How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 28 severe cases of workplace infection over the past decade. These incidents frequently result in respiratory viral diseases, which account for 32% of all reported cases and often require extended hospitalization.
Infections involving biological agents can lead to long-term health complications that extend far beyond the initial exposure event.
How these injuries happen
Injuries from infectious agents typically occur through direct contact with contaminated surfaces or inhalation of aerosolized pathogens. Exposure to harmful substances through exposed tissue is the leading cause of these severe reports at 36%, often occurring when cleaning agents or contaminated water splash onto open wounds. Inhalation of harmful substances also plays a significant role at 29%, particularly when water systems or cooling towers aerosolize bacteria like Legionella.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 10 |
| 2 | Exposure to harmful substances— unspecified | 9 |
| 3 | Inhalation of harmful substance | 8 |
| 4 | Exposure to harmful substance—multiple routes of exposure | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Health care leads all industries with 29% of reported infectious agent cases, as you face constant exposure to patients and biological materials in these settings. Manufacturing follows at 25%, where you are often exposed to contaminated water systems or aerosolized bacteria during the maintenance of industrial equipment and cooling towers.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you encountering biological hazards during routine maintenance or patient care. Whether you are a nurse exposed to viral pathogens in an emergency department or a manufacturing employee inhaling bacteria from an aerosolized water system, these incidents often stem from inadequate containment or sanitation protocols. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you evaluate your case.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ID | Health Care | "On March 5, 2025, a nurse was caring for patients in the emergency department when she was exposed to norovirus and rhinovirus. The employee tested positive for norovirus and rhinovirus and was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | TX | Administrative Services | "On September 16, 2024, an employee was filling a mop bucket from a dispenser with a solution of water and cleaning chemicals when some of the solution splashed onto a wound on his foot and it became swollen. The employee was hospitalized with an infection to the foot." | |
| 2024 | NY | Manufacturing | "An employee was working at his desk inside the manufacturing plant near a manual lathe machine that makes spare parts from metal. The machine has coolant that tested positive for Legionella that caused the employee to develop severe respiratory symptoms requiring hospitalization." | |
| 2023 | AR | Manufacturing | "An employee was cleaning the screens of a water system and used compressed air to blow out and clean the metal screens. This aerosolized water droplets and the employee was exposed to Legionella pneumophila bacteria, resulting in pneumonia that required hospitalization." | |
| 2023 | CT | Health Care | "An employee was taking the trash out to an area outside of the building when they were exposed to legionella bacteria in the air from a nearby cooling tower. The employee developed pneumonia and was hospitalized with Legionnaire's disease." | |
| 2023 | NY | Public Administration | "An employee became ill and was hospitalized for respiratory illness after exposure to legionella bacteria." | |
| 2022 | TX | Professional Services | "A veterinary employee developed a swelling in the left wrist, caused by an animal-borne bacterial infection." | |
| 2022 | TX | Professional Services | "An employee was performing a heart stick/blood draw on an animal before euthanasia, using an 18 gauge needle with syringe. The infected needle came out of the animal and stuck the employee on his left thumb." | |
| 2022 | MA | Manufacturing | "An employee bumped his elbow and sustained a bacterial infection." | |
| 2021 | NJ | Health Care | "An employee who was caring for patients received a bacterial infection." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you may be eligible for Workers' Compensation if your infection arose out of and in the course of your employment. You must demonstrate that the exposure occurred at your workplace and resulted in a compensable injury or illness. An attorney can help you document the link between your work environment and your diagnosis.
Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe environment, which includes controlling biological hazards and ensuring proper sanitation. If your employer failed to address known contamination in water systems or failed to provide adequate protective equipment, they may be held accountable. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety standards that led to your illness.
Report the incident to your supervisor immediately and seek medical attention to document the source of the infection. Keep detailed records of your work duties, the location of the exposure, and any safety failures you observed. An attorney can help you ensure your claim is properly filed and your rights are protected.
OSHA requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. While specific standards vary by industry, employers must follow protocols for bloodborne pathogens and general sanitation to prevent the spread of infectious agents. An attorney can help you determine if your employer failed to meet these essential safety obligations.