How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 28 severe cases involving firearms and air-powered guns over the last decade. Gunshot wounds account for 43% of these incidents, representing some of the most critical injuries reported to federal authorities.
These injuries frequently involve your fingers and legs, often leading to permanent damage. Amputations and severe lacerations are common outcomes, creating long-term physical and financial challenges for you. An attorney can help you navigate your recovery and secure the benefits you deserve.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving firearms typically stem from accidental discharge or equipment failure. In 43% of cases, the weapon fires unexpectedly, while 36% of incidents involve explosions of the device or related components. These events often occur during cleaning, training, or improper handling, leaving you vulnerable to sudden, life-altering trauma.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gun discharge— accidental or intent unknown | 12 |
| 2 | Explosion— n.e.c. | 10 |
| 3 | Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids | 2 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 1 |
| 5 | Struck by running powered equipment— n.e.c. | 1 |
| 6 | Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire | 1 |
| 7 | Explosion— unspecified | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Public administration accounts for 32% of these severe incidents, reflecting the high volume of security and law enforcement personnel handling weapons daily. Manufacturing facilities also see significant risk, where testing tactical equipment or specialized air-powered tools can lead to catastrophic mechanical failures.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve weapons discharging during routine cleaning, training exercises, or while being shown to coworkers. These incidents frequently highlight a lack of standardized safety protocols or improper equipment maintenance. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can review the specifics of your incident to determine your legal options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | IL | Administrative Services | "On June 25, 2025, a security employee was walking into a facility ahead of their shift when their firearm discharged. The employee suffered a gunshot wound to the right leg." | |
| 2025 | AR | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was showing a handgun to co-worker when it discharged and a bullet struck the co-worker's leg." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was testing a 40mm single-shot tactical launcher with the launcher mounted on her right shoulder and the barrel stabilized with her left hand. After the trigger was pulled, the 40mm barrel tore apart radially and she sustained injuries to her left extremity including the bicep, forearm, index finger, middle finger, and thumb." | |
| 2025 | NH | Administrative Services | "An employee was training at a shooting range. Their weapon discharged and the employee sustained a gunshot wound to the foot. A toe was surgically amputated." | |
| 2025 | VA | Public Administration | "An employee was cleaning a handgun when it discharged a round into their left hand below their little finger. The employee was hospitalized. " | |
| 2025 | CA | Public Administration | "On March 18, 2025, an employee was participating in routine firearms training at a shooting range. An accidental discharge occurred while the employee was holstering his pistol. The discharged round struck the employee's right upper thigh and exited through a lower portion of their right thigh. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | AZ | Public Administration | "An employee sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg while conducting drills at a shooting range." | |
| 2025 | GA | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee was evaluating a customer's gun and discharged a bullet into his left hand." | |
| 2024 | FL | Public Administration | "An employee was participating in firearms training when she sustained a gunshot to her left hand from a pistol, fracturing her index finger." | |
| 2024 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was working as a security guard. He reached into a bag to retrieve something and a gun discharged. The employee sustained a gunshot wound to the palm of the hand and a leg." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.