How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 186 severe cases involving chemical products over the last decade. Thermal burns are the most frequent injury type, representing 55 percent of all reported incidents, often leading to immediate hospitalization and complex medical treatment.
When chemical exposure occurs, the damage to your tissues often requires specialized care that goes beyond standard first aid.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Chemical injuries typically occur through direct contact with hot substances or accidental ignition. You may suffer severe harm when hydraulic fluid leaks, causing high-pressure injection injuries or flash fires. Inhalation and ingestion of toxic vapors also represent significant risks when safety protocols for handling hazardous materials are ignored or ventilation systems fail.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 68 |
| 2 | Flash fire | 33 |
| 3 | Inhalation of harmful substance | 24 |
| 4 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 23 |
| 5 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 19 |
| 6 | Ingestion of harmful substance | 8 |
| 7 | Exposure to harmful substances— unspecified | 4 |
| 8 | Exposure to harmful substance—multiple routes of exposure | 3 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 54 percent of all severe chemical incidents, as high-volume production environments frequently involve pressurized systems and hazardous substances. Health care facilities also see significant exposure risks, often due to improper handling of cleaning agents or patient-related chemical interactions.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include equipment failures, such as leaking hydraulic hoses or malfunctioning switches, and accidental exposure to hazardous vapors. These reports highlight how quickly a routine maintenance task or standard work procedure can result in life-altering burns or toxic reactions. 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 | FL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was performing a maintenance test of a hydraulic component (case drain overheat switch) that involved disconnecting the hose/switch. Hydraulic fluid began leaking and the employee went to reconnect the hose/switch but fire-resistant hydraulic fluid sprayed the employee's face, eyes, and mouth. The employee ingested some of the hydraulic fluid." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An oil rig catwalk began leaking while in the raised position. An employee was investigating the leak from a manlift when the catwalk injected hydraulic oil into their right palm. The employee was hospitalized, requiring surgery." | |
| 2025 | OH | Health Care | "An employee was getting water in the breakroom when the odor from an air freshener that was sprayed in a patient's room wafted into the room. The employee breathed in the air freshener and was hospitalized with an asthmatic episode." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "Mechanics were straightening a ladder on the derrick in the shop using an acetylene torch and a 10-ton hydraulic jack. As the mechanics were extending the jack to straighten out the ladder, the cylinder on the jack was turning and the quick-connect fitting ended up against the footrail of the derrick. This caused the nipple to break and a mist of oil was released from the jack. The oil mist ignited resulting in a flash fire. The injured employee sustained second- to third-degree burns burns to the right hand, the left cheek, and the left side of their neck as well as burns to both arms. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | PA | Health Care | "An employee was seeing a patient. The employee had an allergic (anaphylactic) reaction to petroleum jelly on a patient." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An employee was inspecting the liners of a mud pump that was making noise. The machine was shut down. As the pump was idling down, the inspection plate blew and knocked the employee back. Hot gear oil from the pump blew onto him, causing second-degree burns to his left arm and the left side of his face and ear. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | OK | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was troubleshooting the lubrication system for kiln cooler gear. He locked out the system and shut off the compressed air to the lubrication system. Then, he went to unclog the system by pushing the cleanout plunger on the backside of the nozzle while holding the spray bar. His left hand slipped in front of the nozzle as the injector released stored oil pressure, resulting in the injection of air and oil lubricant into his hand at 3,000 psi." | |
| 2025 | ID | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was applying grease to a trailer when the grease gun sprung a leak and grease was injected into his right index finger. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was working on a hydraulic cylinder at his work table. While he was removing a bleeder plug to reduce the pressure, the 3/8-inch steel plug was pushed out by oil pressure. The plug impacted his wrist, causing an abrasion where hydraulic oil went into his arm. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was using a welding torch to cut up a boom from a fire truck. Oil was leaking from the boom's hydraulics and caught fire, which spread and burned the employee. The employee was hospitalized with third-degree burns." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.