How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 52 severe cases involving contact with cold objects or substances, with other or multiple types of burns accounting for 85 percent of these incidents. These injuries often involve deep tissue damage that requires immediate medical intervention and extended recovery periods.
Your fingers are the most vulnerable, representing 13 percent of all reported injuries. When protective equipment fails or safety protocols are ignored, you face permanent damage to your extremities and long-term complications from thermal exposure.
Common injuries
Injuries typically occur when you handle hazardous materials like petroleum and coal products, which account for 52 percent of all reported sources. These incidents often involve the sudden release of pressurized gases or liquids during transfer, valve maintenance, or cylinder replacement. When equipment is not properly maintained or when you are provided with inadequate gloves, the risk of severe thermal burns increases significantly.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other or multiple types of burns | 44 |
| 2 | Effects of reduced temperature | 8 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing and retail trade each account for 21 percent of reported incidents, reflecting the high frequency of liquid gas and refrigerant handling in these environments. In these settings, you are frequently tasked with filling cylinders or maintaining cooling systems without sufficient training or specialized protective gear. Your employer has a clear duty to provide equipment that prevents direct skin contact with hazardous cold substances.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents involve the sudden release of pressurized substances during routine maintenance or fuel transfers, often resulting in severe burns to your hands, arms, and chest. Many reports highlight failures in equipment integrity or the use of improper protective gear that leaves you exposed to cryogenic or flammable materials. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | IL | Retail Trade | "An employee was filling a motor fuel cylinder from a bobtail. When he opened the handle on the fill nozzle it popped off the filler valve and pushed him back into a rack where he struck his head on a cylinder cage. He sustained a laceration to the back left side of his head. While working to wrestle the hose to the ground, he sustained burns from liquid propane on the right side of his chest and right arm, and sustained minor burns on the left side." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was changing out a propane cylinder on a powered industrial truck when liquid petroleum gas contacted his hands. The employee sustained second-degree burns to his hands." | |
| 2024 | NJ | Administrative Services | "A temporary employee was injured after working with dry ice while wearing the gloves that were not suited to the task. He was hospitalized on May 29, 2024, and had three fingertips amputated." | |
| 2024 | NY | Construction | "An employee was replacing a valve on a cooling system when refrigerant gas was released, burning their left hand and lungs." | |
| 2023 | AR | Retail Trade | "An employee was transferring propane from his bobtail truck to a storage tank. As the employee removed the hose, propane shot out and struck him in the mid-section, resulting in propane freeze burns from below the waist to the top of the knees. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2023 | NV | Public Administration | "On September 22, 2023, an employee was working on a chiller circuit in a mechanical yard. They sustained second-degree burns after being exposed to refrigerant." | |
| 2023 | WV | Manufacturing | "An employee was tightening a fitting for monthly leak detection and repair when liquid natural gas was released, resulting in a cryogenic burn to the right hand." | |
| 2023 | GA | Transportation & Warehousing | "On August 28, 2023, an employee was moving a CO2 tank when CO2 gas came out and froze the employee's left hand." | |
| 2023 | IL | Construction | "An employee was performing a pressure check and leak test on a unit when nitrogen gas was released from a valve core removal tool. The nitrogen gas was injected into the employee's right hand, resulting in a burn to the skin, swelling, and pain." | |
| 2023 | TX | Construction | "An employee was performing routine maintenance on refrigeration equipment when the shut-off valve failed, causing refrigerant to leak and burn the employee's right index finger." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover your medical expenses and lost wages for injuries sustained during the course of employment, including thermal burns. Because these injuries often require hospitalization, they are typically eligible for benefits under state law. An attorney can help you document your injury and ensure your claim is filed correctly.
OSHA requires your employer to conduct a hazard assessment and provide appropriate personal protective equipment for the specific tasks you perform. If you were injured because your employer failed to provide suitable gloves, this may be a critical factor in your Workers' Compensation claim. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety standards.
Cryogenic burns are serious medical events that often result in deep tissue damage, nerve injury, or even amputation. Because these injuries frequently require hospitalization, they are subject to mandatory federal reporting. An attorney can assist you in gathering the medical evidence needed to support your claim for long-term care.
Proving liability often involves demonstrating that your employer failed to maintain equipment, provide adequate training, or supply necessary safety gear. In many cases, the incident report itself provides a clear record of the mechanical failure or safety oversight that led to your injury. An attorney can help you review these records and build a strong case for your benefits.