How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 76 severe cases involving cargo ships over the last decade. Fractures account for 46 percent of these incidents, often resulting from heavy cargo movement or falls from heights. These injuries frequently require extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
Finger injuries represent 18 percent of all reported cases, highlighting the risks posed by heavy machinery and lashing equipment. These incidents often lead to permanent loss of function, creating significant financial and physical burdens for you.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Most injuries occur during the normal operation of water vehicles, which accounts for 61 percent of all reported cases. You are frequently struck by shifting cargo, caught in moving lashing gear, or knocked from ramps during loading. These events often stem from inadequate communication between deck crews and equipment operators or failures to secure heavy steel slabs and other materials properly.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Incidents onboard water vehicle in normal operation | 46 |
| 2 | Other water vehicle incident n.e.c. | 24 |
| 3 | Other fall to lower level | 2 |
| 4 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 1 |
| 5 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 1 |
| 6 | Water vehicle incidents— unspecified | 1 |
| 7 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Transportation and warehousing operations account for 78 percent of all severe shipboard injuries. The environment of loading and discharging cargo creates constant exposure to heavy machinery and unstable surfaces. Employers in this sector are required to maintain strict safety protocols to prevent you from being crushed or struck by moving loads.
Real cases like yours
Reports consistently show you suffering life-altering injuries while performing routine tasks like tightening turnbuckles or inspecting cargo holds. Many incidents involve the failure of lifting devices or the unexpected movement of heavy equipment on ramps. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you determine if employer negligence played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was working inside the cargo hold of a cargo ship, discharging steel slabs. The slabs (approximately 4 feet by 20 feet) were being hoisted by a powered industrial truck (PIT) equipped with an electromagnetic lifting device. The lifting device failed and released a steel slab that struck the employee's right foot. The employee sustained injuries to their big toe, including partial amputation." | |
| 2025 | CA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was tightening a turnbuckle while attempting to conduct lash-back operations on a ship when their left gloved hand was caught between the upper and lower turnbuckles. The employee suffered a crush injury to the little finger that resulted in a fingertip amputation." | |
| 2025 | WA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee parked a side-by-side on the fixed internal ramp aboard a cargo ship. They exited the side-by-side and went to inspect the cargo below. The side-by-side rolled toward the employee and struck them as they were walking toward the edge of the ramp. The employee was knocked off the ramp and landed on the lower deck approximately 8 feet below. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured shoulder." | |
| 2025 | FL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was conducting welding repairs inside a ballast water tank on a docked ship. The employee began to experience signs of heat exhaustion, resulting in hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | CA | Manufacturing | "An employee was working on the bottom of a littoral combat ship with a water jet propulsion system instead of a rudder. The employee was hammering a pin out of one of the cylinders of the propulsion system when the pin came out and the cylinder retracted. The employee's left middle finger was pinched by the cylinder, resulting in the partial amputation." | |
| 2025 | TX | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee had been flagging a crane operator via radio. Cargo shifted during a hoisting evolution and the employee became caught between a shipping container and a bulkhead in the cargo hold of a marine cargo vessel. The employee's right elbow was fractured." | |
| 2025 | WA | Public Administration | "At 6:05 a.m. on May 13, 2025, an employee was descending a stairwell in a ship. The tool bag she was carrying on her shoulder caught on a handrail; she lost her footing and fell down the last 7 feet of the stairwell. She suffered internal injuries and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | AL | Transportation & Warehousing | "On May 13, 2025, an employee was performing longshoring operations aboard a vessel. He was handing another employee a 20-foot lashing pole when he fell about 45 feet from the vessel to the concrete dock below. He suffered a fractured arm and leg, as well as a severe head injury and pelvic injuries. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | CA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was removing lashing bars from containers aboard the vessel. Heavy condensation on the deck caused the employee to slip and fall, resulting in a left hip fracture and a hyperextended left leg." | |
| 2025 | GA | Public Administration | "On April 20, 2025, an employee was returning from break and opened a door on a ship. The moveable platform was no longer there and the employee fell 12-15 feet to the deck below and landed on their head. The employee sustained a fractured skull, a fractured rib, and a sprained wrist." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.