How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 2,515 severe cases of you being struck by propelled objects or substances over the last decade. The most frequent outcome is cuts, lacerations, and punctures, which account for 42% of all reported incidents.
These events are dangerous because they often cause fractures and permanent damage to your fingers and eyes. When high-velocity materials or heavy components strike you, the resulting trauma frequently requires surgery and extended recovery time.
Common injuries
Struck-by injuries typically occur when kinetic energy is released unexpectedly from tools or materials. Fasteners are the leading source of these incidents, often firing or ejecting during assembly or demolition. Other common scenarios involve flying chips and particles from grinding or cutting, as well as equipment parts that fail under pressure or tension.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 1,040 |
| 2 | Fractures | 548 |
| 3 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 328 |
| 4 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 149 |
| 5 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 80 |
| 6 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 78 |
| 7 | Intracranial Injuries | 74 |
| 8 | Surface and flesh wounds— unspecified | 38 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 33% of all struck-by cases, largely due to the high volume of high-speed machinery and assembly tasks. Construction follows closely at 27%, where you are frequently exposed to falling debris, unsecured materials, and the use of pneumatic tools that can discharge objects at high velocity.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include equipment jams that release stored kinetic energy, tools shattering upon impact, and hydraulic failures that launch components at high pressure. These reports show that even routine maintenance or assembly tasks can turn dangerous when safety protocols are bypassed or equipment is not properly guarded. 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 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating equipment to cut a copper pipe (20 feet in length, 2 inches in diameter) when a jam occurred between the revolver assembly and the pinch roller assembly. He assessed the jam and determined that the copper pipe needed to be cut using a battery-powered reciprocating saw. He made two cuts on the pipe with the reciprocating saw. When the second cut was finished, kinetic energy stored within the pipe due to the jam released, and the pipe struck the employee's left hand. The employee's index fingertip was partially amputated before the first knuckle without bone loss." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was hammering a pin into an engine. When he struck the pin with the hammer, the pin shattered and a small piece entered the employee's leg. He was hospitalized and required surgery to remove the shard." | |
| 2025 | OK | Construction | "An employee was preparing to replace links in the track of a dozer. As he was setting up a hydraulic press tool and working to get it in the right position, a coupling on a hydraulic hose gave way. The coupling struck the employee's right arm, resulting in lacerations and a fracture." | |
| 2025 | VA | Mining | "An employee had been performing abrasive blasting operations in the sonar dome of a submarine. The employee completed replacing the outer blast glass layer on their blast hood and, while kneeling, the dead-man switch on their blast hose was actuated. High pressure (125-130 psi) air and blast media struck and injured their left forearm and hand. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | OH | Administrative Services | "An employee was undercutting a tree that was lying on a cable when the tree broke and flipped onto them. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their pelvis, ribs, and back." | |
| 2025 | NY | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was putting dishes into a cabinet when a drinking glass fell out. The glass hit the counter and broke, cutting the back side of the employee's wrist. The employee sustained a laceration and tendon damage to their right wrist." | |
| 2025 | IL | Construction | "An employee was hammering a metal collar on a piece of equipment when a small piece of metal broke off and entered their arm and hand. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | GA | Manufacturing | "On July 22, 2025, an employee was cutting/torching a large piece of metal when a piece of the material broke loose, struck him mid-stomach, and knocked him to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with an umbilical hernia and fractures to his right femur and left fibula." | |
| 2025 | PA | Wholesale Trade | "Two employees were using a stationary shear to cut scrap metal material into pieces. The injured employee was working as the "picker," standing at the shaker table to remove any garbage or wood from the cut material. Employee 2 was loading material onto the shear for processing. A piece of metal was ejected from the shear and struck the injured employee. He was hospitalized with a laceration to his abdomen. The shear was not guarded at the time." | |
| 2025 | CO | Administrative Services | "An employee was pressure washing a bulldozer to clean off trash and dirt when his hand was lacerated by the high-pressure stream of water. The employee required surgery." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries, as even small punctures or lacerations can lead to serious infections or internal damage. Report the incident to your supervisor right away to ensure it is documented in your employer's records. An attorney can help you understand how to file a formal Workers' Compensation claim and ensure your medical expenses are covered.
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover injuries that occur during the course of your employment, regardless of who was at fault. This includes medical bills, lost wages during your recovery, and potential disability benefits if the injury results in long-term impairment. An attorney can help you verify that your benefits are being calculated correctly.
Employers are required by OSHA to provide a safe workplace, which includes implementing machine guarding, requiring personal protective equipment like safety glasses, and ensuring tools are maintained properly. If your employer failed to follow these safety regulations, it may strengthen your claim for benefits. An attorney can help you investigate whether safety violations contributed to your injury.
Recovery time depends entirely on the nature of the injury, such as whether you suffered a fracture, amputation, or deep laceration. Some injuries require multiple surgeries and months of physical therapy before you can return to your previous duties. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your recovery needs to ensure your claim accounts for all necessary medical care.