Struck by falling objects at Work — Injury Statistics and Claims Information
Struck by falling objects at Work
Reported incidents show a significant long-term decline
OSHA has recorded 3,025 severe incidents involving workers struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects. These events frequently result in life-altering trauma, with amputations accounting for 70.6 percent of all reported cases.
The hands and fingers are the most vulnerable, suffering 77.1 percent of these injuries. Because these incidents often involve heavy machinery or industrial materials, the resulting damage to bone and tissue is frequently permanent.
What's Driving the Trend?
Over the last decade, reported incidents of workers struck by shifting objects have decreased by 79 percent. Despite this downward trend, stationary sawing machinery and food processing equipment remain the primary sources of these dangerous encounters.
Manufacturing leads all sectors with 45.9 percent of cases, followed by retail and construction. These environments often require the manual handling of heavy, unstable loads that can shift unexpectedly if not properly secured.
Injury Types from Struck by falling objects
Top causes based on OSHA incident reports
These injuries occur when heavy materials or equipment components move without warning. Workers are often struck while manually positioning pipes, loading reels of cable, or adjusting tools on a work table. When objects like four-ton pipes or heavy injection molds shift, they can trap a worker against a surface, leading to crushing injuries or traumatic amputations.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 2,130 |
| 2 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 369 |
| 3 | Fractures | 331 |
| 4 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 100 |
| 5 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 30 |
| 6 | Bruises, contusions | 13 |
| 7 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 8 |
| 8 | Sprains, strains, tears | 7 |
Why This Matters for Your Case
Employers are legally required to secure materials to prevent them from shifting, sliding, or collapsing under 29 CFR 1910.176. Failure to provide adequate dunnage, proper blocking, or secure storage for heavy materials constitutes a direct violation of these safety mandates.
Industries with Most Struck by falling objects
Where these injuries occur most frequently
Manufacturing accounts for 45.9 percent of all reported struck-by incidents, largely due to the constant movement of heavy raw materials and finished products. Retail and construction follow, where the frequent handling of inventory and building supplies creates similar risks for workers.
High-Risk Industries and Your Rights
Employers in these sectors must comply with 29 CFR 1910.176, which dictates that materials must be stored and stacked to prevent falling or shifting. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.212 requires that machinery be guarded to protect workers from the hazards of moving parts and materials.
Real Incident Reports
From actual OSHA investigation files
Real reports from the field consistently show that injuries occur when workers attempt to manually stabilize heavy loads during positioning or transport. These incidents often involve a failure to use mechanical lifting aids or a breakdown in the communication required to safely move heavy materials.
"On July 30, 2025, an employee was assisting co-workers in using a hoist to position an injection molding tool onto a work table. As the tool was being lowered, the slide section shifted, trapping and amputating the employee's right thumb tip."
"An employee was hanging wire mesh from a lift that was approximately 15 feet high. As the employee was adding tension to the wire, a U-bolt slid down, causing a left index fingertip amputation."
"An employee was removing 2,500-foot reels of 1 cable-in-conduit (CIC) weighing ~1,022 lbs. from the back of an enclosed delivery truck. The employee was manually rolling a reel off the truck when another reel shifted and rolled forward, crushing his right hand between the two reels. The employee's right ring finger was partially amputated without loss of bone."
"An employee was rolling pipe on a table to reposition it and finish grinding on the edge. Another pipe (weighing 4 tons) was moving down the same table and struck the employee. The employee was hospitalized with fractured ribs and a partial lung collapse on the right side."
"An employee was separating a bundle of steel channel using a lifting device. While the employee was inserting a piece of wood dunnage between the pieces of material, the load shifted. This caused the steel channel to come down and pinch the employee's index finger, leading to a partial amputation of the fingertip."
"An employee was working to move a paper roller carriage, which is a 3 by 3-foot paper roll weighing approximately 500 pounds. The employee's hands were positioned in the area where the spool meets the cradle. As the employee moved the carriage across a floor track, the paper roll was dislodged and caught the employee's finger, severing it. The employee's right middle fingertip was partially amputated."
"An employee was assisting a customer with attaching a trailer to their vehicle using a trailer mover. The trailer slipped from the trailer mover. As a result, the trailer mover struck the employee s left knee. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured left kneecap that required surgery."
"An employee was onsite to load a van with carts filled with packages for delivery. She was handling a cart (weighing approximately 300 to 500 pounds) down a ramp. The cart began to pull her down the ramp. At the foot of the ramp was another ramp with a railing. The cart struck the railing and the employee's hand was caught between the cart handle and the railing. The employee's right middle fingertip was amputated."
"An employee was driving a forklift and unloading racks of glass from a truck. A rack began to tilt; the employee exited the forklift and went to stabilize it. The rack tipped and pinned his left arm against the forklift. The forearm was broken and required surgery."
"Employees were putting the cap end back on an oil cooler that was sitting on wooden cribbing at ground level. They had to roll the unit on wooden blocks so a flange on the side of the cooler would not hit the cribbing. While an employee was moving the blocks using a short piece of 8-by-8, his left middle fingertip was caught and crushed between two blocks. The finger was partially amputated."
Common Questions About Struck by falling objects Claims
The ClaimsBoost Research Team aggregates official government data to help workers understand workplace injury trends and their coverage options.
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