How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 63 severe cases involving the cheek between 2015 and 2025. Fractures are the most common injury type, accounting for 49% of all reported incidents.
Injuries to the cheek often result in significant pain, swelling, and the need for reconstructive surgery. These injuries can impact your ability to speak, eat, and return to your previous job duties, often leading to long-term recovery periods.
How these injuries happen
Most cheek injuries occur when you are struck by propelled objects or substances, which accounts for 24% of all reported incidents. These events often involve tools, materials, or equipment components that break loose or kick back, striking your face with high force.
| 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 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads all sectors with 33% of reported cheek injuries. The environment of construction sites, where you handle heavy materials and operate power tools, creates frequent opportunities for debris or equipment to strike your face.
Real cases like yours
Many reported incidents involve power tools binding or equipment components failing during routine tasks. These narratives frequently describe situations where a saw kicks back, a clamp slips, or a metal fragment splinters off machinery, striking you directly in the face. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you evaluate your case and ensure you receive the benefits you are owed.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "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." | |
| 2025 | OK | Manufacturing | "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." | |
| 2024 | GA | Manufacturing | "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. " | |
| 2024 | GA | Administrative Services | "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." | |
| 2023 | TX | Construction | "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." | |
| 2023 | TX | Wholesale Trade | "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." | |
| 2023 | TX | Mining | "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." | |
| 2023 | FL | Accommodation & Food Services | "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." | |
| 2023 | NJ | Wholesale Trade | "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." | |
| 2023 | PA | Retail Trade | "An employee was assisting a customer in an aisle when an altercation arose. The employee was shot by the customer in the left cheek." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Recovery time for a fractured cheekbone varies depending on the severity of the break and whether surgery was required to stabilize the bone. You may face weeks of restricted activity and follow-up care to ensure proper healing. An attorney can help you understand how your specific recovery timeline affects your Workers' Compensation claim.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injuries you sustain on the job, including severe facial lacerations. If your injury required hospitalization or surgery, you may be entitled to benefits that cover your treatment and time away from work. An attorney can help you verify your eligibility and ensure your claim is filed correctly.
Workers' Compensation is generally a no-fault system. Even if an accident occurred during your work tasks, you are likely still eligible for benefits regardless of who was at fault. An attorney can help you gather evidence and protect your rights if your employer challenges your claim.
OSHA mandates specific safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment and machine guarding, to prevent objects from striking you in the face. When your employer fails to maintain these standards or provide adequate training, they may be held accountable for the resulting injuries. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety regulations that led to your injury.