How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 1,882 severe cases involving molding and casting machinery over the last decade. Amputations, avulsions, and enucleations account for 74% of these incidents, representing the most frequent and life-altering injury type reported.
These machines frequently cause catastrophic damage to your fingers, which account for 78% of all reported injuries. The high rate of permanent loss of function often leads to long-term disability and significant medical expenses for you.
How these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you are caught or entangled in running powered equipment during normal operation, which accounts for 82% of all reported cases. These accidents often happen when safety guards are bypassed, sensors fail, or machines cycle unexpectedly while you are performing routine adjustments or clearing jams.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 1,525 |
| 2 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 125 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 50 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 48 |
| 5 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 30 |
| 6 | Other fall to lower level | 15 |
| 7 | Struck by falling object | 14 |
| 8 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 10 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 89% of all reported incidents involving molding and casting machinery. The high volume of production cycles and the constant interaction with heavy, automated equipment in this sector create a high-risk environment where even minor lapses in machine guarding or lockout-tagout procedures can lead to your severe injury.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include unexpected machine cycling during maintenance, pinch points on adjustment handles, and failures in safety interlocks that allow dies to close while you are in the danger zone. 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 contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was adjusting the oscillator pressure injector on a die-cast machine when his right thumb contacted the adjustment handle. The machine oscillated and closed on his right thumb. The tip of the thumb was pinched and amputated between the die and the handle." | |
| 2025 | MS | Manufacturing | "An employee was performing regular duties in the cast house and sustained heat exhaustion." | |
| 2025 | CO | Manufacturing | "An employee was troubleshooting a caster machine. While removing a cap cover, the catch pan moved up and caught his right arm against the caster blocks. He suffered lacerations and an open break of the ulna. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was operating a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fusion machine. The machine's carriage was directing a fitting that was being lifted from the machine when the employee's left ring finger was crushed in a pinch point, resulting in a fingertip amputation." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "Two employees were operating an aluminum die casting machine when a piston that pushed molten aluminum into the mold stopped dispensing aluminum correctly. After they had spent several hours fixing the issue, the machine cycled and the die closed on one employee's right hand. The employee suffered amputations to the index fingertip and the thumb at the knuckle." | |
| 2025 | TX | Retail Trade | "An employee was clearing a bottle jam in the trimmer section of a blow mold machine when the machine restarted. The employee sustained amputation of their right thumb and lacerations to their right third and fifth fingers. The machine was energized and a guard was in place at the time." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was working by the slag side of a reverb in the furnace department. They returned home after the end of their shift and began feeling muscle cramps, resulting in hospitalization due to dehydration." | |
| 2025 | OK | Manufacturing | "An employee was looking into a furnace to check for parts. When the furnace closed, the employee's right little finger was caught by a piece of metal, resulting in a partial amputation." | |
| 2025 | OH | Other Services | "On June 13, 2025, an employee was applying sprayed concrete to the top of coke ovens in a tunnel that is typically around 200 degrees. Later in the day, they began to show signs of heat-related illness, resulting in hospitalization. " | |
| 2025 | NE | Manufacturing | "An employee was lighting a pilot light that burns off residual oxygen in the purge chamber of a heat-treating furnace. Residual gas and built-up oxygen in the purge chamber caused an explosion, which blew the front of the furnace's door off its track and the hood/exhaust system off its rivets. The employee was knocked down and suffered burns and lacerations to the left side of his face." |
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 costs and lost wages for severe workplace injuries like amputations. Because these injuries often require extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation, you may be entitled to permanent partial disability benefits. An attorney can help you calculate the full value of your claim to ensure you are not undercompensated.
OSHA requires your employer to follow 29 CFR 1910.212, which mandates that machines must have adequate guarding to protect you from hazards like pinch points and rotating parts. If your employer failed to provide functional guards or bypassed safety sensors, this may be evidence of a serious safety violation. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer met these mandatory safety standards.
If a machine malfunctioned while you were operating it correctly, the burden of proof often shifts to your employer to show that the equipment was properly maintained and inspected. Employers are responsible for ensuring that machines are safe for their intended use and that you are trained on specific lockout-tagout procedures. An attorney can help you gather maintenance records to support your claim.
Recovery from molding machine injuries often involves multiple surgeries, physical therapy, and psychological support for the loss of a limb or function. The timeline varies significantly based on the severity of the trauma and the specific body part affected. An attorney can help you document your ongoing medical needs to ensure your benefits cover the full duration of your recovery.