How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 181 severe cases involving snake bites over the last decade, with effects of poison or toxic exposure accounting for 88% of all reported injuries. These incidents are rarely minor, often requiring immediate hospitalization and intensive medical intervention to manage envenomation.
You may face long recovery periods, significant medical expenses, and potential long-term complications from the toxins introduced into your body.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Every reported incident in this category stems from being bitten or stung by an animal. These injuries typically occur when you unknowingly disturb a snake while performing routine tasks like moving materials, operating machinery, or walking through overgrown paths. Because these animals are often camouflaged, the bite is frequently sudden, leaving you with little time to react or protect yourself.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bitten or stung by animal | 181 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 17% of all reported snake bite incidents, followed by administrative services at 13% and mining at 11%. These industries frequently require you to work in undeveloped areas, near brush, or in outdoor environments where snake habitats are common.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports show you being bitten while performing routine tasks like moving debris, operating equipment, or walking between work sites. Many incidents involve bites to the lower extremities, often occurring when you step near or reach into an area where a snake is hidden. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you understand your options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An employee was monitoring a screen in the PLC room when he was bitten by a rattlesnake on the back of his right calf." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was getting out of a car when a rattlesnake bit him below the right knee." | |
| 2025 | CO | Construction | "An employee was performing mowing operations while operating a skid steer at a worksite. The employee noticed several flat panels lying on the ground and went to move them with the skid steer. The panels began to shift on the forks as they were lifted. He exited the skid steer to readjust the panels and was bitten on his left thumb by a rattlesnake that had been pinned beneath the load." | |
| 2025 | TX | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was bitten by a rattlesnake while picking tomatoes." | |
| 2025 | TX | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was walking up a pathway to the health center when he was bitten by a copperhead snake on his right ankle. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Administrative Services | "An employee was manually harvesting carrots from a vegetable garden when she was bitten by a copperhead snake on her left hand/lower arm. The employee was hospitalized for treatment." | |
| 2025 | TX | Information | "An employee was working on a satellite installation. They were reaching to grab a piece of cable when they were bitten on the left hand by a copperhead snake." | |
| 2025 | TX | Mining | "An employee was walking from their truck to a dehydrator unit when a rattlesnake bit the back of his left calf." | |
| 2025 | CA | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was pruning bushes using pruning shears. When he reached into a bush with the shears, a rattlesnake bit his right thumb." | |
| 2025 | TX | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee was giving a swimming lesson when a cottonmouth snake was spotted in the the pool. The employee grabbed the snake behind it's head and exited the pool. He walked over to the fence and was throwing the snake over the fence when the snake bit his left index finger." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.