How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 6,540 severe cases involving industrial vehicles over the last decade. These incidents frequently result in fractures, which account for 49% of all reported injuries, followed by traumatic injuries and amputations.
The severity of these accidents is reflected in the high frequency of injuries to your fingers. You often face long-term recovery periods due to the crushing force and heavy nature of the machinery involved.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Injuries involving industrial vehicles often occur when you are struck in a nonroadway area or when a vehicle collides with objects like shelving or building structures. These accidents frequently stem from blind spots, excessive speed, or poor traffic management in busy warehouse environments.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle | 1,872 |
| 2 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 1,563 |
| 3 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 724 |
| 4 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 595 |
| 5 | Nonroadway collision with other vehicle(s) | 558 |
| 6 | Other fall to lower level | 363 |
| 7 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 227 |
| 8 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 112 |
Where injuries happen most
Transportation and warehousing accounts for 29% of all severe industrial vehicle cases. The high volume of material movement and the constant interaction between heavy machinery and foot traffic in these facilities create significant risks for you.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include forklift tip-overs during loading, you being struck while walking in dock areas, and you getting caught between equipment and stationary objects. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | CT | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was inspecting a flatbed truck for air leaks. A forklift was offloading a pallet from the flatbed truck when the pallet caught the edge of a bundled lumber unit. The lumber unit slid off the bed of the truck and struck the employee's hip. The employee sustained a fractured pelvis and a hip injury." | |
| 2025 | GA | Transportation & Warehousing | "The injured employee had been operating a forklift on a dock. He went to push another forklift with his forklift and a portion of the forklift entered the operator compartment. He sustained a fracture to his left foot/ankle. " | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "A forklift was placing an elevated load onto a truck. The forklift tipped forward and fell on the injured employee who was standing nearby. The employee sustained fractures to their hip and ribs, as well as leg muscle injuries." | |
| 2025 | AL | Other Services | "On July 29, 2025, an employee was retrieving an order using an order picker when he stepped backward off the picker platform and fell approximately 5 feet to the concrete floor. The employee sustained injuries to his head and back requiring hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | FL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee had delivered product to a customer and was driving a forklift to the rear of the delivery truck. The forklift jumped/bounced, sending the employee up into the air and back down onto the seat. The employee sustained a back fracture." | |
| 2025 | GA | Transportation & Warehousing | "On July 29, 2025, an employee was using a riding pallet jack to load gaylords (corrugated boxes) into a trailer. While reversing out of the trailer, the pallet jack backed into a protective bollard. The employee's hand was crushed between the pallet jack and the bollard. He sustained fractures, requiring hospitalization and surgery." | |
| 2025 | GA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was fulfilling orders when their foot was run over by a center-rider forklift. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured foot." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was walking beside a pallet jack while operating it and became pinned between the pallet jack and some pallets. The employee sustained a fractured left leg." | |
| 2025 | MO | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was operating a stand-up forklift. While turning to yield to another forklift, the forklift overturned and the employee's lower left leg was caught between a barrier and the forklift. The employee's left leg was amputated from the calf down and multiple bones were broken. The employee was hospitalized. " | |
| 2025 | NJ | Retail Trade | "An employee was driving a forklift backward out of a freezer. Another forklift was entering the freezer and struck the employee's left ankle, resulting in a fracture. The employee had surgery on the ankle." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.