How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 26 severe cases involving mines, caves, tunnels, and pipes over the last decade. Fractures are the most common injury type, appearing in 46 percent of all reported incidents and often requiring extensive surgical intervention.
These environments present unique hazards that frequently lead to severe trauma. Injuries to the brain are common, often resulting from high-impact falls or being struck by heavy equipment in confined spaces.
How these injuries happen
Falling to a lower level is the primary cause of injury, accounting for 75 percent of all reported incidents. You are often injured when you trip near open manholes, lose your footing on uneven terrain, or fall into deep excavations. Other incidents involve being struck by heavy piping or equipment during lifting operations, as well as rare but dangerous gas explosions in confined spaces.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 18 |
| 2 | Fall on same level | 2 |
| 3 | Caught or wedged between objects— nonrunning | 1 |
| 4 | Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids | 1 |
| 5 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 1 |
| 6 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads all industries with 62 percent of reported cases, as you frequently navigate open trenches and manholes during infrastructure projects. Utilities and mining operations also face high risks due to the constant need for inspection and maintenance in deep, confined, and often poorly lit underground passages.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve unexpected hazards during routine inspections or maintenance. You are frequently injured when you encounter leaking gases, lose your footing near unguarded openings, or are struck by heavy materials being moved in tight quarters. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you secure the benefits you are owed.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | NJ | Construction | "An underground crew was opening up a manhole for a visual inspection. Natural gas was leaking in the manhole. As they began to slide the cover off, a flash occurred when the leaking natural gas mixed with oxygen, creating a combustible environment. One employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | LA | Mining | "A culvert was being lifted when a pipe struck an employee in the face. The employee suffered a jaw laceration and was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | TX | Utilities | "Two employees were setting up an inspection camera over a manhole. One of them tripped and fell into the manhole, landing about 20 feet below and suffering a broken left ankle, a sprained right ankle, and a laceration to the back of the skull. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | TX | Mining | "An employee was moving a mudboat to a new drilling location. He lost his footing and fell back into a pre-existing cellar that was approximately 8 feet deep. He was hospitalized with fractures to his hip and left arm." | |
| 2024 | TX | Construction | "An employee was removing a plug from a pipeline. The plug and the pipe caught the employee's fingertip just below the fingernail, causing a partial amputation without bone loss. " | |
| 2023 | CO | Manufacturing | "An employee was sealing the inside of a manhole sleeve that had just been installed. Two fingers on their right hand were caught between two pieces of the concrete manhole structure and the employee sustained an amputation." | |
| 2023 | SD | Construction | "An employee was spraying concrete sealer when they fell into a 3-foot drain hole. The employee landed on their feet and sustained a broken femur." | |
| 2022 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was doing maintenance work in a tunnel under a production line. The employee fell approximately 9 feet through an open manhole, landed on the concrete level below, and suffered neck and back injuries." | |
| 2022 | TX | Construction | "An employee was removing the cover of a manhole when he slipped into the manhole and fell approximately 15 feet to the bottom of the hole, resulting in cracked ribs on his right side." | |
| 2021 | GA | Professional Services | "While pushing a distance wheel, an employee stepped on a sewer manhole cover that gave way, resulting in an injured right foot." |
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 injuries you sustain during the course of your employment, including falls into manholes or trenches. Your employer is responsible for maintaining safe access points and providing adequate fall protection. An attorney can help you document the site conditions and ensure your claim accounts for all medical expenses.
If you were injured by a gas explosion or exposure, prioritize your medical treatment and report the incident to your supervisor immediately. Employers must follow strict ventilation and monitoring standards to prevent combustible environments. An attorney can help you determine if your employer failed to meet these safety requirements.
Fractures are among the most common injuries reported in underground work and are fully covered by Workers' Compensation benefits. This includes coverage for emergency surgery, physical therapy, and lost wages during your recovery. An attorney can help you verify that your benefits accurately reflect the severity of your fracture.
OSHA mandates rigorous safety standards for excavation and underground construction, including requirements for fall protection, air quality monitoring, and equipment guarding. When these standards are ignored, the risk of severe injury increases significantly. An attorney can help you investigate whether a violation of these regulations contributed to your accident.