How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 1,055 wrist injuries between 2015 and 2023. Fractures are the most common injury type, accounting for 71% of all reported cases.
Your wrist is essential for almost every physical task, from operating machinery to lifting materials. A fracture or severe laceration can permanently limit your ability to perform your job duties, impacting your long-term earning capacity and daily independence.
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Free Benefits ReviewHow these injuries happen
Falls are the primary driver of wrist trauma, with other falls to lower levels accounting for 41% of all reported incidents. Whether you slip on a wet floor or lose your balance on a ladder, the natural instinct to break a fall with your hands often leads to high-impact wrist fractures.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 421 |
| 2 | Fall on same level | 240 |
| 3 | Injured by object handled by person | 75 |
| 4 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 74 |
| 5 | Struck by falling object | 32 |
| 6 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 27 |
| 7 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 14 |
| 8 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 12 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads all sectors with 25% of reported wrist injuries, followed by manufacturing at 23%. These environments frequently involve elevated work surfaces and heavy equipment, where a single misstep or a failure in safety protocols can lead to a life-altering wrist injury.
Real cases like yours
Many reported incidents involve simple, everyday tasks that turn dangerous due to environmental hazards. You may suffer injuries while navigating cluttered walkways, using damaged tools, or operating heavy machinery without adequate guarding. If your injury occurred during a routine task that resulted in a sudden fall or impact, an attorney can help you understand your legal options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OH | Health Care | "An employee was walking down the hallway when they tripped and fell to the floor, fracturing their right wrist." | |
| 2023 | WV | Retail Trade | "An employee was tossing a damaged toilet into a compactor. The toilet bounced off the compactor and lacerated the employee's right wrist, cutting an artery and tendon." | |
| 2023 | AL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was in the parking lot, leaving the job site, when they were shot in the left wrist." | |
| 2023 | TX | Administrative Services | "An employee was carrying packages to the car and went to open the trunk lid with their foot when they slipped and fell to the ground. The employee sustained a wrist fracture that required hospitalization." | |
| 2023 | MO | Retail Trade | "An employee was throwing plastic trash into a large trash bag when her foot got caught on the bag, causing her to trip and fall. The employee sustained a broken wrist and a mouth injury." | |
| 2023 | FL | Construction | "An employee was painting from an A-frame ladder. As she descended the ladder, she fell to the ground below, resulting in a fractured right wrist." | |
| 2023 | NJ | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was exiting his trailer after cleaning the inside of it. As he stepped off the back of the trailer, he fell to the ground and sustained a broken left wrist." | |
| 2023 | AR | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was packaging brick when a brick broke and became jammed between the back plate and the jig side. When the jig cycled, the broken brick caused the jig to buckle. As the employee was putting brick into the jig, his left wrist struck the outer side of the buckled jig, resulting in a contusion that required hospitalization." | |
| 2023 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was coming down a ladder after showing other members of the crew how to clean windows. Once he stepped on the second step from the ground level, he tripped and fell to the concrete floor. The employee sustained a fractured right wrist." | |
| 2023 | ID | Construction | "An employee was sheathing a subfloor from a 10-foot height. The wind picked up and a piece of sheathing struck the employee, causing him to fall 10 feet to the ground below. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to both wrists." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.