How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 197 severe cases involving cleaning machinery and appliances over the last decade. The most common nature of these injuries is amputations, which account for 54% of all reported incidents.
These injuries are particularly severe because they often involve high-torque components that cause permanent damage. Fingers are the most affected body part in 55% of cases, often leading to life-altering loss of function.
How these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you are caught or entangled in running powered equipment during normal operation, accounting for 50% of all reported events. Many other injuries occur when you are struck by machinery while performing maintenance, cleaning, or testing, which highlights a failure to properly DE-energize or lock out equipment before you access it.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 97 |
| 2 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 23 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 16 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 11 |
| 5 | Direct exposure to electricity | 11 |
| 6 | Struck by falling object | 8 |
| 7 | Vehicle or machinery fire | 6 |
| 8 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 5 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing leads with 43% of all reported incidents, as high-speed production environments often require frequent cleaning of dust collection systems and hoppers. Other services follow at 18%, where you face similar risks of entanglement and electrical exposure when operating industrial washing equipment.
Real cases like yours
Recurring patterns in these reports show you frequently suffer injuries while clearing clogs, inspecting airlocks, or retrieving items from behind active machinery. These incidents often occur when equipment remains energized during maintenance or when safety guards are bypassed or missing. 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 | Other Services | "On July 17, 2025, after someone reported a burning smell at the car wash exit near the washing machine, an employee was inspecting the area. When the employee touched the washing machine, he was electrocuted and hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | CT | Manufacturing | "At 12:09 p.m. on July 11, 2025, an employee was inspecting the dust collection system in a plant. The employee was checking an airlock to determine whether there was suction when their left index and middle fingers were pinched between the rotating rotor and the housing of the airlock. The employee suffered amputations of both fingertips without bone loss." | |
| 2025 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee was assisting in clearing a clogged hopper in a dust collection room. His right hand was caught by the auger and his index, middle, and ring fingers were amputated. The machine was energized at the time." | |
| 2025 | IL | Construction | "An employee was loading a dry vacuum onto the liftgate of his pickup truck and raised the liftgate. While standing on the ground, he went to push the vacuum into the truck. The vacuum tipped over and fell on top of him. The employee sustained four fractured ribs and a collapsed left lung." | |
| 2025 | FL | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was washing dishes and a bottle fell behind the dish machine. The employee went to retrieve it when his finger was caught in a gear and the fingertip was amputated." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was clearing a clogged hose connected to a vacuum when the vacuum engaged and pulled her arm inside, resulting in hospitalization the next day due to swelling, discoloration, and pain." | |
| 2025 | TX | Other Services | "An employee was preparing a car to go into a carwash stall when a ratchet strap fell onto the track, becoming tangled and causing the track to stop. The employee went to remove the strap when the track began moving again, contacting his right arm and resulting in a broken lower arm and two broken fingers." | |
| 2025 | IL | Administrative Services | "An employee was trying to move a vacuum hose when the vacuum system pulled in his right hand and arm. He suffered soft tissue damage and edema to the arm." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "Employees went to the trim saw control panel to investigate a malfunction. They ascended the baghouse ladder. A chemical explosion occurred within the baghouse. Two employees sustained burns to their face, neck, and arms." | |
| 2025 | TX | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee opened up the bottom grate of the washing machine to adjust the microswitch drive on the unbalanced microswitch. Once they adjusted the rod on the microswitch, the washing machine started back up. The employee sustained a complete amputation of the left arm to the middle of the humerus and lacerations to the head." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover your medical expenses and lost wages for severe workplace injuries like amputations. Because these injuries often result in permanent disability, you may be entitled to additional impairment benefits. An attorney can help you calculate the full value of your claim.
Injuries occurring while a machine is running often point to a failure in lockout-tagout procedures or inadequate machine guarding. Your employer is legally required to ensure that equipment is DE-energized before any cleaning or maintenance occurs. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated these safety standards.
Your employer has a strict duty to provide safe equipment and proper training for all cleaning and maintenance tasks. If a machine lacked necessary guards or if you were not provided with the correct tools to clear a clog safely, your employer may be liable for your injury. An attorney can help you determine if negligence played a role in your case.
OSHA enforces strict regulations regarding machine guarding and the control of hazardous energy, commonly known as lockout-tagout. These rules require that machines be rendered inoperable during cleaning to prevent accidental startup or entanglement. An attorney can help you understand how these specific regulations apply to the machinery involved in your accident.