Cambridge Massachusetts – Machine Injury & Accidents

Machinery accidents are a common occurrence in the workplace. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, these accidents account for a small share of all workplace injuries and fatalities.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents, between 2004 and 2009, machinery accounted for 36% of all occupational fatalities in the state. In 2009 alone, machinery caused the death of 9 workers in Cambridge.

It is important to understand how machinery can injure or kill workers, and take steps to prevent these accidents from happening.

Here are some key safety tips to keep in mind when working with machinery:

• always use proper safety equipment, including eye protection, hearing protection, and a respirator if required • use caution when maneuvering heavy equipment • be familiar with your machine’s safe operating procedures • stay alert while working

Manufacturing Companies

Cambridge, Massachusetts is home to a number of manufacturing companies, including

Moderna, Inc.
Biogen Inc.
Philips Holding U.S.A., Inc.
Genzyme Corporation
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.
Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Biogen MA Inc.
Beigene Usa, Inc.
Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
Blueprint Medicines Corporation
Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Vericel Corporation
Seres Therapeutics, Inc.

These companies produce a variety of high-tech equipment and products, including medical devices, semiconductors, and aircraft parts. In addition, Cambridge is home to the Harvard University Institute for Quantitative Social Science (IQSS), which focuses on developing economic models and forecasting techniques. This makes Cambridge an ideal location for companies that need to stay up-to-date on the latest research in their field.

Machinery Accidents

Machinery accidents can occur at any time and in any place.

If you have been injured in a machinery accident in Cambridge, Massachusetts, contact an experienced Cambridge Massachusetts machinery accident lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and protect your interests.

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, there have been a few machinery accidents that have caused serious injury or even death. Here are a few examples:

