How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 300 severe incidents involving gripping and turning hand tools over the last decade. Amputations account for 59% of all reported cases. These injuries are rarely minor, often resulting in permanent loss of function or digit removal.
Your fingers are the most vulnerable body part, suffering 66% of all recorded injuries from these tools. Because these tools require direct manual force, your margin for error is minimal, and a single slip or mechanical failure can cause life-altering damage to your hands.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you are struck by or caught in an object you are actively handling. This often happens when a torque wrench or hydraulic tool slips, pinching your finger against an adjacent surface or machine part. These accidents frequently occur during routine maintenance or assembly tasks where the tool is under high pressure.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Injured by object handled by person | 202 |
| 2 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 19 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— n.e.c. | 13 |
| 4 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 12 |
| 5 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 9 |
| 6 | Struck by falling object | 9 |
| 7 | Indirect exposure to electricity | 7 |
| 8 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 6 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 33% of these severe injuries, followed by mining at 19% and construction at 18%. These industries rely heavily on high-torque manual tools for assembly and repair, creating a high-frequency environment for pinch-point accidents. When your employer fails to provide proper training or adequate clearance for tool operation, you are left exposed to these hazards.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you performing routine maintenance, such as removing bolts or tightening lug nuts, when a tool suddenly slips or a machine part shifts. These incidents frequently result in fingertip amputations when your hand is caught between the tool and a stationary object. 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 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was removing bolts from a granulator machine when his finger got caught between the machine and a battery-operated torque wrench, resulting in a fingertip amputation." | |
| 2025 | LA | Other Services | "An employee was holding a backup wrench on a torque machine when his left thumb was pinched between the wrench and the adjacent nut, resulting in amputation of the thumb tip. " | |
| 2025 | GA | Administrative Services | "On May 24, 2025, an employee was repairing a lift machine (crane) that moves intermodal shipping contains on/off railcars. The employee was utilizing a hydraulic torque wrench to tighten bolts on a turn table bearing on the yoke of the crane when his right index fingertip was pinched between the wrench and the bearing. The employee's fingertip was amputated and was later reattached at the hospital." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Administrative Services | "An employee was operating a torque gun to tighten a lug nut on the front wheel of a truck. He pressed the power button when a moving paddle contacted the tip of his left index finger, resulting in a fingertip amputation." | |
| 2025 | FL | Health Care | "An employee was working on a hitch, using a hydraulic vise to hold it in place. His left index finger was caught between the vise and the hitch, and his fingertip was crushed. The fingertip was medically amputated at the first knuckle." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "The injured employee was assisting with tightening down 3/4" hardware during assembly of a 6'x20' triple deck screen. Another employee was using a 1/2" cordless impact wrench to tighten down the hardware. The injured employee was using a 1-1/8" open-end wrench that slipped when the bolt was being tighten down by the impact wrench. The injured employee's right ring fingertip was caught between the open-end wrench and the side sheet of the triple deck screen. The tuft of the distal phalanx was amputated." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "On March 18, 2025, an employee was working with a crew to remove a drill bit that was going to be replaced. The employee was using a breaking wrench to remove the drill bit when their hand got caught between the wrench and a hydraulic cylinder, resulting in a right thumb fracture that required hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | OH | Mining | "An employee was working on a well. He turned the well on and off, trying to get the head of the well to come up. He then went to adjust the well with a wrench. To access the fittings at the front of the well, the employee put his wrench on the pulley bar to slow down the well. The employee's finger was pinched between the wrench and an angle iron, resulting in amputation to the left ring fingertip." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was lifting a piece of 8-inch channel (450 pounds) while using a no-touch tool to flip it. His right thumb was caught between the material and the tool, and the tip of the thumb was crushed. The employee sustained a fracture to the left thumb and a laceration that required surgery. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Construction | "On 2/25/2025, at 12:45 PM, an employee was fixing an outlet when the flathead screwdriver slipped and went into his left eye. The employee was hospitalized." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.