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Background: Individuals who experience a workplace trauma are at a high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most of these people return to work soon after the trauma (i.e., experience early‐stage natural exposure). This study aims to explore the response pattern of workers who have experienced a workplace trauma and early‐stage natural exposure through network analysis and provide insights into the potential impact of early‐stage natural exposure. Methods: Our study included 278 workers directly experiencing the workplace explosion in the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone. A partial correlation network analysis was used to explore the PTSD symptoms relationship and identify central symptoms. Results: The results suggest that emotional numbness, difficulty in concentration, re‐experiencing symptoms, and avoidance of thoughts are the most central symptoms, reflecting a "distraction‐avoidance" pattern. Conclusions: The current study found that workers who experienced workplace trauma exhibited a "distraction‐avoidance" pattern, which helps deepen our understanding of the PTSD network and leads to some suggestions on intervention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]