How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 485 severe cases involving you being caught or wedged between nonrunning objects over the last decade. Amputations account for 80% of these incidents, representing the most frequent and life-altering injury type reported.
The high concentration of injuries to fingers suggests that even nonrunning equipment poses significant risks during your routine maintenance or hitching tasks. These crushing events often result in permanent damage that requires long-term medical care and rehabilitation.
Common injuries
These incidents typically occur when you interact with heavy equipment or structural components that shift unexpectedly. Common scenarios involve hitching trailers to trucks, servicing battery compartments, or clearing obstructions from gates and flanges. When objects like vehicle attachments or pipes move without warning, they create dangerous pinch points that can trap your hand or limb in seconds.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 386 |
| 2 | Fractures | 43 |
| 3 | Nonfatal 'crushing' injuries | 19 |
| 4 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 11 |
| 5 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 9 |
| 6 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 8 |
| 7 | Bruises, contusions | 2 |
| 8 | Multiple severe wounds and internal injuries | 2 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 40% of these severe cases, as you frequently handle heavy machine parts and industrial components. Construction follows as a high-risk sector where the use of trailers and heavy transport equipment creates frequent opportunities for you to become caught between shifting loads and hitching mechanisms.
Real cases like yours
Many incidents follow a pattern of equipment failure or unexpected movement during your routine tasks like hitching trailers or servicing batteries. You often find yourself in the path of heavy components that dislodge or shift due to improper securing or mechanical instability. 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 | FL | Construction | "On July 28, 2025, an employee was connecting a trailer to the hitch on a truck when the trailer tongue slipped. The employee's left little fingertip was crushed between the trailer tongue and the ball hitch. The employee sustained an amputation." | |
| 2025 | MO | Manufacturing | "An employee was assisting water treatment plant personnel with changing a flange when their finger got caught between the two pieces. The employee sustained a finger amputation." | |
| 2025 | LA | Real Estate | "An employee was closing the store for the night. While closing the gate to the parking area, the gate dislodged from the tracks. The employee proceeded to lift the gate back onto the tracks and caught their right ring finger between the gate and the tracks, resulting in amputation of the fingertip." | |
| 2025 | IL | Real Estate | "An employee had just serviced a battery and was reinstalling it in a forklift using a battery extractor. The employee was trying to pull the battery out of the battery compartment when the extractor moved, causing the battery to shift on the rollers. The employee's right hand was crushed between the top of the battery and the battery compartment." | |
| 2025 | OH | Utilities | "The injured employee was assisting with hitching a trailer to a truck. The employee was working to engage the lunette ring on the trailer with the pintle hook on the truck. A mini-excavator began driving onto the rear of the trailer. The added weight caused the rear of the trailer to lower and the front to rise, creating a pinch point between the trailer and the truck. The employee s left thumb was caught in the latch mechanism of the pintle hook. The thumb tip was partially amputated and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | KS | Manufacturing | "An employee had utilized a forklift to move a metal recycling bin into position to empty the bin. The employee exited the forklift to empty the chips manually. The employee pushed the lever on the bin to dump the chips and their finger got pinched between the bin and the forklift. The employee's fingertip was partially amputated without loss of bone." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "Two employees were removing a wooden pallet from a stack of pallets. One employee's left little finger was pinched between two pallets, causing a fingertip amputation without bone loss." | |
| 2025 | TX | Health Care | "An employee was on the roof of the facility working on a kitchen exhaust fan hood to identify the source of a vibration. He manually moved the propeller and shaft to check for play in the bearings. His left hand slipped and his little finger became caught between the motor pulley and belt. The employee's weight shifted onto the propeller and caused the pulley to rotate, resulting in partial amputation of the distal phalanx of his little finger." | |
| 2025 | IL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was reversing a transport truck out of a parking space when the side mirror of the truck contacted another tractor and it folded inward. The employee went to fold the mirror back out and their left ring finger slipped into a recessed area of the adjusting mechanism, causing the mirror base to amputate his left ring finger." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was dumping a hopper of scrap lids into a dumpster. The hopper rolled forward and then back. The employee's little finger became caught between the hopper and the support frame of the hopper. The employee's finger was partially amputated." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Crushing injuries frequently lead to amputations, nerve damage, and chronic pain that may require multiple surgeries. Recovery often involves extensive physical therapy and may impact your ability to return to your previous job duties. An attorney can help you evaluate the full extent of your medical needs and potential long-term disability benefits.
Employers are required to maintain safe work environments and provide proper training for handling heavy equipment and machinery. If a failure to secure a load or maintain equipment led to your injury, your employer may be liable for your damages. An attorney can help you investigate whether safety protocols were ignored or if equipment was improperly maintained.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages for work-related injuries, including amputations. These benefits are intended to support your recovery and provide compensation for permanent impairment. An attorney can help you ensure your claim is filed correctly and that you receive the full benefits you are entitled to.
It is common for employers to suggest that an injury was the result of your error, but this does not necessarily disqualify you from receiving benefits. Workplace safety regulations often place the burden on the employer to prevent hazardous conditions regardless of your individual actions. An attorney can help you gather evidence to challenge these claims and protect your rights.