is an analysis of more than 1.2 million workers compensation claims received by the company between 2021 and 2025.
The data show that injuries involving employees 60 and older represent 16% of all lost-time claims, according to Travelers, which has major operations in Hartford. Their injuries tend to be more severe, with higher rates of fractures and dislocations, both of which typically require longer recovery times.
These employees miss approximately 97 days while they recover — 17 more than the overall average of 80 days, according to the study.
Slips, trips and falls are the top cause of injury for employees 60 and older, accounting for approximately 39% of their claims — roughly 15 percentage points higher than all other age groups.
These types of incidents are also the leading causes of the costliest claims — those exceeding $250,000 — across every industry segment.
Meanwhile, first-year employees, despite representing a much smaller share of the total workforce, account for approximately 37% of all injuries and 34% of overall claim costs, generating more than 5 million missed workdays over the five-year period, the study found.
That pattern is even more pronounced in certain sectors, with new employees representing an outsized share of injuries in restaurants (51%), small businesses (46%) and construction (44%).
“This report is a reminder that progress doesn’t mean the risk environment requires any less attention, and an employer’s commitment to safety must keep pace with an ever-evolving workforce and injury landscape,” said Claude Howard, vice president of workers compensation claims at Travelers.
