How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 2,149 severe incidents involving stationary sawing machinery over the last decade. The vast majority of these cases result in amputations, which account for 81% of all reported injuries from this equipment.
Your fingers are the most vulnerable body part, sustaining 87% of all reported injuries. These incidents often lead to permanent loss of function, requiring extensive medical treatment and long-term rehabilitation.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Injuries from stationary saws typically occur when you are struck by shifting materials or become caught in the machinery during operation. Over half of all reported incidents involve being struck by rolling or sliding objects (51%), while 37% occur when you are caught or entangled in the saw during normal operation.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 1,085 |
| 2 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 790 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— n.e.c. | 81 |
| 4 | Struck by running powered equipment— unspecified | 42 |
| 5 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 41 |
| 6 | Struck by running powered equipment— irregular movement, kick back | 35 |
| 7 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 29 |
| 8 | Struck against stationary object | 9 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 67% of all stationary saw injuries, reflecting the high volume of daily material processing in these facilities. You also face significant risks in construction, where the constant demand for precision cutting requires frequent interaction with high-speed blades and automated feeding systems.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include accidental contact with blades during material feeding, unexpected machine activation, and failure of safety vises to secure parts properly. 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 contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "On July 30, 2025, an employee was cutting wood with a radial arm saw when the saw amputated their left middle and ring fingers." | |
| 2025 | GA | Manufacturing | "An employee was working to lay a part in the vise of the band saw in preparation for cutting. The left vise closed, pinching his fingertips against the part. The employee's middle and ring fingertips were amputated and they sustained a laceration to the index finger requiring stitches." | |
| 2025 | MO | Manufacturing | "An upcut saw activated and the blade caused an amputation to an employee's finger." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was using a saw machine and sustained a partial traumatic transphalangeal amputation of his right index finger." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was using a table saw to cut a small bundle of vinyl material. The saw blade lacerated the employee's left index finger. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Administrative Services | "A temporary employee was cleaning plastic welding irons and cutting them using a table saw. The saw blade contacted his left middle and ring fingers, resulting in a partial amputation of his left ring finger and an avulsion to his left middle finger." | |
| 2025 | CT | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was cutting wood on a table saw when his thumb contacted the saw blade. The employee's thumb was partially amputated." | |
| 2025 | MO | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was operating a band saw to cut materials and lacerated their right ring finger to the bone. The employee sustained an amputation and required surgery. The employee was hospitalized. " | |
| 2025 | LA | Construction | "An employee was cutting a plastic pipe with a miter cut-off saw. The saw blade became stuck, bounced back, and lacerated the employee's face." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating a stationary masonry saw, cutting faces from bricks for sample boards. The saw blade lacerated the employee's right forearm and the employee was hospitalized, requiring surgery." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.