Why settlers are not working

Check that the settler has the right labour enabled. Preferred labour comes before Normal and Backup. When labour priorities tie, settlers consider the order’s priority, their specialty and then the oldest order. They still need a route to the job.

Food, drink, exhaustion and medical care can interrupt a job. Settlers also follow their rest and leisure hours. Interrupting work keeps its progress and reserved materials with the order. Holding or suspending work does the same.

For a planned building, check its material message and open side. For a workshop, check ingredients, protected reserves and the station’s supply links. A mining order needs an exposed edge to work from, and a shaft’s lower stairs wait for the stairs above.