How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 1,231 severe incidents involving machine and tool parts over the last decade. These events frequently result in amputations, which represent 47% of all reported injuries in this category.
The severity of these injuries is often life-altering, with your fingers being the most commonly affected body part in 51% of cases. You may face long-term disability and permanent loss of function following these mechanical accidents.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving machine parts often occur when you are struck by falling objects, which accounts for 43% of all reported events. Other common scenarios include being compressed between running equipment and stationary objects, or being struck by propelled fragments during high-speed operations.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by falling object | 512 |
| 2 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 246 |
| 3 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 201 |
| 4 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 45 |
| 5 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 39 |
| 6 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 33 |
| 7 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 32 |
| 8 | Injured by object handled by person | 18 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 55% of all reported machine part injuries. This high rate is driven by the constant use of heavy machinery, where failures in machine guarding or inadequate lockout-tagout procedures frequently expose you to dangerous moving parts.
Real cases like yours
Common themes in these reports include equipment shifting during maintenance, unexpected machine activation, and the failure of safety blocks or crane cables. 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 | AR | Manufacturing | "On July 30, 2025, an employee was assisting co-workers in using a hoist to position an injection molding tool onto a work table. As the tool was being lowered, the slide section shifted, trapping and amputating the employee's right thumb tip." | |
| 2025 | OK | Manufacturing | "An employee noticed a block was out of place under the weighted mold frame. The employee used another block to push the block out and replace it. When the block came out, the frame came down on his right ring and little fingers. The employee sustained a fracture and partial amputation to the ring fingertip." | |
| 2025 | CO | Construction | "An employee was using a 9-inch grinder to remove the coating from a concrete surface. The grinder blade broke and a fragment of the blade struck their right leg above the knee, resulting in a laceration and multiple fractures. The employee was hospitalized. " | |
| 2025 | CO | Manufacturing | "The injured employee was assembling a machine to start his work day with a co-worker. The auger they were inserting into the machine dropped on the injured employee's right foot resulting in fractures to his metatarsals/toes." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "On June 25, 2025, at 7.30 a.m., an employee was using a remote-controlled crane to change a die in a 2,600-ton press. They were releasing crane cables from the die when one cable did not release, causing the die to lift and pin the employee between the press and the die. The employee suffered a closed non-displaced fracture of the pelvis." | |
| 2025 | MO | Manufacturing | "An employee was using a grinding wheel on a bathroom floor. The wheel broke off around the outer edge, and the broken part of the wheel bounced back onto his wrist and lacerated it. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was assisting in the loading of a 26-inch auger onto the back of a flatbed truck. The auger was being lowered by a winch when it crushed the little finger on his right hand." | |
| 2025 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee was lifting a cope mold using a mold manipulator. While the mold was suspended in the air, he reached under it to retrieve the rollover pin. The mold slipped out of the manipulator and fell onto his right hand, causing a severe degloving of the right forearm and hand. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | KS | Manufacturing | "On June 5, 2025, at approximately 6:45 AM, an employee was installing an auger tube onto a combine when it wouldn't slide into place due to a bind. After adjusting the hoist to remove the bind, the auger slid into place and struck their left thumb. The employee sustained a partial amputation of the thumb to the distal interphalangeal joint." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "On June 3, 2025, the injured employee was setting a mold with a co-worker when the mold was displaced and caught their right hand against the stop block. The employee sustained a fracture and partial amputation of their middle finger." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Amputations are the most frequent injury type associated with machine and tool parts, occurring in 47% of OSHA-reported cases. These injuries often result from contact with unguarded points of operation or moving components. An attorney can help you evaluate your claim for permanent disability benefits.
If a machine malfunctioned, your employer may have failed to meet essential maintenance or guarding standards. Document the equipment involved and any recent service records if possible. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety protocols and how that impacts your Workers' Compensation claim.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injuries occurring during the course of employment, including those involving tool parts and accessories. You are generally entitled to benefits regardless of fault. An attorney can help you ensure your claim is filed correctly to maximize your recovery.
Employers are legally required to provide a safe workplace, which includes installing and maintaining proper machine guards to prevent contact with hazardous parts. Failure to provide these protections is a common basis for safety violations. An attorney can help you determine if your employer failed to uphold these standards.