Jeremy Brewer, a risk control consultant from PMA, told the Bridgeport School District facilities committee that the districts injury profile looked "very, on par with a lot of cities and other towns" but that the cost per workerscompensation claim has increased. "Our main job is injury prevention. We just try to help people avoid from getting hurt," Brewer said.

Brewer presented a four- to five-year look-back of claims, noting that claim counts fell in recent years while the average cost per claim rose from about $16,000 in earlier years to roughly $35,000 in 2025. He said strains and sprains accounted for the largest share of claims by count and cost, slips and falls were a leading cause of severe injuries, and a small number of motor-vehicle incidents generated substantial costs.

The consultant emphasized prevention measures already in use and planned: monthly safety meetings with facilities staff, targeted trainings (slips/trips/falls, safe lifting/material handling, confined-space and trenching awareness), defensive-driving instruction and systematic facility walk-throughs to identify hazards such as blocked exits, exposed electrical panels and loose rugs. "A lot of them are preventable," Brewer said of slip-and-fall injuries.

Committee members and staff discussed operational steps to speed response to safety reports. Facilities staff said reported safety issues are routed through the district work-order system and, when necessary, followed by a phone call and an immediate dispatch: "If it's a safety issue, they become a priority for us," a facilities staff member said. The committee also discussed near-miss reporting; PMA and members agreed that encouraging over-reporting of near misses can help surface training needs and reduce future injuries.

The presentation included demographic and tenure breakdowns, with injury concentration shifting across age and tenure brackets over time, and noted that repetitive motion and staffing shortages can increase risk. PMA recommended continued use of monthly safety reviews and suggested additional near-miss emphasis in upcoming trainings. "We need to be reminded more than we need to be instructed," Brewer said, summarizing the training approach.

Staff said they will add the PMA packet to the district portal and continue monthly meetings with PMA to monitor trends.