How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 133 severe incidents involving jacks over the last decade. Amputations account for 46% of these cases, representing the most frequent and life-altering injury type you may face.
These injuries often target your fingers, which are involved in 56% of all recorded incidents. The severity of these events frequently leads to long-term disability and significant medical expenses for you. An attorney can help you navigate the claims process to secure the compensation you deserve.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving jacks typically occur when you are caught between running equipment and another object, which accounts for 37% of incidents. Many incidents involve lift tables that engage unexpectedly or fail to hold a load, trapping your hands or feet in pinch points. You are also frequently struck by objects that fall when a jack fails or slips during operation.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 46 |
| 2 | Struck by falling object | 21 |
| 3 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 13 |
| 4 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 9 |
| 5 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 7 |
| 6 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 5 |
| 7 | Injured by object handled by person | 5 |
| 8 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 4 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 29% of all reported jack-related injuries. This industry relies heavily on lift tables and hydraulic jacks for assembly and material handling, where constant operation increases the risk of mechanical failure or human error during maintenance.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve lift tables activating without warning or mechanical jacks failing while you are performing adjustments. These incidents often result in sudden, traumatic crushing injuries to your hands and feet. If your injury occurred while operating or working near a lift table or jack, an attorney can help you review the specific circumstances to determine if employer negligence played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was working with a pallet bagger, trimming excess corrugate off a tray. The load was raised on a lift table. The scrap being trimmed activated the lift table's photo eye, causing the table to lower. Its frame pinched the steel toe of the employee's left boot between a bracket and the concrete. The employee suffered fractures in the left foot and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | GA | Manufacturing | "On June 9, 2025, a machine operator was using a sorting machine to sort/clean plastic sheets. While she was freeing stuck sheets on the lift table, the table engaged and crushed her against the top railing, trapping her torso. The employee was hospitalized with contusions to her back." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An employee was screwing a locking nut into a leveling jack when their right thumb was caught in a pinch point, resulting in a fingertip amputation." | |
| 2025 | MO | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating a lift table when his hand was crushed in it." | |
| 2025 | OH | Professional Services | "An employee was moving a mechanical lift table when the table fell on top of their right foot, resulting in an amputation of the second toe." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was retracting a hydraulic platform lift when his foot was caught in a pinch point between the moving piece and the fixed frame. The employee's left foot and toes were crushed." | |
| 2024 | NE | Manufacturing | "An employee was repairing a hydraulic lift table and installed a locking chock on it. As he was working, the lift table collapsed, pushing the chock out and crushing his left arm. He sustained a fractured radius and ulna. The lift table was not locked out/tagged out at the time." | |
| 2024 | TX | Administrative Services | "An employee was using a hydraulic lift to get a steel box full of coins into a truck. The employee noticed the box was going to get caught on the bumper. He went to move the box and the hydraulic lift caught his thumb, resulting in partial amputation." | |
| 2024 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee went to retrieve his welding mask which was on the ground and hung it up on the landing gear of a cane trailer. He kicked the trailer landing gear forward so it would swing up and forward. As he did this, the stool he was sitting on moved and his foot slipped off the landing gear. The landing gear then swung backward and pinched his right middle fingertip against the ear pin, resulting in amputation." | |
| 2024 | CA | Manufacturing | "Employees were dismantling scaffolding on a navy ship. The injured employee was standing on the 01 level weather deck, receiving scaffold material from the 02 level scaffold structure. A screw jack (weighing approximately 10 pounds) was tossed to the injured employee and his right little finger was caught between the screw jack and the bulkhead. The employee sustained an open fracture to the finger." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover your medical costs and lost wages for severe injuries like amputations sustained on the job. Because these injuries often require surgery and extensive rehabilitation, you may be entitled to permanent partial disability benefits. An attorney can help ensure your claim accurately reflects the long-term impact of your injury.
Employers are required to maintain equipment in safe working order and provide necessary safety guards under OSHA standards. If a lift table failed due to lack of maintenance or bypassed safety features, your employer may be liable for your injuries. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer met these safety obligations.
If a mechanical failure caused your injury, you might have a third-party claim against the manufacturer of the equipment in addition to your Workers' Compensation claim. This allows you to seek damages beyond what standard workers' comp provides. An attorney can help you identify if a defective product contributed to your accident.
Proving employer negligence often involves gathering maintenance logs, training records, and witness statements to show that safety protocols were ignored. OSHA reports and incident investigations serve as critical evidence in these cases. An attorney can help you collect this documentation to build a strong case for your benefits.