How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 24 severe cases involving motorboats and yachts over the last decade. Amputations are the most frequent injury type, accounting for 35% of all reported incidents.
The severity of these incidents is driven by the nature of watercraft operations. Finger injuries represent 40% of all cases, often occurring during docking or maintenance.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving motorboats and yachts typically occur during normal vessel operation or routine maintenance. You are often harmed when you are caught between running equipment and other objects, or when you fall from the vessel into the water or onto hard surfaces. Propeller strikes and collisions with sandbars or docks are also common, often resulting in severe fractures or traumatic wounds.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Incidents onboard water vehicle in normal operation | 6 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 4 |
| 3 | Water vehicle collisions | 2 |
| 4 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 2 |
| 5 | Other water vehicle incident n.e.c. | 2 |
| 6 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 2 |
| 7 | Vehicle or machinery fire | 1 |
| 8 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing leads with 42% of all recorded incidents, largely due to the risks involved in boat building, lamination, and hull maintenance. Other services and the arts and entertainment sector also see high injury rates, as you face constant exposure to moving machinery and unpredictable water conditions while working on ferries or tour boats.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include you suffering finger amputations while closing heavy doors, falling into open manholes during maintenance, or being struck by propellers during high-speed maneuvers. These incidents often stem from inadequate guarding of moving parts or failure to secure hazardous areas. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your case.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was working in the hull of a boat, applying resin as part of lamination activities. He sat down and lost consciousness due to heat exhaustion. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was closing a ferry pilot house door. The door caught the employee's right little finger, causing the amputation of the fingertip." | |
| 2024 | CA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee had been preparing a 38-foot dive boat for an upcoming trip. He went to retrieve coffee (stock) from a 46-foot boat that was tied to the dock and was undergoing maintenance. Upon walking onto this boat, the employee fell down an open manhole and contacted various pieces of compressed air equipment. The employee sustained four broken ribs, a pneumothorax, and bruised knees." | |
| 2024 | UT | Public Administration | "Four employees were on a boat, conducting a fish survey on a river, when the boat struck a sandbar. One employee was launched off the boat, suffered head trauma, and was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | NY | Arts & Entertainment | "A lifeguard fell out of an inflatable power boat as it was accelerating and was struck by the boat's engine. The propeller blades struck him causing lacerations to his arms, shoulders, and face, as well as a jaw fracture and the loss of several teeth." | |
| 2024 | NC | Manufacturing | "An employee was standing on a boat, working on its bow, when he fell. He landed on the concrete ground about 12 feet below and suffered broken bones in an arm." | |
| 2024 | CA | Manufacturing | "An employee was on a pier mooring a small, rigid inflatable boat. Their fingers were caught between the boat recovery line and the pier piling when the recovery line came under significant strain due to rough seas, resulting in a severe laceration to the left index finger and medical amputation of the left middle finger." | |
| 2024 | KY | Construction | "An employee was leaving a work site on a barge due to adverse weather conditions. While on their way back to shore in a small boat, the boat went up a large swell and when it came back down, it went bow first into another swell and was immediately swamped. All the boat passengers fell into the river water, which was approximately 49.8 Fahrenheit. One employee was hospitalized with hypothermia." | |
| 2024 | AL | Construction | "On January 10, 2024, an employee was working on a tender boat to tie off a hopper barge when his right hand was caught between the float pipe and the push knee of the barge. The employee was hospitalized and the tip of his right thumb was amputated." | |
| 2023 | WI | Manufacturing | "The employee was removing a Bimini top from a pontoon boat using a socket/ratchet, with the Bimini top held under tension by a gas lift assist. As the last bolt on the saddle came off, it snapped upward into place and the employee's left index finger was crushed between the saddle and the Bimini top rail. The employee required surgery and stitches." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Seek immediate medical attention to stabilize the injury and document the event with your employer. Amputations are considered severe injuries under OSHA reporting requirements, and your employer must have safety protocols in place to prevent such accidents. An attorney can help you determine if a failure to guard equipment contributed to your injury.
Workers' Compensation generally covers injuries that occur during the course of your employment, regardless of whether you were on a boat or in an office. If your injury occurred while performing work duties, you are likely entitled to medical benefits and lost wage compensation. An attorney can help you navigate the specific requirements for filing your claim.
Employers are legally required to maintain a safe environment, including properly guarding doors, hatches, and machinery on all vessels. If your injury resulted from a lack of safety training or poorly maintained equipment, your employer may be liable for your damages. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer met their safety obligations.
OSHA enforces various standards regarding machine guarding, fall protection, and hazard communication that apply to maritime and manufacturing work environments. Employers must ensure that all equipment is inspected and that you are protected from moving parts and open hatches. An attorney can help you evaluate if your employer violated these standards in your case.