How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 385 severe cases involving industrial finishing machinery over the past decade. The vast majority of these incidents result in amputations, which are life-altering injuries that often require extensive surgical intervention and long-term rehabilitation.
The high frequency of finger injuries highlights the extreme danger posed by these machines during operation. When safety guards are absent or malfunctioning, the risk of permanent physical impairment increases significantly for you in high-volume production environments.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you are caught or entangled in running powered equipment during normal operation, accounting for 67% of reports. These accidents frequently happen when you reach into a machine to clear a jam, adjust a part, or perform routine maintenance while the equipment is still active. In other instances, you are struck by equipment that shifts unexpectedly or are compressed between moving machine components and stationary objects.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 255 |
| 2 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 42 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 24 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 21 |
| 5 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 10 |
| 6 | Struck by running powered equipment— n.e.c. | 8 |
| 7 | Struck by falling object | 4 |
| 8 | Other fall to lower level | 3 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 81% of all reported incidents, reflecting the heavy reliance on high-speed finishing and polishing tools in this sector. The fast-paced nature of assembly lines often creates pressure to bypass safety protocols, while the constant use of abrasive machinery increases the likelihood of mechanical failure and human error.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents involve you interacting with moving parts during cleaning, pad replacement, or material removal. Many reports describe situations where guards were bypassed or failed to prevent contact with active fan blades, polishing tanks, or grinding heads. 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 | OH | Construction | "An employee ascended a ladder affixed to a sandblasting pot in order to refill the pot with blasting agent. Upon opening the top lid of the pot, the lid flew open due to internal pressure which startled the employee and caused them to fall approximately 4 feet to the ground below. The employee sustained fractures to both feet." | |
| 2025 | IL | Agriculture | "On July 23, 2025, at 8:00 a.m., an employee was power washing. He went to retrieve a power-washing tip from the machine's fan while it was in operation and the fan blade contacted his right index finger, severing it at the distal joint." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "A lab technician was operating a polishing machine. He went to replace pads within the machine when the camera inside the machine that performs scanning lowered and caught his right wrist against the polishing tank. The employee suffered crush injuries to his wrist that required hospitalization and surgery. " | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "On July 18, 2025, a light-equipment operator was using a pressure washer to remove cementitious material buildup from the internal wall of a tremie pipe. The operator was refueling the pressure washer using a 5-gallon gas can. The equipment's engine and exhaust were still hot and the gasoline ignited. Flames spread to the pressure washer skid, a nearby fire extinguisher, and the operator s clothing. The operator sustained second-degree burns to approximately 35% of their body including their hands, lower abdominal area, upper thighs, and knees. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was conducting abatement operations using a floor grinder. The grinder came in contact with the plastic cord of a window blind, causing the grinder's handle to strike the employee near the right eye. The employee suffered a fracture near the eye socket, along with a laceration near the eye." | |
| 2025 | TX | Professional Services | "An employee was operating a horizontal belt sanding machine that rotates a metal sanding belt. The employee switched hands while the belt transitioned from left to right. When the machine's speed was adjusted, the employee s left hand was pulled into the machine and crushed. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | MA | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating a rubber roller grinder and had just completed the grinding process. He changed the rotation of the spindle to the clockwise position and began to clean rubber dust off the rollers with a shop rag. The rag caught on the roller and pulled his hand into the grinding wheel, resulting in a broken wrist, broken fingers, and lacerations to the hand and fingers. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | LA | Manufacturing | "An employee was feeding a roller into a pipe polishing machine when his glove was caught by the machine. The abrasive belt caused a 3-4" laceration to the top of his right wrist which exposed bone. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee was tightening screws inside a small grinding machine when the blade caused an amputation to his right index fingertip." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "On May 16, 2025, an employee was cleaning a grinder when their right thumb became caught between the rotors, amputating the tip of the thumb." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.