How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 21 severe cases of skin and subcutaneous tissue infections over the last decade. These injuries frequently impact your lower legs, often turning minor workplace exposures into serious medical emergencies requiring hospitalization.
Infections can lead to long-term complications, including chronic pain, tissue damage, and extended time away from work. When your workplace environment allows for the transmission of infectious agents or fails to protect your open wounds from hazardous substances, the resulting infection can significantly impact your long-term earning capacity.
What causes Skin and Tissue Infections
Exposure to harmful substances through exposed tissue accounts for 73% of these severe cases. This often occurs when cleaning chemicals, industrial coolants, or environmental contaminants enter your existing cut or abrasion, triggering a rapid and severe inflammatory response that requires professional medical intervention.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 11 |
| 2 | Exposure to harmful substances— unspecified | 2 |
| 3 | Other fall to lower level | 1 |
| 4 | Kneeling, crawling | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 33% of all severe infection cases, where you are frequently exposed to industrial coolants and machine fluids. These substances can easily penetrate your skin during routine operation or maintenance, especially when protective barriers are absent or compromised.
Real cases like yours
Recurring patterns in these incidents show that even minor contact with industrial fluids or prolonged kneeling in contaminated areas can lead to your hospitalization. Whether through chemical splashes on an existing wound or bacterial growth from environmental exposure, these reports highlight how quickly a standard work task can result in a severe infection. If your injury followed a similar pattern of exposure or neglect, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your case.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | TX | Administrative Services | "On September 16, 2024, an employee was filling a mop bucket from a dispenser with a solution of water and cleaning chemicals when some of the solution splashed onto a wound on his foot and it became swollen. The employee was hospitalized with an infection to the foot." | |
| 2022 | MA | Manufacturing | "An employee bumped his elbow and sustained a bacterial infection." | |
| 2021 | NJ | Health Care | "An employee who was caring for patients received a bacterial infection." | |
| 2021 | AL | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating a lathe when coolant got onto his face. He was hospitalized, suffering from a bacterial infection." | |
| 2021 | FL | Construction | "On June 28, 2021, an employee spent a long period kneeling while performing plumbing services at a commercial establishment. His left knee swelled and he was hospitalized, suffering from a bacterial infection." | |
| 2019 | RI | Administrative Services | "An employee had been doing lawn care work when he felt pain in his abdomen that radiated to his hip and right leg. He developed a rash and was hospitalized, suffering from cellulitis." | |
| 2019 | OH | Manufacturing | "On July 19, 2019, wet cement got on an employee's elbow. The employee developed cellulitis on the elbow and was hospitalized." | |
| 2019 | MD | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee had been wearing a training suit while instructing law enforcement trainees in personal defense. Early the following morning, he woke with a fever and a severe headache, requiring hospitalization for a staph infection in his leg." | |
| 2019 | GA | Public Administration | "An instructor contracted MRSA through an abrasion on his right knee from bacteria on the padded mats used by personnel during training." | |
| 2018 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee's knee buckled while they were walking down stairs. The employee was hospitalized for an infection." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if your infection arose out of and in the course of your employment, you may be eligible for benefits. This includes infections caused by exposure to chemicals, contaminated equipment, or unsanitary work environments. An attorney can help you determine if your employer's failure to provide a safe environment contributed to your condition.
Employers often attempt to attribute infections to personal health, but medical evidence linking your infection to a specific workplace exposure is critical. Documentation of the incident, such as a chemical splash or a puncture wound on the job, is vital for your claim. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to support your case.
Recovery timelines vary based on the severity of your infection and the type of treatment required, such as intravenous antibiotics or surgical drainage. Some workers return to their duties quickly, while others face long-term complications that require ongoing medical care. An attorney can help you ensure your claim accounts for both your immediate medical costs and any future recovery needs.
Employers are required to maintain a safe workplace, which includes providing proper personal protective equipment and ensuring that hazardous substances are contained. If your injury resulted from a lack of safety protocols or inadequate training on handling chemicals, your employer may be liable. An attorney can help you evaluate whether safety regulations were violated in your specific situation.