AccidentDate	Employer	City	State	Description	Injury	Body Part	Event	Injury Source	Other Injury Source
21/10/2021	HARVARD UNIVERSITY	Cambridge	Ma	An employee fell and her shoulder struck the wall. She was hospitalized.	Traumatic injuries and disorders	Nonclassifiable	Fall on same level	Floor
06/10/2021	Harvard University	Cambridge	Ma	An employee was carrying a stack of ceramic dishes in a dish room. The employee tripped over a bucket of sanitizer solution, stored on top of an upside-down milk crate. She fell to the floor, suffering a broken right hip and a lacerated right elbow.	Fractures	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object	Floor	Buckets, baskets, pails
21/09/2021	Cambridge Packaging Inc.	Cambridge	Oh	An employee was using a bandsaw to cut packaging cores. As he was cutting the last packaging core, the sawblade cut his right middle and ring fingers, causing partial amputations to the fingertips.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Struck against moving part of machinery or equipment	Band saws
09/09/2021	Neville Place at Fresh Pond, Assisted Living & Compass Memory Support	Cambridge	Ma	An employee slipped and fell down stairs, suffering a broken ankle.	Fractures	Ankle(s)	Other fall to lower level	Stairs, steps	Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
11/08/2021	Cambridge Brands, Inc., a Subsidiary of Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc.	Cambridge	Ma	An employee was trying to clear film that had jammed on a bagging machine. The machine amputated the employee's right index fingertip.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	Packaging, wrapping, bundling machinery
28/07/2021	John F. Shea Co. Inc.	Cambridge	Ma	An employee was descending a set of stairs that go from an access roof to a high penthouse roof. The employee slipped on wet plywood and fell off to the side of the stairs onto a roofing davit, landing on his left armpit and resulting in two broken ribs and a laceration to his left lung.	Internal injuries to organs and blood vessels of the trunk	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Other fall to lower level	Stairs, steps-outdoors	Rain
28/07/2021	MLS Sheet Metal LLC	Cambridge	Ma	On July 28, 2021, an employee was in a scissor lift and could not reach the work area. The employee fell 20 feet to a lower level while reaching over the railing of the basket and sustained injuries that required surgery.	Traumatic injuries and disorders	Nonclassifiable	Other fall to lower level 16 to 20 feet	Aerial lifts, scissor lifts-except truck-mounted	Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
15/07/2021	LCL Bulk Transport Inc.	Cambridge	Ma	An employee was pumping a load of chocolate off a tanker. The dairy valve sucked in, injuring his right index and middle fingers and causing an amputation to a fingertip.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation	Semi, tractor-trailer, tanker truck
27/05/2021	Wm. T. Spaeder Co., Inc.	Cambridge Springs	Pa	Two employees were lowering a 6-foot, 8-inch section of pipe to the ground with a come-along. The pipe slipped out of the rigging and struck a 6-foot stepladder one of the employees was standing on. The employee fell to the ground, suffered a skull fracture, and was hospitalized.	Fractures	Skull	Other fall to lower level	Step ladders	Pipes, ducts, tubing
04/02/2021	Omni Environmental	Cambridge	Ma	An employee was standing with his back to a skylight when he stepped backward and fell through the skylight, sustaining a leg injury.	Soreness, pain, hurt-nonspecified injury	Leg(s)	Fall through surface or existing opening	Skylights	Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
21/01/2021	Quanex IG Systems	Cambridge	Oh	On January 21, 2021, a machine that is used to apply an adhesive to the back of solar panels became jammed. An employee attempted to pull the product from the jammed machine when hot adhesive sprayed out of the machine onto the employee's neck and hand, burning the employee.	Heat (thermal) burns	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances	Adhesives, glues	Special process machinery, n.e.c.
06/10/2020	Accord Steel	Cambridge	Ma	An employee was rigging structural steel components for hoisting. When hoisted, one of the sling hooks gave way and the components fell onto the employee and fractured a femur.	Fractures	Thigh(s)	Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery-other than vehicle part	Parts and materials	Overhead hoists
02/09/2020	Encore Plastics Corporation	Cambridge	Oh	An employee was lifting boxes weighing 27.8 lbs. to stack on a pallet and suffered a back strain.	Strains	Back, including spine, spinal cord	Overexertion in lifting-single episode	Boxes, crates, cartons
08/08/2020	J. F. STEARNS CO., LLP	Cambridge	Ma	An employee fell off a ladder and suffered a leg injury.	Soreness, pain, hurt-nonspecified injury	Leg(s)	Other fall to lower level	Ladders	Nonclassifiable
25/06/2020	Joseph Botti Co., Inc.	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was chipping on an electrical duct. An arc flash burned the employee's upper torso.	Electrical burns	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Direct exposure to electricity	Electric parts
20/06/2020	Encore Plastics Corp	Cambridge	Ohio	While an employee was moving a trash can of product, the can fell onto the employee resulting in a broken left ankle.	Fractures	Ankle(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment	Cans
12/06/2020	Lee Kennedy Construction	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was operating a scissor lift using the remote control box. The employee was struck by the lift and his foot was broken. He was hospitalized.	Fractures	Foot (feet)	Struck by object or equipment	Aerial lifts, scissor lifts-except truck-mounted
08/06/2020	DOW COMPANY INC THE	Cambridge	Massachusett	A gas powered concrete buggy began to roll down a concrete driveway. An employee attempted to stop it and was struck by the buggy, sustaining a broken leg.	Fractures	Leg(s)	Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle	Industrial vehicle, material hauling and transport-powered, n.e.c
01/06/2020	Fogpharma	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was hospitalized after being exposed to iodoacetonitrile.	Poisoning, toxic, noxious, or allergenic effect	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to other harmful substances	Chemicals and chemical products
24/01/2020	Encore Industries	Cambridge	Ohio	On January 24, 2020, an employee was removing a plastic ball from the feed throat of an injection molding machine. The employee's right middle finger was caught between the screw and the barrel, and the tip was amputated.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation	Plastic injection molding machinery
03/09/2019	MIT	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was cut while using a box cutter and was hospitalized.	Cuts, lacerations	Nonclassifiable	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker	Box cutters and razor knives
