Workplace safety in apparel manufacturing is a cornerstone of operational excellence and worker well-being. The industry often faces high injury rates compared to other manufacturing sectors. These incidents impact real people, disrupt lives, and carry substantial business consequences.

Let’s face it: the top four injuries in apparel manufacturing—musculoskeletal disorders, lacerations, struck-by-object incidents, and heat stress—are not only common, but largely addressable. Each has a clear root cause, and each can be addressed with a forward-looking safety approach that integrates people, process, and technology.

That’s where modern video intelligence comes in. Video AI does more than enable after-the-fact review. It helps teams spot ergonomic risks, identify machine guarding failures, and flag entries into hazardous areas—all to help reduce the likelihood of injury.

In this guide, we’ll break down the top four injuries that can occur in apparel manufacturing facilities and, most importantly, how to mitigate them. We’ll also show how video AI and platforms like Spot AI can help you stay one step ahead of addressable incidents.

The Cost of Safety Negligence in Apparel Manufacturing

Cutting corners on safety is both risky and expensive. Apparel manufacturing firms can face considerable financial penalties for serious safety incidents.

Most of these penalties stem from incidents that might have been mitigated with better safety controls, training, and monitoring. The true cost of an incident includes the initial fine as well as lost productivity, retraining, insurance spikes, and lasting reputational damage.

With the right systems in place—including video intelligence for early risk detection—the likelihood of these events can be reduced.

The top 4 common and addressable injuries in apparel manufacturing: what every facility needs to know

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

Scenario:
A sewing machine operator works a marathon shift, repeating the same stitching motion for hours while hunched over an improperly adjusted workstation. By week’s end, neck and shoulder pain make even simple tasks difficult.

Root Causes & Impact:
MSDs account for 42% of all recordable injuries in apparel manufacturing—by far the industry’s most pressing hurdle (Source: OSHA Enforcement Database, 2025). The root causes? High-frequency repetitive motions (think 12,000 stitches per hour), awkward static postures, and forceful exertions when handling materials. Systemic issues like poorly designed workstations and production quotas that discourage breaks only make things worse. On average, each MSD incident results in 12 lost work days (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025).

How video intelligence helps:
Video AI systems can automatically surface insights on ergonomic risks by analyzing workflows for poor posture or high-risk repetitive motions. This gives safety leaders the objective data needed to intervene early with targeted training and process improvements.

Lacerations and Cuts

Scenario:
During a busy shift change, a worker hurries to clear a jammed piece of fabric from a cutting machine. The safety guard is bypassed—just this once—and the worker’s hand makes contact with the blade, resulting in a severe finger laceration.

Root Causes & Impact:
Lacerations account for 28% of injuries, with 55% of all cases resulting in finger amputations (Source: OSHA Apparel Manufacturing Injury Summary, 2025). Most incidents involve direct contact with blades, needles, or unguarded moving parts—especially during maintenance or jam clearing. Notably, 68% of lacerations happen during shift changes, when safety protocols are often skipped (Source: OSHA Apparel Manufacturing Hazard Alert, 2024).

How video intelligence helps:
Video analytics can create no-go zones around dangerous machinery and automatically flag when a person enters a restricted area, helping to reduce unsafe interventions—especially during high-risk times like shift changes.

Struck-by-Object Incidents

Scenario: A bale of fabric stored on an overhead rack shifts as a worker moves it with a forklift. The load was above safe capacity. The bale drops, striking a worker below.

Root Causes & Impact:
Struck-by-object injuries account for 8% of incidents and are often severe. Most are caused by items dislodged from overloaded racks, shifting bales during transport, or equipment failures. Facilities with poor storage protocols see incident rates three times higher than those with established controls (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2023).

How video intelligence helps:
Video analytics can flag when workers or forklifts enter designated high-risk zones, such as areas under active loading or near unstable materials, which supports safer material handling and storage.

Heat Stress Disorders

Scenario:
During summer months, inadequate ventilation can overwhelm a facility. When workers feel pressure to meet quotas, they may not use cooling stations, which can lead to incidents like heat exhaustion.

Root Causes & Impact:
Heat stress makes up 7% of injuries, but the impact is outsized. Inadequate HVAC in 78% of pre-2000 facilities, high machine heat output, and poor hydration access are common factors. During summer, 42% of workers exceed safe core body temperatures, and only 29% use cooling stations due to production pressure (Source: EPC World Heat Stress Report, 2025).

How video intelligence helps:
While video AI does not detect heat stress directly, it can identify related events, like a prolonged inactivity, and trigger a timely alert. The platform can also provide insights on the usage of hydration or cooling stations, helping teams ensure these resources are accessible and encouraged.

