Cheek at Work — Injury Statistics and Claims Information
Cheek at Work
Severe cheek injury reports are trending downward
OSHA has recorded 63 severe incidents involving the cheek over the last decade. These cases are dominated by fractures, which make up 49.2 percent of reports, followed by deep lacerations and punctures that often require surgical intervention.
The cheek is a critical structure for facial integrity and nerve function. Injuries here often result in long-term complications, including chronic pain, nerve damage, and significant scarring that can impact a worker's confidence and ability to perform their job duties.
What's Driving the Trend?
The frequency of these injuries has decreased by 62.5 percent over the last ten years. While the overall trend is downward, the persistence of high-impact events like being struck by propelled objects suggests that safety protocols regarding machine guarding and debris containment remain inconsistent.
Construction and manufacturing sectors account for over 57 percent of all reported cases. These high-risk environments involve heavy machinery, power tools, and overhead cranes, all of which present constant hazards to the facial area when equipment fails or safety barriers are bypassed.
How Cheek Injuries Happen
Top causes based on OSHA incident reports
Most cheek injuries occur when workers are struck by propelled objects or substances, accounting for 24.2 percent of all reported incidents. Whether it is a saw blade kicking back, a loose hook snapping under tension, or a metal splinter flying from a hammer strike, these injuries happen in an instant when safety measures fail.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 15 |
| 2 | Injured by object handled by person | 8 |
| 3 | Other fall to lower level | 7 |
| 4 | Fall on same level | 6 |
| 5 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 3 |
| 6 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 3 |
| 7 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 2 |
| 8 | Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire | 2 |
Why This Matters for Your Case
Employers are legally required to provide a safe environment under 29 CFR 1910.132, which mandates the use of personal protective equipment when hazards are present. Furthermore, 29 CFR 1910.212 requires that machines be guarded to protect workers from flying chips and sparks, a regulation frequently cited in cases where facial trauma occurs.
Industries with Most Cheek
Where these injuries occur most frequently
Construction leads all sectors with 33.3 percent of reported cheek injuries, followed closely by manufacturing. The nature of these industries requires workers to be in close proximity to high-energy tools and materials, where a single mechanical error can result in severe facial trauma.
High-Risk Industries and Your Rights
Employers in these sectors must adhere to 29 CFR 1926.300 for hand and power tool safety, ensuring that all equipment is maintained and operated to prevent accidental discharge. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.133 mandates eye and face protection, which is essential for preventing debris from causing life-altering injuries to the cheek and surrounding structures.
Real Incident Reports
From actual OSHA investigation files
Incident reports reveal a recurring pattern of equipment failure and human error during high-risk tasks. Common themes include saw blades binding during demolition, overhead crane loads shifting due to improper rigging, and metal fragments splintering during manual hammering, all of which lead to fractures and deep facial lacerations requiring hospitalization.
"An employee was checking the grade of a pipe invert in a new precast concrete inlet box and determined that it needed to be trimmed. The employee was cutting the box with a demolition saw when the blade bound up and the saw kicked back, severely lacerating his right cheek."
"An employee was moving several bundles of building materials with an overhead crane. The load was off-center when he picked it up, so the employee set it down, repositioned the chains, and lifted the bundle again. When the bundle was lifted, one of the hooks immediately came loose and shot back, striking him on his right cheek. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured cheekbone and facial lacerations, and he required surgery."
"An employee was preparing to lift a steel plate with a clamp. The clamp got caught on the buck while the hoist was being raised and it came loose, catching the plate and throwing it into the air. The plate hit the employee in the face and fractured his cheek bone. "
"An employee was using a pry bar to line up a pin on a machine. The bar slipped from his hands and struck his cheek. He suffered a fracture and was hospitalized, requiring surgery."
"On December 14, 2023, at 8:40 p.m., three employees were inspecting milling machines for startup. A few of the sleeves on the mill drum needed to be changed out. The injured employee was trying to input a sleeve on the mill drum using a hammer. The hammer hit the edge of the drum, which caused a metal piece to splinter off and strike the employee's cheek just below the left eye. The metal splinter embedded in the back of their eye socket, resulting in pain, swelling, and bleeding that required hospitalization."
"An employee was operating recycling equipment at the site's concrete recycling plant. As they were removing steel cable from a piece of concrete that was being processed for recycling, the steel cable pulled free and contacted the employee's face. They sustained a face laceration and a cheekbone fracture."
"An employee was running pipe into a hole on a rig floor. He was still running the other joint into the hole when the laydown machine shot the joint of pipe. The pipe hit the employee in the jaw and he fell backward, suffering a fractured cheekbone."
"An aerosol can of non-stick spray landed on a hot grill. As one employee attempted to remove the can, it fell to the floor and then exploded, striking and lacerating the injured employee's cheek."
"An employee was processing vehicles when a vehicle did not stop directly in front of his station. The employee stepped onto the vehicle track to retrieve paperwork from the vehicle. The employee then slipped on the track and fell approximately 5 feet onto the ground below, resulting in a facial laceration as well as a cheek bone fracture."
"An employee was assisting a customer in an aisle when an altercation arose. The employee was shot by the customer in the left cheek."
Common Questions About Cheek Claims
The ClaimsBoost Research Team aggregates official government data to help workers understand workplace injury trends and their coverage options.
ClaimsBoost is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. ClaimsBoost is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any government agency. Performance scores, rankings, and statistics displayed on this site are calculated by ClaimsBoost using publicly available government data from OSHA severe injury reports. Individual results may vary. Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice or a guarantee of benefits. If you need legal help, we can connect you with licensed attorneys in your area.Some written content on this page was created with the assistance of AI to help interpret and explain the data. AI can make mistakes — all content has been reviewed for accuracy, but we encourage you to verify any information that is important to your situation.