How often these injuries happen
OSHA has recorded 497 severe incidents involving the upper arm over the past decade. The majority of these cases involve fractures, which often require surgical intervention and extended periods of immobilization to heal properly.
Damage to your upper arm directly impacts your ability to lift, reach, and perform essential job tasks. Because this body part is critical for both strength and range of motion, even a single fracture can lead to long-term limitations that affect your future earning capacity.
How these injuries happen
Falls are the primary driver of upper arm trauma in the workplace, accounting for 30% of all severe incidents. Whether you fall on a level surface or from an elevated platform, the impact often forces your arm to absorb the full weight of your body, leading to immediate breaks or severe soft tissue damage.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall on same level | 145 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 73 |
| 3 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 70 |
| 4 | Injured by object handled by person | 39 |
| 5 | Struck by falling object | 30 |
| 6 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 29 |
| 7 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 9 |
| 8 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 7 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 35% of all severe upper arm injuries, largely due to the high volume of powered equipment and conveyor systems. You may face risks from machinery that lacks proper guarding or lockout procedures, which can lead to entanglement or crushing injuries during routine operation.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you falling from heights, getting caught in unguarded machinery, or being struck by heavy objects during daily operations. These incidents frequently stem from failures in safety protocols, such as missing floor hole covers or bypassed machine guards. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer negligence played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Other Services | "In the flight line area, an employee was on a work stand platform conducting repairs to an aircraft. While transitioning to another location, he stepped over another employee and lost his balance. The employee reached for the railing to catch themselves, fell, and tore his right bicep. The employee was hospitalized for surgery." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was walking on the second floor of a residential construction site when they fell through a hole in the floor to the concrete flooring on the first floor, resulting in a broken right upper arm." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "Two employees were hammering railroad spikes onto railroad ties when shrapnel splintered off the metal head of the spike maul. A metal fragment pierced the injured employee's upper left arm." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "Candy fell inside a conveyor and caused a jam. An employee was clearing the jam when his right bicep was lacerated and he was hospitalized. The machine was not locked out/tagged out at the time." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was cutting the seal on a delivery truck for an inventory delivery. He fell from the loading dock to the concrete below, fracturing his humerus." | |
| 2025 | NY | Construction | "An employee fell off a 5-gallon bucket and an exposed pipe lacerated his bicep. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was inspecting a casted part that weighed 330 pounds. The part fell from a lift assist onto the employee, striking his upper right arm and head. He suffered burns to the upper right arm and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was running a high-pressure water cabinet waterblast unit. When the employee released the wand, it propelled itself out of the blast cabinet. The wand whipped around and the high-pressure water stream lacerated the employee's upper right arm." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "During maintenance of an annular blowout preventer, air pressure was applied to dislodge a stuck internal piston. The piston ejected and struck an employee's left bicep, causing a laceration and a fracture." | |
| 2025 | WV | Health Care | "An employee tripped and fell while walking to the main lobby. She sustained a fractured left humerus and a hematoma on her forehead. The employee was hospitalized. " |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Recovery time for an upper arm fracture varies significantly based on the severity of the break and whether surgery was required. You may face months of physical therapy to regain full range of motion and strength, which can keep you out of the workforce for an extended period. An attorney can help you understand how to account for these long-term recovery needs in your compensation claim.
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injuries sustained during the course of your employment. If your bicep tear occurred because of a fall or other workplace accident, you are generally entitled to benefits regardless of who was at fault. An attorney can help you document the incident to ensure your claim is processed correctly.
Failure to follow proper lockout or tagout procedures is a direct violation of OSHA safety standards and may provide grounds for additional legal action. If your injury resulted from machinery that was not properly secured, you should document the equipment state and report the violation immediately. An attorney can help you investigate whether these safety failures entitle you to more than standard Workers' Compensation benefits.
Workers' Compensation is required to cover all reasonable and necessary medical treatments, including surgeries, hospital stays, and rehabilitation for work-related injuries. If your employer or their insurance carrier denies coverage for a necessary procedure, you have the right to challenge that decision. An attorney can help you navigate the appeals process to ensure your medical bills are paid.