How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 788 severe incidents involving doors over the last decade. Amputations account for 68% of all reported door-related injuries.
These injuries are severe because they frequently target your fingers. You may face permanent loss of function or partial amputation, which can impact your ability to perform daily tasks and future work duties.
How these injuries happen
Most door injuries occur when you are struck by a swinging or suspended object, accounting for 72% of all reported cases. This often happens when a heavy door closes unexpectedly, pinning your hand or finger against a frame. In other instances, you are injured while trying to catch a closing door or when a door malfunctions during normal operation.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 559 |
| 2 | Struck by falling object | 68 |
| 3 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 41 |
| 4 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 37 |
| 5 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 18 |
| 6 | Struck against stationary object | 11 |
| 7 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 8 |
| 8 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 7 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing leads all sectors with 24% of reported door injuries, largely due to the frequent use of heavy, automated, or self-closing overhead doors. Health care and retail trade follow, where high-traffic areas and heavy stockroom doors create constant risks for you as you move through busy workspaces.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you reaching out to stabilize a closing door or having your hands caught in frames when doors slam shut unexpectedly. These incidents often occur during routine tasks like entering storerooms or moving between departments. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NY | Retail Trade | "On July 30, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., an employee was unloading a truck when three sliding patio door panels, which weighed approximately 450 pounds each, fell on his head and neck area, pinning him inside the truck and causing him to lose consciousness." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was entering a building and reached out to catch a closing door. The door closed on the employee's finger, resulting in the partial amputation of the fingertip and nailbed." | |
| 2025 | FL | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee's hand was on a door frame when the door slammed shut. Her left little finger was amputated at the first joint." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "At 2:05 p.m., the injured employee was shadowing another operator. They went into the aerosol gashouse as part of training. As they entered, the self-closing overhead door shut while the injured employee's right hand was still on the edge. The employee's little fingertip was caught and partially amputated between the door and the frame." | |
| 2025 | WI | Retail Trade | "An employee was operating a forklift and reached forward to open swinging doors to enter the back storeroom from the sales floor. His thumb became caught in the doors and was amputated at the knuckle." | |
| 2025 | OK | Public Administration | "An employee was closing a door while holding the door handle behind him. The door closed on his finger resulting in a fingertip amputation." | |
| 2025 | HI | Health Care | "An employee was taking a break from powerwashing a deck when a door closed on his left index fingertip, resulting in an amputation above the nail." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was closing a garage door. As the door slid, the employee's right ring finger was caught in one of its wheel tracks. The fingertip was amputated at the first knuckle." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "On June 3, 2025, an employee was retrieving a 6-foot long tool that was leaning near a powered roll-up door and lodged in the door tract. When the employee grabbed the tool, the door came down and struck them. The employee was hospitalized with a contusion to their jaw and fractures to their right arm and leg." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "A temporary employee manually passed product in a bag through a man door on the production floor when it closed while his hand was in the doorway. The employee sustained a fracture and distal amputation to his left middle fingertip." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Workers' Compensation covers medical expenses and lost wages for your work-related injuries, including amputations. Because these injuries often require surgery and long-term rehabilitation, you may be entitled to specific disability benefits. An attorney can help you ensure your claim accurately reflects the severity of your injury.
Workers' Compensation is typically your exclusive remedy for workplace injuries, meaning you generally cannot sue your employer for negligence. However, if a third party, such as a door manufacturer or maintenance contractor, was responsible for a defect, you may have a separate personal injury claim. An attorney can help you evaluate whether third-party liability exists in your case.
Your employer is required to maintain a safe work environment, which includes ensuring that doors are properly balanced, have functioning closers, and are free from mechanical defects. If a door is known to be faulty and your employer fails to repair it, they may be in violation of general duty requirements. An attorney can help you determine if your employer failed to meet these safety obligations.
Insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts by classifying severe injuries as minor or questioning the circumstances of your accident. If you have suffered an amputation or fracture, you need to ensure your medical records and impairment ratings are correctly documented. An attorney can help you review your claim to ensure you are receiving the full benefits you are owed.