How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 551 severe cases involving petroleum and coal products over the last decade. Thermal burns are the most frequent injury, representing 72% of all reported incidents, often resulting in significant medical expenses and long recovery periods.
The severity of these accidents often requires extensive hospitalization and specialized care, highlighting the critical need for strict adherence to safety protocols during fuel handling.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving petroleum and coal products are primarily driven by flash fires and contact with hot substances. Many incidents occur when vapors ignite during fuel transfers or when equipment malfunctions, causing hazardous materials to spray or spill onto you. These events are often the result of inadequate ventilation, improper storage, or the failure to control ignition sources near flammable liquids.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flash fire | 253 |
| 2 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 122 |
| 3 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 71 |
| 4 | Contact with cold objects or substances | 26 |
| 5 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 19 |
| 6 | Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids | 17 |
| 7 | Inhalation of harmful substance | 14 |
| 8 | Struck by falling object | 4 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 25% of these severe injuries, followed by construction at 23%. These industries rely heavily on the frequent handling of fuels and volatile chemicals, where even minor lapses in equipment maintenance or safety training can lead to catastrophic fire or explosion hazards.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve fuel ignition during routine transfers, leaks from pressurized hoses, and accidental exposure to hazardous vapors. 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 played a role in your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "An employee was fueling a gasoline-powered pressure washer with a safety fuel can. During the transfer the fuel ignited, causing a fire. The employee sustained burns to his nose, and his right hand and forearm." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was handling a portable gas can when gas spilled on him. A lighter caused the fumes to ignite while he was in his truck. The employee sustained burns to his hands and abdomen." | |
| 2025 | PA | Transportation & Warehousing | "One of the compartments where hoses hook up on a truck was frozen. An employee took the truck home and used a torpedo heater to unfreeze the hose area of the compartment. He then used a lever and the compartment opened. Some diesel fuel spilled out of a hose and caught on fire, burning the employee and the trailer." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An employee was draining a scrubber when fluids came out of a flare and ignited. The employee was hospitalized for first- and second-degree burns to his hands, elbow, and upper thighs." | |
| 2025 | MT | Manufacturing | "An employee was unloading diesel fuel from one compartment in a tanker to the next compartment. Fuel was released when a valve was opened. When the employee tried to stop the flow, some of the fuel entered his mouth. He became ill due to fuel ingestion and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An employee was in the back of a truck, adding gasoline to a compressor. Some gas escaped and the fumes caused a flash fire. The employee suffered burns to the left hand, wrist, and elbow, as well as a small area on the left lower back." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was troubleshooting the water system in the hydrocracker fractionator when naphtha vapors ignited. The employee sustained burns to their face, arms, back and the upper portion of both legs." | |
| 2025 | AL | Construction | "On January 17, 2025, an employee was starting a tree limb and stump burn pile at an excavation site using diesel fuel and a starter stick. The wind shifted and vapors ignited causing a fire. The employee sustained second-degree burns to their face, arms, and knees and was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | FL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was filling a pressure washer with gasoline when the vapors ignited, resulting in the employee suffering burns to his face, hands, and arms." | |
| 2024 | FL | Retail Trade | "An employee was pressure washing the parking lot. He walked over to fuel station #3 and began fueling the plastic container with 87 octane gasoline. The container overflowed and caught on fire, burning the employee. The employee sustained third-degree burns to his torso, both arms and both legs." |
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 your medical expenses and lost wages for injuries sustained during the course of employment, including those caused by fuel fires. Because these injuries often require extensive treatment, it is essential to ensure your claim accurately reflects the full extent of your medical needs. An attorney can help you navigate the process to ensure your benefits are properly calculated.
Employers are required to provide necessary personal protective equipment and maintain a safe environment for handling hazardous substances. If a failure to provide this equipment contributed to your injury, you may have grounds for a claim beyond standard Workers' Compensation. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated specific safety regulations and help you understand your legal options.
Proving a workplace injury claim involves gathering evidence such as incident reports, witness statements, and medical records that link your condition to the specific event. OSHA reports and maintenance logs for equipment can also serve as vital evidence of employer negligence. An attorney can help you collect this documentation to build a strong case for your benefits.
Workers' Compensation is generally a no-fault system, meaning you are typically eligible for benefits regardless of who caused the accident. While there are exceptions for extreme misconduct, most workplace injuries are covered even if human error was involved. An attorney can help you review the facts of your situation to confirm your eligibility and protect your rights.