How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 6,313 severe cases of cuts and lacerations over the past decade. The data shows that your fingers are the most frequently affected body part, accounting for 19% of all reported incidents.
These injuries often result in more than just temporary pain. Deep lacerations can damage nerves, tendons, and arteries, leading to permanent loss of function or chronic sensitivity that limits your ability to perform your job duties.
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Check My BenefitsWhat causes Cuts and Lacerations
Most severe lacerations occur when you interact with sharp objects or high-powered machinery. Handling objects accounts for 18% of these injuries, while being struck by propelled substances accounts for 17% and becoming caught in running equipment accounts for 11%.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Injured by object handled by person | 1,073 |
| 2 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 1,040 |
| 3 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 644 |
| 4 | Struck by falling object | 394 |
| 5 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 369 |
| 6 | Other fall to lower level | 301 |
| 7 | Fall on same level | 299 |
| 8 | Bitten or stung by animal | 293 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 33% of these severe injuries, largely due to the constant use of stationary sawing machinery and industrial cutting tools. Construction follows at 22%, where you face risks from handling sharp fasteners and heavy equipment.
Real cases like yours
These reports reveal a pattern of equipment failures and lapses in safety protocols during routine tasks. Whether it is a box cutter slipping during warehouse operations or a tool shattering during engine repair, these incidents often stem from preventable hazards. If your injury occurred under similar circumstances, an attorney can help you evaluate your legal options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | MO | Professional Services | "A veterinarian was listening to a cat's heart when the cat bit their left thumb. The employee was hospitalized for treatment. " | |
| 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 | FL | Construction | "An employee was carrying a compressor when he dropped it on his hand, resulting in a laceration to a finger. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Information | "An employee was cutting boxes using a box cutting tool and lacerated an artery in their wrist. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | CO | Construction | "At 5:46 PM, on July 26, 2025, an Evergreen Caissons bulldozer operator was towing a water truck on a sandy job site. The tow hook failed and the shackle and D-ring on the nylon tow rope snapped back and went through the back window of the dozer, and struck the operator. The employee sustained a gash under their right armpit. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | OH | Construction | "An employee was climbing off the back of a dump truck when he slipped and fell. His right leg struck a piece of scrap metal resulting in a severe laceration to the lower leg. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | GA | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was cleaning underneath the prep table in the kitchen. When he got up, he slipped on an onion on the floor and fell backward, striking the back of his head on the corner of the table. The employee suffered an open laceration and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was cutting down the front of a concrete panel when the concrete saw kicked back and lacerated his neck. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Administrative Services | "An employee was using a pressure washer to rinse down a manhole on a sanitary sewer. When they released the pressurized hose, the employee was struck in the face and neck, resulting in lacerations to their face under the left eye and their neck." | |
| 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." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.