How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 502 severe cases involving ropes, ties, and chains over the past decade. These incidents most frequently result in amputations, which account for 47% of all reported injuries, highlighting the extreme force involved when these materials fail under tension.
The physical impact of these failures is often devastating, with fingers being the most commonly affected body part in 53% of cases. You face life-altering consequences, including permanent loss of function and complex fractures that require extensive surgical intervention and long-term rehabilitation.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving ropes, ties, and chains typically occur when tensioned lines snap or recoil unexpectedly. Struck by propelled objects or substances is the leading cause, accounting for 26% of incidents. You are frequently caught in the path of a recoiling cable or struck by heavy rigging that has slipped or broken, often while securing loads or operating heavy machinery.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 126 |
| 2 | Entangled in non-running object | 104 |
| 3 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 100 |
| 4 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 33 |
| 5 | Struck by falling object | 25 |
| 6 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 23 |
| 7 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 12 |
| 8 | Injured by object handled by person | 10 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing leads all sectors with 28% of these severe incidents, followed closely by construction at 26%. These industries rely heavily on constant rigging and securing of heavy materials, where the failure of a single strap or chain under load can instantly turn a routine task into a life-threatening event.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve the sudden release of stored energy, such as a strap snapping back during load securement or a cable recoiling after becoming snagged. These incidents often occur during routine loading, unloading, or maintenance tasks where the equipment fails to contain the tension. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you understand your legal options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | SD | Manufacturing | "An employee was working from a man basket attached to a powered industrial truck. He had been loading manufactured tanks onto tractor trailer flatbeds. While removing the rigging equipment, a rigging strap caught his left ankle against the toe kick of the man basket. The employee sustained a fractured left ankle/tibia/foot." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "An employee was dumping aluminum scrap from an engineered scrap can into a larger scrap container when the release cable caught the employee's gloved thumb between the lever cable and the handle of the scrap can. The employee sustained an amputation to the thumb tip." | |
| 2025 | TX | Wholesale Trade | "A driver was strapping down metal to put on the truck. The metal strapping snapped back and hit his left eye. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery for a ruptured globe." | |
| 2025 | LA | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was unloading a roll-off box from an 18-wheeler truck. The cable securing the box broke loose and struck the employee, and he was hospitalized with a torn ligament in his arm." | |
| 2025 | LA | Manufacturing | "An employee was repairing a wire rope that had become caught and had begun to unravel. He was disconnecting the rope when it snapped and recoiled, jolting him upward and causing him to strike a nearby metal bar. He suffered two fractures to his right femur, as well as a puncture wound, and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | OH | Construction | "At about 2:30 p.m. on June 16, 2025, an aerial lineman was stringing aerial strand (wire braided rope) from span to span along power poles. A D-ring flipped on a bucket arm, causing the strand to push against the employee's right ring finger and trap it against the bucket gate. The fingertip was amputated at the first knuckle." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "Three employees were pulling tension cable (similar to rebar) through the walls of a condo using a motor system. Two employees were needed to hold the cable while the third employee drilled the mounting locations. When the third employee activated the drill, the cables twisted. They caught the right index finger of one of the other two employees, amputating his fingertip." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "The injured employee was helping a co-worker secure finishing material to a pallet using steel strapping (5/8" wide, 0.20" thick). The co-worker went to hand the strapping to the injured employee when they bent down and their right eye contacted the steel strapping, resulting in a laceration to the cornea and injury to the retina." | |
| 2025 | LA | Administrative Services | "A temporary employee was hooking a strap to the bucket on a skid steer when their middle finger got caught between the strap and the bucket. The employee's fingertip was amputated." | |
| 2025 | GA | Construction | "An employee was winching a shipping container onto his rollback truck using a remote and standing at the rear. The hook on the chain broke and the chain struck his right leg. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured tibia and a laceration." |
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 medical expenses and lost wages for severe workplace injuries like amputations. Because these injuries often require surgery and extensive recovery, you are entitled to benefits that reflect the severity of the trauma. An attorney can help ensure your claim accurately accounts for the full extent of your injury.
Employers are responsible for providing safe equipment and ensuring that all rigging, ropes, and chains are maintained in good working order. If a strap snapped due to improper maintenance, lack of inspection, or failure to replace worn gear, your employer may be liable for your injuries. An attorney can investigate whether safety protocols were ignored in your case.
If you were injured by defective or poorly maintained equipment, you should document the condition of the chain and report the incident to your supervisor immediately. Preserving evidence is critical for establishing that the equipment failed to meet safety standards. An attorney can assist you in gathering the necessary documentation to support your claim for benefits.
OSHA mandates that all rigging equipment, including ropes and chains, must be inspected before each use and removed from service if damaged or defective. Employers must ensure that you are trained to recognize hazards associated with tensioned lines and that equipment is used within its rated capacity. If your employer failed to follow these standards, an attorney can help you understand your legal options.