How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 183 severe incidents involving trucks with mounted machinery, where fractures account for 38% of all reported cases. These injuries frequently involve crushing forces or high-impact falls that require immediate hospitalization and extensive surgical intervention.
The severity of these incidents is underscored by the fact that amputations represent 27% of all recorded injuries. You often suffer damage to your fingers, leading to long-term disability and significant time away from your job.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving these vehicles typically occur when you fall from elevated platforms or are struck by moving equipment. Falls to lower levels account for 25% of all incidents, often occurring when you slip while climbing off a truck bed or bucket. Other common scenarios involve being caught in running equipment during normal operation or being struck by a vehicle while working in nonroadway areas.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 44 |
| 2 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 30 |
| 3 | Struck by running powered equipment— during maintenance, cleaning, testing | 16 |
| 4 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 13 |
| 5 | Caught or wedged between objects— nonrunning | 9 |
| 6 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 7 |
| 7 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway | 6 |
| 8 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 6 |
Where injuries happen most
Administrative services account for 30% of all reported incidents, largely due to the frequent use of bucket trucks for utility and maintenance tasks. Construction follows closely at 24%, where the high-paced environment and constant interaction between ground crews and heavy machinery create significant risks for you.
Real cases like yours
Recurring patterns in these incidents show a clear link between vehicle movement and your vulnerability. Many reports detail you being struck while directing traffic, falling during routine exits from truck cabs, or being caught by equipment while working at height. 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 safety failures contributed to your harm.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | AR | Wholesale Trade | "On July 31, 2025, an employee was exiting a roll-off truck when their foot slipped causing them to fall backward and strike their back and head on the concrete. The employee was hospitalized with a concussion, a fractured scapula, and three fractured ribs." | |
| 2025 | OH | Construction | "An employee was climbing off the back of a dump truck when he slipped and fell. His right leg struck a piece of scrap metal resulting in a severe laceration to the lower leg. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | AL | Administrative Services | "An employee was working from a bucket truck about 30 feet in the air. A tree section the employee had just cut made contact with the bucket or boom of the truck, and the employee was forced out of the bucket. The employee fell to the ground and suffered broken ribs, a broken shoulder blade, a broken collarbone, and a collapsed lung." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "On July 10, 2025, two crews were removing stripes and then re-striping pavement in a lane that was fully closed. The injured employee was assisting a subcontracted blasting truck with backing up approximately 1,000 feet to continue stripe removal operations. After giving directions, the employee went to mark additional spots when the truck knocked him to the ground and rolled over his lower half, resulting in fractures to both legs, his hip, and his right ankle." | |
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "An employee was walking across the gravel travel yard when a small-frame dump truck unintentionally reversed and struck the employee. The rear wheels drove over the employee and threw him onto the loose gravel. The employee sustained fractures to his arm, femur, and ankle, as well as a laceration to the hand that required surgery and hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "An employee was repairing a tri-axle dump truck on the side of the road when the clutch was released, causing the truck to lurch forward over the wheel chocks. The employee was crushed underneath the first set of rear wheels and sustained a fractured lower left leg and a knee injury." | |
| 2025 | NY | Agriculture | "An employee was driving a farm truck with the dump box raised when he went through a farm building accessway and the dump box struck the entryway of the building. The truck lifted up and came back down, jolting the employee. The employee sustained a back injury." | |
| 2025 | IL | Construction | "At approximately 6:40 AM on July 1, 2025, an employee was in a bucket truck removing a traffic signal head. He fell approximately 12 feet onto the truck bed and then approximately 42 inches onto the pavement. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to his right fibular shaft, right femur, his left tenth rib and L2-L4 transverse processes on his right side." | |
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "At 3:45 p.m. on June 30, 2025, an employee was working out of a bucket truck, installing a fiber drop to a customer. The door of the bucket came open and he fell to the ground 12-15 feet below, suffering a brain bleed, facial factures, four fractured ribs, a possible collapsed lung, possible fractured vertebrae, and possible wrist and ankle fractures." | |
| 2025 | AL | Construction | "Two employees were using a hose to pour concrete during the construction of a concrete wall. Pressure built up at a 90-degree bend in the hose, causing the water to separate from the rock. The hose began to gyrate violently and spray out concrete. One employee was struck on the arm and the leg by the hose, resulting in a fractured arm and leg. The second employee was struck in the face by a mass of concrete that sprayed from the hose, resulting in a broken nose and facial lacerations. Both employees were hospitalized." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Seek immediate medical attention and ensure your employer files an official incident report. Document the scene if possible and keep records of all medical treatments, as these are essential for your Workers' Compensation claim. An attorney can help you navigate the reporting process and ensure your rights are protected.
Employers are responsible for ensuring all machinery is safe for operation and that you are properly trained. If a lack of maintenance or inadequate safety protocols led to your injury, you may have a strong claim for additional benefits. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety standards.
Workers' Compensation generally covers injuries that occur during the course of your employment, including falls from vehicles. Because these injuries often result in severe fractures or internal damage, you may be entitled to coverage for medical bills and lost wages. An attorney can help you verify that you are receiving the full benefits you are owed.
OSHA enforces strict standards regarding vehicle operation, fall protection, and equipment guarding to prevent severe injuries. Employers must comply with these regulations to maintain a safe workplace, and failure to do so can be a critical factor in your case. An attorney can help you determine if your employer failed to meet these specific safety requirements.