Toes at Work — Injury Statistics and Claims Information
Toes at Work
Toe injury frequency remains a persistent workplace hazard
OSHA has recorded 1,127 severe incidents involving toes and toenails, with an average of 106 cases occurring annually. These injuries are overwhelmingly severe, as 50.9% of reported cases involve amputations or avulsions, while 30.3% are fractures.
The loss or severe injury of a toe significantly impacts a worker's balance, mobility, and ability to perform essential job functions. Beyond the immediate pain, these injuries often lead to long-term complications that can limit a worker's future earning capacity and daily quality of life.
What's Driving the Trend?
Over the last decade, reported toe injuries have seen a 7.8% increase, indicating that despite safety protocols, workers remain at high risk. The data shows that incidents involving falling objects and powered industrial vehicles continue to drive these numbers, highlighting critical gaps in site safety management.
Manufacturing, construction, and transportation sectors account for the highest volume of these injuries, totaling 620 cases combined. These industries rely heavily on heavy machinery and material handling, creating environments where even minor lapses in safety procedures can lead to catastrophic toe trauma.
How Toes Injuries Happen
Top causes based on OSHA incident reports
Most toe injuries occur when workers are struck by falling objects or caught in the path of heavy machinery. In 30.5% of reported cases, a falling object is the primary cause, while 10% of incidents involve workers being caught or entangled in running powered equipment during normal operations.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by falling object | 332 |
| 2 | Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle | 112 |
| 3 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 111 |
| 4 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 109 |
| 5 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 68 |
| 6 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 46 |
| 7 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 44 |
| 8 | Nonroadway collision with other vehicle(s) | 39 |
Why This Matters for Your Case
Employers are legally required to mitigate these risks under 29 CFR 1910.132, which mandates the use of personal protective equipment, including steel-toed boots in hazardous areas. Furthermore, 29 CFR 1910.212 requires adequate machine guarding to prevent body parts from being caught in moving parts, a frequent cause of toe amputations.
Industries with Most Toes
Where these injuries occur most frequently
Manufacturing leads all sectors with 27.8% of reported toe injuries, followed by construction at 15.7% and transportation at 15%. These environments involve the constant movement of heavy materials and industrial vehicles, which frequently collide with workers' feet in high-traffic zones.
High-Risk Industries and Your Rights
Employers in these high-risk industries must adhere to 29 CFR 1910.178, which governs the safe operation of powered industrial trucks to prevent collisions. Additionally, 29 CFR 1926.501 requires fall protection and hazard mitigation on construction sites to ensure that heavy materials do not strike workers on the ground.
Real Incident Reports
From actual OSHA investigation files
The incident reports reveal a recurring pattern of failure where workers are injured during routine tasks like training, tool exchanges, or material transport. In many cases, the lack of clear communication between forklift operators and ground personnel, combined with the failure of safety devices or improper machine operation, leads to life-altering crush injuries and amputations.
"An employee was in training to learn how to change steel dies on a culvert machine. The employee was on top of the machine when the handheld control was activated, engaging the machine's auto-run function. The employee's feet were dragged into the roller dies, resulting in a left ankle fracture, a laceration between the ankle and knee, and amputation of the the big toe and second toe on the right foot."
"An excavator operator and the injured employee were exchanging a hand tool on a utility right of way. After the tool exchange the excavator moved forward and the tracks ran over the big toe of the injured employee's right foot. The toe was crushed, resulting in amputation of the tip."
"On July 29, 2025, an employee was moving a table to reset a classroom in the education center. The tabletop flipped and landed on the employee's left foot, crushing three of her toes. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery for lacerations and fractures to her foot and three toes."
"A bundle of steel tubing, weighing about 2,800 pounds, had slid off the forks of a forklift and fallen to the ground. An employee was helping the forklift operator pick up the tubing using straps that were part of the steel pieces. The bundle fell onto his left foot, crushing it and causing partial amputations to toes. The employee was hospitalized."
"An employee was working inside the cargo hold of a cargo ship, discharging steel slabs. The slabs (approximately 4 feet by 20 feet) were being hoisted by a powered industrial truck (PIT) equipped with an electromagnetic lifting device. The lifting device failed and released a steel slab that struck the employee's right foot. The employee sustained injuries to their big toe, including partial amputation."
"An employee was helping a co-worker move a secondary machine during a machine change-over. He was guiding the machine out of the work area when he started to change directions. The machine's wheel ran over his big toe, resulting in a partial amputation."
"Employees were unloading bundles of 20-foot long steel bars from the back of a container truck using a forklift with a crane boom attachment. As the forklift traveled down a ramp from the truck, a strap broke and a bundle fell on the injured employee's foot. The employee was hospitalized and their fourth toe and part of the third toe were medically amputated."
"An employee had been spotting for a mini-excavator. The employee was working to relocate a water pump to give the mini-excavator an adequate area for the spoil pile. The employee retrieved the water pump located beside a 24'' metal manhole cover. As he started walking, his right foot stepped on the edge of the manhole cover and his right leg went into the opening up to his knee. His left leg and foot remained on the ground and twisted as he lost balance and fell to the ground. The employee sustained a closed dislocation of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the left foot and required surgery."
"On July 21, 2025, during the pouring of a concrete apron intended to connect property to a highway, an employee was using a bull float on an aluminum pole. They lifted the the pole and it made contact with an active power line. The employee sustained an electrical shock, burns to the hands, and electric current-induced amputation of six toes."
"An employee was driving a forklift when the forklift slipped on butter that was on the floor, causing it to strike a rack. The employee's left big toe contacted the rack, resulting in an amputation."
Common Questions About Toes 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.