How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 393 severe incidents involving paper production machinery over the last decade. You should know that 73% of these cases result in traumatic amputations, which often cause permanent disability and require extensive surgical intervention.
These injuries most frequently impact your fingers and hands. Because these machines operate with high-speed rollers and spindles, even a momentary lapse or equipment malfunction can result in life-altering crush injuries or degloving.
How these injuries happen
Most injuries occur when you are caught or entangled in running powered equipment during normal operation. This often happens during routine tasks like clearing jams, loading cores, or stabilizing moving paper rolls. When machines lack proper guarding or fail to include emergency stop mechanisms, you are left vulnerable to being pulled into pinch points between rollers, belts, and frames.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 283 |
| 2 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 34 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 26 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 17 |
| 5 | Struck against stationary object | 7 |
| 6 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 6 |
| 7 | Other fall to lower level | 4 |
| 8 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 3 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 94% of all reported incidents involving paper production machinery. This high concentration reflects the constant use of high-speed processing equipment in mills and converting facilities, where the pressure to maintain production speed often leads to bypassed safety protocols or inadequate machine maintenance.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include you getting fingers or hands caught while clearing jams, performing roll changes, or cleaning rollers on active machines. These reports frequently highlight situations where equipment was being operated without sufficient guarding or during training sessions. 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 | Manufacturing | "On July 9, 2025 at 5:30 AM, a temporary employee was monitoring the cores in the hopper and noticed two cores were loaded simultaneously. As the employee went to correct the jam, the machine cycled and caught his right little finger between the core transfer belt frame and the core loading mechanism. The finger was amputated to the first digit after the fingernail." | |
| 2025 | OH | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was performing a paper roll change at a paper sheeter machine. He was turning a non-driven unwind stand and the roll by hand when his left little fingertip got pinched between a machine depression in the chuck and the sensor. The employee's fingertip was partially amputated." | |
| 2025 | MA | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating a rewinder machine when the rewind arm began to bounce. While stabilizing the movement, the employee's right hand was caught in a pinch point between the rolling spindle and the mounting frame, resulting in a partial amputation of the right little fingertip. " | |
| 2025 | GA | Utilities | "On June 20, 2025, a temporary employee was cleaning the rollers on a rewinder machine when the their fingers were caught in the rollers, resulting in a crush injury and degloving of the right ring fingertip that required a surgical fingertip amputation. The incident occurred during training and the machine was in operation at the time." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was removing scrap material from a laminator. The employee's right hand was caught by the machine's rollers, and the employee suffered a hand fracture and skin removal." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was loading a cardboard tube into the core machine when the door of the machine closed on his left little finger and cut a knuckle on his hand. The employee required surgery." | |
| 2025 | IL | Administrative Services | "An employee was cleaning up paper in the area. His hand became caught in the motor of the paper chopper and his middle fingertip was amputated." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Administrative Services | "An employee was operating a heat press machine. His right foot was caught between a paper roller and the heat press, resulting in amputation of a toe." | |
| 2025 | LA | Wholesale Trade | "Two employees were checking for leaks and cracks on a recovery boiler. Another crew was welding inside the boiler, and an acetylene leak created a ball of fire that emerged from a valve and struck the two employees. One of them suffered burns to the right palm and face and the other suffered burns to the face." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "On April 23, 2025, an employee was assisting co-workers with a paper changeover on the corrugator when the machine started and the injured employee's foot was pulled between the tension rollers. The employee was hospitalized for crush injuries to the left foot and ankle." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the loss of a finger or fingertip is classified as a permanent partial disability in most Workers' Compensation systems. These injuries often require long-term physical therapy and may prevent you from returning to your previous role. An attorney can help you ensure your settlement reflects the long-term impact of your injury.
You should report the incident to your supervisor immediately and seek medical attention. Even if your employer claims the injury was your fault, you may still be entitled to benefits if the machine lacked proper safety guards or lockout procedures. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer failed to meet safety standards.
Yes, 29 CFR 1910.212 requires your employer to provide machine guarding to protect you from hazards like pinch points and rotating parts. If a machine was missing these guards or they were disabled, your employer may be liable for safety violations. An attorney can help you determine if a lack of guarding contributed to your accident.
Yes, you are generally entitled to the same Workers' Compensation protections as permanent staff. You are covered regardless of your employment status if you were injured while performing work duties. An attorney can help you navigate the complexities of filing a claim as a temporary worker.