How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 43 severe cases of cold exposure. These injuries often involve deep tissue damage that can permanently impair your dexterity and grip strength.
Beyond the immediate pain, cold injuries frequently lead to long-term nerve damage and sensitivity. You may face extended recovery periods that impact your ability to perform manual tasks and maintain your previous earning capacity.
Cold injury at work? Check what benefits you may be owed.
Free Benefits ReviewWhat causes Cold Exposure Injuries
Environmental cold exposure is the primary driver of these incidents, accounting for 77% of all reported cases. Most injuries occur when you are required to operate in extreme temperatures without adequate protective gear or when equipment like pressurized gas lines fails, causing rapid cooling and accidental contact with your skin.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exposure to environmental cold | 33 |
| 2 | Contact with cold objects or substances | 8 |
| 3 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 1 |
| 4 | Capsized or sinking water vehicle (non collision) | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Transportation and warehousing leads with 37% of all incidents, largely due to the demands of loading and unloading in unheated environments. Manufacturing and wholesale trade also see elevated risks, where you may face direct exposure to cryogenic substances and extreme thermal drops while handling pressurized gases or maintaining cooling systems.
Real cases like yours
Recurring patterns in these reports highlight failures in equipment maintenance and a lack of proper personal protective equipment during cold-weather tasks. Whether it is a lift gate failure in freezing temperatures or a liquid propane leak during a transfer, these incidents share a common theme of preventable exposure. If your injury occurred during a similar equipment failure or due to inadequate safety protocols, an attorney can help you review the specific circumstances of your case.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | IL | Construction | "An employee was replacing electric lights inside a freezer at a store. He developed frostbite in his fingers and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | IL | Retail Trade | "An employee was pumping liquid propane from a propane delivery truck to a storage tank. After the transfer was completed, the employee closed the valves and disconnected the transfer hose. During the transfer, the liquid propane auto-refrigerated the riser pipe of the storage tank and that delayed the vaporization of the propane. Upon reaching a higher temperature, liquified propane began rapidly expanding. Liquid propane then discharged from the pipe and contacted the employee, causing cold burns. The employee was hospitalized for second-degree burns to their torso and arms. " | |
| 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." | |
| 2025 | OK | Mining | "An employee was working on an oil and gas drilling rig and tripping pipe out of the hole. After the employee finished work and took off his gloves, he noticed his fingers had frostbite." | |
| 2025 | WI | Transportation & Warehousing | "On January 21, 2025, an employee was unloading a shipment of slot machines from a delivery truck. The truck's lift gate battery failed, preventing the use of the lift. The employee disconnected the vehicle engine battery and connected it to the lift gate battery to provide a power boost. While the employee was repairing the liftgate, their hands were exposed to extreme cold weather. The employee was hospitalized with frostbite to both hands, including their fingers and thumbs." | |
| 2024 | PA | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was unloading a truck and sustained frostbite to his left index finger due to cold temperatures." | |
| 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 | KY | Construction | "An employee was leaving a work site on a barge due to adverse weather conditions. While on their way back to shore in a small boat, the boat went up a large swell and when it came back down, it went bow first into another swell and was immediately swamped. All the boat passengers fell into the river water, which was approximately 49.8 Fahrenheit. One employee was hospitalized with hypothermia." | |
| 2024 | IL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was dropping off trailer and tractor equipment when his left hand sustained severe frostbite. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2023 | NH | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was selecting in a freezer and sustained frostbite to fingers on both hands. The employee was hospitalized." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.