How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 204 severe cases involving heavy rail vehicles over the last decade. Fractures are the most common injury type, accounting for 44% of all reported incidents, often requiring extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
These incidents frequently result in life-altering trauma, with amputations occurring in 23% of cases.
How these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you fall from railcars during loading or maintenance, which accounts for 45% of all reported events. Other common scenarios involve you being struck by moving rail vehicles or becoming compressed between railcars and other equipment during switching operations.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 89 |
| 2 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 27 |
| 3 | Non-passenger struck by rail vehicle | 22 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 15 |
| 5 | Other rail vehicle incident— n.e.c. | 9 |
| 6 | Rail vehicle collisions | 5 |
| 7 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 5 |
| 8 | Incidents onboard rail vehicle in normal operation | 4 |
Where injuries happen most
Transportation and warehousing leads with 35% of all reported incidents, as these operations rely heavily on constant railcar movement and loading. Manufacturing follows closely at 33%, where you are frequently exposed to rail hazards during the transfer of raw materials and finished goods.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include you falling from railcar tops while securing loads, getting limbs crushed between railcar knuckles during switching, and being struck by shifting cargo during crane operations. 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 safety failures contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Transportation & Warehousing | "The injured employee loaded a container onto a railcar and then mounted the railcar to put in the locking mechanism for the container. The employee was struck by another container that a crane was loading onto the railcar and fell approximately four feet from the railcar to the concrete ground. The employee sustained fractures to their pelvis, shoulder, and two ribs." | |
| 2025 | MT | Wholesale Trade | "Employees were loading a set of grain hoppers. A lid blew shut on the next car to be loaded. While flipping the hopper lid back open, an employee fell from the top of the rail car to the ground 14 feet below. He suffered two compound fractures to one leg and a fracture to the other leg/ankle. " | |
| 2025 | ND | Wholesale Trade | "An employee on top of a moving railcar when their self-retracting lifeline (SRL) became caught on a load-out spout. The employee was dragged along the railcar, then rolled off the railcar and fell to ground. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their wrist, right side ribs, and femur." | |
| 2025 | FL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was descending from a railcar to a platform when he lost his footing and landed on the pavement below. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured right foot and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "On April 27, 2025, employees were performing a railcar switch. When the train began to shift back, the injured employee's right arm got crushed between the knuckles of two railcars. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their forearm." | |
| 2025 | CO | Wholesale Trade | "The injured employee was on top of a rail car after completing a chemical transfer. After removing the stinger (25' measuring pole), he stepped onto the barrel of the rail car, and went to hand the stinger to a co-worker who was on a rail car on a separate track. The injured employee lost his balance and fell forward through the cage on top of the rail car. He struck the side of the adjacent rail car and landing on the ground. The fall distance was approximately 15 feet. The employee sustained a compression fracture in his spine and fractures to both heels." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was uncoupling railcars while the cars were in motion and a car ran over her left lower leg, resulting in crush injuries and amputation below the knee. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | ND | Wholesale Trade | "An employee stepped onto a railcar during a loading operation. The railcar was moving and the employee was pulled backward off his feet by his self-retracting lifeline when it reached the end of its 30-foot cable. The cable caught on something and then snapped, causing the employee to fall to the ground. He suffered an injury to the L1, L2, and L3 vertebrae that required surgery and a shoulder dislocation." | |
| 2024 | MS | Manufacturing | "An employee was descending a railcar when their hand became caught on part of the car/ladder. The employee sustained a partial amputation to their ring finger." | |
| 2024 | IL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was climbing the rear ladder on the side of the railcar to enter the B-Deck to unload. They fell approximately 11 feet from the ladder to the ground and sustained multiple fractures to their clavicle, ribs, and skull, as well as a collapsed lung." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Fractures and amputations are the most frequent severe injuries reported in rail-related incidents. These injuries often stem from high-impact forces or crushing incidents during coupling and loading, which can lead to permanent disability. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your medical needs for your claim.
Employers are required to provide safe access to railcars and ensure proper training for all switching and loading procedures. If your injury resulted from a lack of fall protection, faulty equipment, or inadequate safety protocols, your employer may be liable for your damages. An attorney can help you investigate whether your workplace met these critical safety obligations.
Workers' Compensation typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of lost wages while you recover. In cases involving severe injuries like amputations or fractures, you may also be entitled to permanent disability benefits depending on the long-term impact of your condition. An attorney can help you verify that you are receiving the full benefits you are owed.
OSHA enforces various standards regarding fall protection, machine guarding, and safe material handling that apply to rail operations. Employers must ensure that you have appropriate fall arrest systems when working on top of railcars and that equipment is properly maintained to prevent crushing hazards. An attorney can help you determine if a violation of these standards played a role in your case.