Nose at Work — Injury Statistics and Claims Information
Nose at Work
Severe nasal injury reports are trending downward
OSHA has recorded 123 severe nasal injuries over the last decade, with an average of 12 cases reported annually. The vast majority of these incidents involve fractures, though workers also frequently suffer from deep lacerations and traumatic internal organ injuries.
Damage to the nasal structure often leads to long-term breathing difficulties and significant facial disfigurement. These injuries can permanently impair a worker's ability to perform physically demanding tasks and may require multiple reconstructive surgeries.
What's Driving the Trend?
The 10-year trend shows a 9.1% decrease in reported cases, with a more pronounced 41.2% drop over the last five years. Despite this decline, falls from heights remain the primary driver of nasal trauma, indicating that basic fall protection and surface safety protocols remain inconsistent across high-risk sectors.
Construction and manufacturing industries account for nearly 40% of all severe nasal injuries. These environments frequently involve high-impact hazards like pneumatic tools and heavy falling objects that directly threaten facial integrity.
How Nose Injuries Happen
Top causes based on OSHA incident reports
Same-level falls and falls from heights account for 40% of all nasal injuries, often occurring when workers trip on uneven surfaces or lose their balance on stairs. Beyond falls, workers are frequently struck by propelled objects or falling debris, which can cause immediate and severe nasal fractures.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall on same level | 29 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 19 |
| 3 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 16 |
| 4 | Struck by falling object | 13 |
| 5 | Hitting, kicking, beating by other person | 11 |
| 6 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 5 |
| 7 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 3 |
| 8 | Struck against stationary object | 3 |
Why This Matters for Your Case
Employers are required to maintain safe walking and working surfaces under 29 CFR 1910.22 to prevent the falls that drive these injuries. When a worker is struck by an object, it often points to a failure in machine guarding under 29 CFR 1910.212 or a lack of proper head and face protection as mandated by 29 CFR 1910.132.
Industries with Most Nose
Where these injuries occur most frequently
Construction and manufacturing represent the highest risk, collectively responsible for over 40% of all reported nasal injuries. In these sectors, the combination of elevated work platforms and high-velocity machinery creates a constant risk of impact-related facial trauma.
High-Risk Industries and Your Rights
Employers in these industries must adhere to 29 CFR 1926.501, which outlines mandatory fall protection requirements for construction sites. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.133 requires employers to provide appropriate eye and face protection when workers are exposed to flying objects or mechanical hazards.
Real Incident Reports
From actual OSHA investigation files
The reported incidents reveal a recurring pattern of preventable accidents, ranging from falls on stairs while carrying equipment to being struck by high-pressure tools or heavy materials. Many of these cases involve workers who were hospitalized after a single, sudden impact resulted in a nasal fracture and associated facial lacerations.
"An employee was walking out of a walk-in freezer while carrying items from the shelves. She tripped and fell on the floor, sustaining a fractured and lacerated nose as well as bruising/lacerations to her face. The employee was hospitalized."
"An employee was installing plywood on a roof when a nail that shot out of a pneumatic nail gun ricocheted off another nail and struck him in the upper nasal area."
"An employee was replacing a seized gearbox on an oil well using a breaker bar. After the breaker bar broke the gearbox loose, the bar struck the employee in the face, causing a fractured nasal bone and a laceration from the crown of the nose to above the right eye. The employee was hospitalized."
"An employee was holding open a door while holding keys when he lost his balance on the landing and fell down the concrete stairs. The employee was hospitalized with injuries to his face and shoulder, as well as a fractured nose."
"A crew was running rods in the hole when the chain on the rod transfer broke and fell to the rig floor. The chain struck the injured employee on the hard hat and whipped underneath the hard hat and struck the employee above their nose, causing a fracture and laceration. The employee was hospitalized."
"An employee was removing a ratchet binder from a trailer. The binder had been raised using a forklift fork and was under tension when he struck it with a mini-sledgehammer. It came loose and struck him on the nose, breaking it."
"An employee was behind an upright shield guard. He was raking 12-foot-long U-channel bars into a pile as they were kicked off a gauge table. In between kickoffs, the employee stepped to the side to approach the pile. The next set of bars were contacted by the kickers at the same time the gauge came down on the bars. This caused a bar to fly toward the employee instead of falling. The employee was struck on the bridge of the nose, resulting in a laceration and a fracture requiring surgery. A guard was in place at the time."
"An employee was operating a stressing jack when the cable detached from the jack and struck him in the face. The employee sustained facial lacerations and a fractured nose."
"An employee was operating a floodlight boom when it collapsed downward due to a faulty interior boom cable. The employee was struck by the light assembly mast and sustained an avulsion to their nose and head trauma, resulting in hospitalization and surgery."
"An employee was moving freight to the back of a trailer for the forklift operator to unload in the parking lot when they lost their footing and fell 44 inches from the back of the trailer to the ground, resulting in a contusion to the back of their head and a subdural sinus fracture."
Common Questions About Nose 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.