How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 2,094 severe cases involving conveyor belts over the last decade. Amputations, avulsions, and enucleations are the most frequent injury types, accounting for 60 percent of all reported incidents.
These injuries are severe because they often involve high-torque machinery that does not stop instantly. Fingers are the most affected body part, suffering 60 percent of all recorded injuries, which frequently leads to permanent disability and long-term recovery needs.
How these injuries happen
You are most likely to be injured when caught or entangled in running powered equipment during normal operation, which accounts for 74 percent of all incidents. These accidents often happen when you attempt to clear jams, retrieve dropped items, or perform routine cleaning while the belt is still in motion. When machine guards are missing, damaged, or bypassed, your risk of being pulled into rollers or transition plates increases significantly.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 1,532 |
| 2 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 190 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 127 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 71 |
| 5 | Other fall to lower level | 51 |
| 6 | Struck by falling object | 27 |
| 7 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 15 |
| 8 | Fall on same level | 14 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 61 percent of all conveyor-related injuries, largely due to the high volume of automated assembly and packaging lines. Transportation and warehousing also report frequent incidents, as you interact with high-speed sorting systems and mail-handling conveyors throughout your shifts. In these environments, the pressure to maintain production speed often leads to shortcuts in safety protocols.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents involve you attempting to clear jams or perform maintenance on belts that were not properly locked out or guarded. Many reports describe you reaching into transition points or near rollers, only to have your hands or arms pulled into the machinery before you can react. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer negligence played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | KS | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was clearing a mail jam on a conveyor belt when her arm got trapped between the rollers. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured arm that required surgery." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was replacing a pop-up roller between the drop plate table and the far stacker conveyor after clearing a jam. The pop-up roller became hung up on the frame of the roller flight conveyor. The employee s hand then became caught between the pop-up roller and the belts on the drop table. The employee sustained an avulsion to their right hand excluding the fingers. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | FL | Transportation & Warehousing | "After clearing a jam on a secured conveyor belt, an employee walked back to step down, lost their footing, and fell onto the ground outside a bay door. The employee was hospitalized with a fracture to their left arm/elbow." | |
| 2025 | KS | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was sorting packages on a conveyor belt. The employee's hand was caught between the belt and a transition plate, causing lacerations and burns to their hand and wrist." | |
| 2025 | WI | Administrative Services | "At about 11:45 p.m. on July 26, 2025, an employee was cleaning the floor with a pressure washer. While clearing away a piece of sausage, their left hand was caught between the rollers and the belt on a conveyor. The employee suffered partial amputations to the middle and ring fingers." | |
| 2025 | WI | Retail Trade | "An employee was aligning a shipping offload conveyor. A component of the machine caught the employee's left middle finger, amputating it above the second knuckle." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Manufacturing | "An employee was packing candles on a line. They reached down to pick up a 12-pack of candles when their right little finger was caught in the conveyor belt, resulting in an amputation at the distal joint." | |
| 2025 | LA | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was inspecting a drag conveyor when the machine started up while his hand was inside. The employee's left index finger was amputated to the first knuckle." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was troubleshooting to determine why a pallet was not traveling along a continuous vertical conveyor. The conveyor's rollers caused a crushing/laceration injury to the employee's right hand that required surgery." | |
| 2025 | NE | Agriculture | "An employee was using an 8-foot metal pipe to remove a manure blockage at the transfer to an incline conveyer. The employee s left hand was placed on top of the pipe while removing the blockage. The pipe pushed their left hand into the wooden railing of the platform they were standing on, catching their thumb in a pinch point and resulting in partial amputation." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Your first priority is seeking immediate medical attention, as conveyor accidents frequently cause severe trauma. Once you are stable, report the incident to your employer in writing and ensure it is documented in your personnel file. An attorney can help you navigate the Workers' Compensation process to ensure your medical bills and lost wages are covered.
Employers are strictly required under OSHA standards to provide adequate machine guarding to prevent contact with moving parts. If a guard was missing, broken, or improperly installed, your employer may be liable for failing to maintain a safe workplace. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety regulations and how that impacts your claim.
Amputations are considered catastrophic injuries and typically qualify for significant Workers' Compensation benefits, including coverage for surgery, prosthetics, and long-term rehabilitation. Because these injuries often result in permanent impairment, the compensation structure is designed to account for your future loss of earning capacity. An attorney can help you calculate the full value of your claim.
Workers' Compensation is a no-fault system, meaning you are generally entitled to benefits regardless of who caused the accident. Even if your employer claims you were at fault for clearing a jam, you likely still have a valid claim for medical and wage benefits. An attorney can help you protect your rights and ensure your employer does not use blame to deny you the support you deserve.