How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 184 severe cases involving clothing ignition over the last decade. These incidents almost exclusively result in thermal burns, which account for 95 percent of all reported injuries in this category.
The severity of these burns often impacts multiple trunk locations or specific extremities, leaving you with long-term physical and emotional recovery needs. Because these injuries frequently involve large surface areas of your body, you often require extensive medical treatment and lengthy time away from work.
Clothing caught fire? Check what benefits you may be owed.
Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when your clothing ignites due to proximity to heat sources, sparks, or flammable vapors. Ignition of clothing accounts for 86 percent of all reported events, often triggered by welding slag, furnace sparks, or contact with chemicals like xylene. These accidents happen in seconds, turning your everyday work apparel into a dangerous fuel source.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ignition of clothing | 159 |
| 2 | Nonstructural fire— n.e.c. | 10 |
| 3 | Rubbed or abraded by non-running object | 6 |
| 4 | Fire— unspecified | 2 |
| 5 | Fire— small-scale, limited | 2 |
| 6 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 1 |
| 7 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 1 |
| 8 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 58 percent of these severe incidents, largely due to the presence of high-heat machinery and flammable chemical processes. Construction follows as a primary industry, where welding and cutting operations frequently create sparks that can easily ignite your synthetic or loose-fitting clothing.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include sparks from welding or furnaces landing on your work shirt, as well as chemical vapors clinging to fabric and igniting near heat sources. These incidents often occur during routine tasks where the risk of fire is underestimated. 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 | TX | Manufacturing | "The injured employee had been working with xylene in a paint booth and exited the paint booth for a smoke break. The employee dropped his lighter, causing his clothing to catch fire, possibly from xylene vapors. The employee sustained burns from their chest down to their thighs and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "An employee was charging the furnace when a spark from the furnace ignited and struck the employee's undershirt. The employee sustained burns to their lower back, hands, and front abdomen." | |
| 2025 | MA | Retail Trade | "Brake fluid on an employee's clothing ignited, resulting in burns over 13 percent of his body." | |
| 2025 | DE | Construction | "An employee was on a ladder welding when a piece of slag fell onto his sweater which caught fire. The employee sustained burns to the upper body." | |
| 2025 | VA | Manufacturing | "An employee was in a welding booth preparing to TIG weld a pipe socket. The employee's clothing caught fire and she sustained third-degree burns on her face, neck, chest, and stomach." | |
| 2025 | AK | Manufacturing | "An employee was performing a weld test when a piece of slag fell and their shirt and pants caught fire. The employee sustained second- and third-degree burns to the chest, abdomen, and thighs. Leathers or flame-resistant clothing were not used at the time." | |
| 2025 | ID | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee was servicing a golf cart in a building and was using a propane double tank radiant heater for warmth. His back was to the heater and his clothing caught on fire. The employee sustained burns. " | |
| 2025 | NE | Manufacturing | "An employee was performing tack welding on fittings when their shirt caught fire, resulting in third-degree burns to their chest and abdomen." | |
| 2025 | IL | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was on break in a maintenance shed when a propane space heater caused their clothing to catch on fire, resulting in second- and third-degree burns to their lower back, buttocks, and upper leg." | |
| 2025 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee was using a handheld grinder on a metal part. Sparks flew off the part and caught their clothing on fire. The employee sustained severe burns to their face, neck, and underarms." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.