How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 974 severe incidents involving cranes over the last decade. Amputations are the most common injury type, representing 49% of all reported cases, which highlights the extreme physical force involved in these accidents.
The severity of these injuries is clear, as 52% of all incidents result in damage to your fingers. You may face life-altering trauma, including fractures and internal organ damage, that requires long-term medical care and rehabilitation.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving cranes typically occur when you are compressed between running equipment and other objects, which accounts for 30% of all reported events. Many incidents involve you being struck by suspended or swinging objects or becoming entangled in machinery during normal operation. These accidents often stem from failures in rigging, improper load stabilization, or the lack of clear communication between crane operators and ground personnel.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 277 |
| 2 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 153 |
| 3 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 136 |
| 4 | Other fall to lower level | 117 |
| 5 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 75 |
| 6 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 47 |
| 7 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 17 |
| 8 | Struck by falling object | 15 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 46% of all crane-related injuries, as these facilities rely heavily on overhead systems for constant material handling. Construction follows at 28%, where the dynamic nature of job sites and the frequent assembly or disassembly of heavy lifting equipment create risks for you while working on the ground.
Real cases like yours
Common themes in these incidents include rigging failures, unexpected equipment movement, and contact with energized power lines during maintenance. You may be injured while performing routine tasks like guiding loads or adjusting rigging, often because the equipment was not properly locked out or the workspace was not adequately cleared. 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 | SD | Manufacturing | "An employee was assisting with rigging a magnet to an overhead crane in order to lift a sheet of steel. The employee's right thumb was between the crane's hook and the chain passing through the hook, and when the crane was raised, the distal end of their thumb was crushed. Part of the employee's right thumb was medically amputated." | |
| 2025 | MA | Real Estate | "An employee was assisting with disassembling a crane and loading rigging on the decking. The employee stepped on a 4-by-4 and lost his balance, causing him to fall off the decking and strike his head on the outriggers of the crane. He was hospitalized with a head injury." | |
| 2025 | LA | Construction | "An employee was performing maintenance work on two gantry cranes located on an elevated trestle rail system. He was performing his work from the basket of a scissor lift that was positioned between the cranes. One of the cranes moved southward, pinning the basket and the employee against the other crane. The employee suffered three broken ribs on his left side and a lacerated kidney, resulting in hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | SD | Construction | "The injured employee was installing all-thread rod while sitting on top of a bridge-style overhead hoist crane beam. He was tightening the all-thread rod to the crane equipment when he reached back with his left arm to adjust his posture. His left hand contacted a cable that powers the crane. The employee sustained an electric shock. The cable was not locked out/tagged out at the time." | |
| 2025 | OH | Construction | "At about 1:30 p.m. on July 9, 2025, an employee was descending a crane when his foot became caught and he fell to the ground about 4 or 5 feet below. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured right leg." | |
| 2025 | GA | Construction | "On July 9, 2025, a crane operator was replacing a fuse behind the upper cab of a crane. They had been kneeling and holding a panel surrounding the engine compartment. When they began to stand up, the panel unexpectedly came loose. The employee lost their balance and fell to the asphalt below, suffering a broken hip." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was driving a carry deck/small crane when its boom made contact with an overhead support beam. The employee was jostled in the cab and suffered a concussion." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was attempting to transfer an iron pipe from the threader machine using a crane. When the employee grabbed ahold of straps used to move the iron pipe and pushed down on the strap, their left hand was caught between the strap and the iron pipe. The employee sustained an injury to the fingers of the hand that required surgery and hospitalization. " | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was guiding a crane onto crane mats when one of the leading transitional mats separated and struck the employee in the lower right leg. The employee sustained a fracture to the lower leg and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "On June 27, 2025, around 2:00 a.m., a Charter Steel mechanical maintenance technician was changing the northeast wheel on the east outside billet yard crane. While the crane was locked out and lifted with a portable hydraulic device, the tech rotated the drive wheel by hand. The lifting device failed, causing the crane to fall and crush the employee s left-hand fingers against the crane wheel. This resulted in partial amputation of the middle and ring fingertips (through the nail with no bone loss) and a laceration with tendon involvement to the index finger." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Amputations and fractures are the most frequent severe injuries reported in crane-related incidents. Because cranes handle massive loads, even minor contact can result in crushing injuries to your fingers, hands, and legs. An attorney can help you document the full extent of these injuries to ensure your claim reflects your long-term medical needs.
Employers are strictly required to maintain cranes and ensure they are operated according to safety standards. If a malfunction occurred due to poor maintenance, lack of inspections, or failure to follow lockout-tagout procedures, your employer may be liable for your injuries. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer met their safety obligations under federal regulations.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages for you if you are injured on the job, regardless of who was at fault. If you were injured while operating or working near a crane, you are generally entitled to these benefits. An attorney can help you navigate the claims process to ensure you receive the full compensation you are owed.
OSHA mandates strict safety protocols for crane operation, including regular inspections, proper rigging training, and clear communication requirements to prevent struck-by accidents. When these standards are ignored, the risk of severe injury increases significantly. An attorney can help you review your case to determine if a violation of these safety standards contributed to your accident.