Pain Points and Impact of Injuries

How Technology Strengthens Injury Mitigation

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

Safety limitation: Monitoring posture and repetitive strain for every worker on every shift is a major hurdle.

Tech solution: Video AI can be used to conduct time studies and review workflows, helping teams identify high-risk repetitive tasks or poor posture. This footage provides objective data, making it easy to intervene with ergonomic adjustments and training to mitigate injury risks.

Lacerations and Cuts

Safety roadblock: Machine guards are bypassed, especially during jams or maintenance, often without documentation.

Tech solution: Video intelligence systems can be configured with no-go zones around machinery. Real-time alerts notify supervisors when someone enters a restricted area, allowing them to intervene quickly. Additionally, compliance footage offers crucial context for training and investigation.

Struck-by-Object Incidents

Safety barrier: Unsafe stacking or overloaded racks can go undetected, creating risks for workers.

Tech solution: Video analytics can be used to define danger zones around storage areas. Systems flag when workers or forklifts enter these zones, allowing for real-time intervention to address unsafe practices.

Heat Stress Disorders

Safety difficulty: Supervisors can’t always spot early signs of heat stress or keep track of who’s using cooling stations.

Tech solution: While video AI does not have a dedicated feature for heat stress, it offers critical visibility. For example, the "Unattended Workstation" alerts can indicate a worker in distress. Integration with environmental sensors can also correlate high-temperature alerts with video footage, and teams can review footage to ensure hydration stations are being used.

Practical Implementation of Safety Technology

Rolling out video intelligence in apparel manufacturing doesn’t have to be disruptive. The best solutions layer onto your existing safety programs and camera systems, supporting—not replacing—your safety team.

• Integration: Start with critical zones—machine areas, walkways, material storage, and break rooms. Video AI can often be deployed on existing camera networks.

• Customization: Configure alerts to your processes. For example, set up notifications for unguarded machinery, blocked walkways, or prolonged lack of movement at a workstation.

• Training: Use video examples of both correct procedures and unsafe actions as powerful, real-world coaching material to reinforce safety protocols and mitigate future deviations.

• Continuous improvement: Regularly review analytics data to spot trends and make informed changes to procedures, layouts, or training content.

• Compliance support: Use video records for audits, OSHA reporting, and demonstrating insight-driven safety management.

When evaluating solutions, look for platforms that are easy to use, integrate seamlessly with what you have, and give your team useful data without creating information overload.

Take the next step: build a safer apparel manufacturing operation

Your safety program is essential for reliable operations and worker well-being. Video AI helps your team address risks before they escalate, protect workers, and keep production running smoothly. See Spot AI in action to explore how video AI can strengthen safety in your apparel manufacturing environment.

Frequently asked questions

How can technology help reduce injuries in apparel manufacturing?

Technology like video AI can flag unsafe behaviors (like entering no-go zones), monitor compliance, and provide real-time alerts for timely intervention. These systems support your safety program and help catch risks that are that are difficult to spot manually.

What are the best practices for implementing video intelligence in an apparel facility?

Start with a risk assessment to identify high-hazard areas. Integrate video AI with your current cameras, customize alerts to your workflows, and use footage for ongoing training. Involve frontline workers in the rollout for buy-in and continuous improvement.

Are there compliance concerns when using video analytics in the workplace?

Yes, you’ll need to ensure privacy policies are followed, inform employees about monitoring, and comply with OSHA and local data protection regulations. Choose a platform that supports secure storage, access controls, and audit trails for compliance.

How to measure the impact of safety technology?

Track incident rates, reports, response times, and compliance improvements. Review analytics regularly to identify trends and areas for further action. Use data to drive continuous improvement and demonstrate the value of your safety investments.

Can video intelligence be integrated with other safety programs?

Yes, the most effective platforms complement your existing training, PPE, and engineering controls. They provide another layer of visibility and accountability, making it easier to enforce protocols and refine your safety strategy.

What to look for in a video analytics system for workplace safety?

Look for a system that integrates with your existing cameras and provides customizable alerts for specific risks. Key features include an intuitive interface, the ability to analyze safety trends over time, and strong security and compliance tools.

About the author

Joshua Foster is an IT Systems Engineer at Spot AI, where he focuses on designing and securing scalable enterprise networks, managing cloud-integrated infrastructure, and automating system workflows to enhance operational efficiency. He is passionate about cross-functional collaboration and takes pride in delivering robust technical solutions that empower both the Spot AI team and its customers.