How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 21 severe cases involving friction or abrasion from non-running objects over the last decade. Blisters are the most common injury type, accounting for 25% of these reports, often leading to severe infections that require hospitalization.
These injuries frequently target your feet and fingers, which are highly susceptible to constant rubbing from improper apparel or protective equipment. When your skin integrity is compromised in a work environment, the risk of secondary infection increases, often resulting in prolonged recovery times and significant medical costs.
Common injuries
Injuries in this category typically stem from the constant contact between your skin and external objects like clothing, ropes, or raw materials. Apparel and clothing, except safety gear, are the leading source of these incidents, accounting for 32% of all reported cases. Whether it is a boot rubbing against your calf or a glove causing a blister, these injuries often occur when equipment is poorly fitted or when you are forced to use materials that create repetitive friction against your body.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blisters | 5 |
| 2 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 4 |
| 3 | Abrasions | 4 |
| 4 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 3 |
| 5 | Other or multiple types of burns | 2 |
| 6 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 1 |
| 7 | Surface and flesh wounds— unspecified | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 38% of these severe friction injuries, as the nature of your work often requires long hours in specialized clothing or protective gear. In these environments, the combination of repetitive motion and improper equipment fit creates a high risk for skin breakdown. Construction follows as a high-risk sector, where you frequently handle ropes, chains, and abrasive earth materials that can cause deep lacerations or surface wounds when tension is applied incorrectly.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you suffering from preventable skin damage due to ill-fitting boots, abrasive gloves, or high-tension ropes that catch on your hands and limbs. These incidents often escalate from minor irritation to serious infections or lacerations that necessitate hospital care. 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 your employer failed to provide safe equipment.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | NY | Manufacturing | "An employee developed an infection caused by constant friction on his leg from his work boot. The employee was hospitalized. " | |
| 2024 | FL | Construction | "A crew of three employees was pulling electric cable through 1,200 feet of HDPE conduit. The rope pulling the cable was attached to the bucket of an excavator. The excavator was pulling it back in stages, between which the rope would be untied so the truck could move forward and the rope could be re-tied. When one of the employees untied the rope, the tension in it caused it to catch his right hand and lacerate his middle finger. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2023 | OH | Health Care | "An employee's new steel-toe boots rubbed on the skin of his calves, causing an abrasion on the left calf that became infected. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2022 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was cutting turkey heads with a kitchen knife while wearing gloves. The glove rubbed against the employee's right hand, resulting in a blister that required hospitalization." | |
| 2021 | PA | Construction | "An employee was chipping ceramic tile when a small particulate landed in his eye. He rubbed his eye and felt pain. The employee sustained an injury to his eye that required surgery." | |
| 2021 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee was hospitalized due to an infection of the left foot caused by tight boots." | |
| 2021 | MA | Construction | "An employee was on his hands and knees laying tile in a client's bathroom. The friction from the floor caused a blister on his left knee, which became infected, requiring hospitalization." | |
| 2020 | FL | Health Care | "An employee had been wearing a surgical mask for extended periods of time which caused a cut into the back of the left ear that resulted in a bacterial infection. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2020 | WI | Wholesale Trade | "An employee knelt on a pebble while stocking bottom shelves. His left knee became infected." | |
| 2019 | IL | Wholesale Trade | "On May 3, 2019, a forklift was moving pallets when the forks struck and broke a pipe. The injured employee went to examine the broken pipe when a blast of air struck the employee causing a surface burn to their right arm and hand." |
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 injuries that occur during the course of your employment, including those caused by friction or abrasion from work-related equipment. If your injury required medical treatment or time away from work, you may be entitled to benefits regardless of whether the injury was sudden or developed over time. An attorney can help you document your medical records and file the necessary paperwork.
Employers have a duty to ensure that the equipment and apparel they require you to wear are safe and fit for purpose. If your employer provided defective or improperly fitted gear that led to a severe injury or infection, they may be held accountable for the resulting medical expenses. An attorney can help you evaluate whether your employer failed to meet safety standards regarding personal protective equipment.
If your injury is severe enough to require surgery, it is critical to document every stage of your medical treatment and ensure your employer has been properly notified. You should focus on your recovery while gathering evidence of how the injury occurred and how it relates to your job duties. An attorney can help you ensure your rights are protected as you navigate the complexities of a major Workers' Compensation claim.
Proving a work-related injury involves collecting evidence such as incident reports, witness statements, and detailed medical records that link your condition to your specific job tasks. Because friction injuries can sometimes be dismissed as minor, having professional legal support is vital to demonstrating the severity of your condition to insurance providers. An attorney can help you build a strong case by gathering the necessary documentation to support your claim.