23/08/2019	AMG Vanadium, LLC	Cambridge	Ohio	An employee was at a roaster machine moving a manual cart with a part on it. The employee's finger was pinched between the cart and a frame of the machine, resulting in an amputation to the left ring finger with no bone involvement.	Amputations	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment being pushed by injured worker	Cart, dolly, hand truck-nonpowered	Forging machinery
11/08/2019	TURNER CONSTRUCTION	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee bent down to gather tools and suffered a hernia. The employee had surgery and was hospitalized.	Hernias due to traumatic incidents	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Bending, crawling, reaching, twisting-single episode	Bodily motion or position of injured, ill worker
06/06/2019	NEI General Contracting	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee fell 10 feet from a ladder.	Traumatic injuries and disorders	Nonclassifiable	Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet	Ladders	Nonclassifiable
14/05/2019	NICOLOZAKES TRUCKING & CONSTRUCTION INC.	Cambridge	Ohio	An employee was attempting to rekindle a small fire with gasoline to burn scrap wood when the resulting fire burned the employee.	Heat (thermal) burns	Nonclassifiable	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids	Gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel	Scrap, waste, debris, n.e.c.
09/05/2019	HARVARD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALITY & DINING SERVICES	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee amputated a fingertip while cutting cabbage with a chef's knife.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker	Knives
12/04/2019	Bala TMP Consulting Engineers Inc	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was inspecting a cabinet when a wind gust shut the door on the employee's finger, causing an amputation.	Amputations	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld, n.e.c.	Cabinets, cases-display, storage	High winds, gusts, turbulence
26/02/2019	Schwebel Baking Company	Cambridge	Ohio	On February 26, 2019, an employee fell from the lift gate of a delivery truck resulting in hospitalization for a fractured hip.	Fractures	Hip(s)	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet	Delivery truck or van	Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
18/02/2019	Encore Industries, Inc.	Cambridge	Ohio	An employee was trying to retrieve a tray that had fallen in a stacker. The stacker cycled and the employee's right middle finger was caught between the tray and the stacker frame. The fingertip was partially amputated.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation	Stacking machinery
25/09/2018	Colgate Palmolive Company	Cambridge	Ohio	An employee was clearing a bottle jam from a trimmer reamer when the machine cycled and the employee's hand was caught in the machinery, fracturing four fingers and severely lacerating his hand and fingers.	Fractures	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning	Reaming machines
17/09/2018	MIT	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee pulled a muscle while lifting a table, suffering a hernia to the lower torso area that required hospitalization.	Hernias due to traumatic incidents	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Overexertion in lifting-single episode	Tables, worktables
25/06/2018	Colgate Palmolive Company	Cambridge	Ohio	On June 25, 2018, an employee was fixing a leak in a liquid dish bottle labeler when the machine started up, fracturing both of the employee's hands.	Fractures	Hand(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning	Product labeling machinery
07/05/2018	HARVARD UNIVERSITY	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee received an amputation.	Amputations	Nonclassifiable	Nonclassifiable	Nonclassifiable
22/04/2018	Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Massachusetts	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was cleaning a gutter from a ladder. While coming down the ladder, he missed a step, lost his balance, and fell, fracturing his legs.	Fractures	Leg(s)	Other fall to lower level	Movable ladders
30/03/2018	HARVARD UNIVERSITY	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee amputated a fingertip with a manual paper cutter.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker	Cutting handtools-nonpowered
21/03/2018	HANKARD ELECTRIC CO., INC.	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was on a ladder testing an energized wire in the ceiling to make it safe when his pliers touched the electrical junction box, causing an arc flash. The flash startled the employee, causing him to fall off the second rung of the ladder to the floor, re-aggravating a pre-existing shoulder injury.	Soreness, pain, hurt-nonspecified injury	Shoulder(s), including clavicle(s), scapula(e)	Other fall to lower level	Movable ladders
16/01/2018	HARVARD UNIVERSITY	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee suffered lacerations to four fingers while using a lathe.	Cuts, lacerations	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	Lathes
02/01/2018	TREVIICOS Corp.	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was guiding a trash pump that a crane was moving into place for a concrete pour. The employee had to climb onto the trash pump base to release the main block hook from the wire rope rigging. As he grabbed the rigging with his right hand, his footing slipped and he grabbed the top frame of the trash pump. In his efforts to keep from falling, he pulled the rigging (still attached to the main block) toward him, which caused the hook to amputate his left little fingertip.	Amputations	Fingertip(s)	Slip without fall	Nonclassifiable
07/10/2017	Bon Me Foods, LLC	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was using a lighter to light a propane steam table burner when the lighter ignited propane gas that had accumulated in the steam table due to a valve that had been left open earlier. The employee suffered burns to the face, neck, right arm, and right hand.	Heat (thermal) burns	Multiple body parts	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids	Propane	Tools, instruments, and equipment, n.e.c.
29/09/2017	HARVARD UNIVERSITY	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee received an amputation.	Amputations	Nonclassifiable	Nonclassifiable	Nonclassifiable
27/09/2017	Quanex IG Systems	Cambridge	Ohio	An employee walked around a parked forklift and tripped over the fork tines, fracturing the right elbow. The employee was hospitalized and had surgery.	Fractures	Elbow(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object	Floor	Forklift, order picker, platform truck-powered
05/07/2017	Picoma Industries Inc.	Cambridge	Ohio	On July 5, 2017, an employee suffered an amputation injury to his hand while performing a routine pin change on a facer. The guard was not in place at the time.	Amputations	Hand(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	Machinery
16/05/2017	Fred Williams Inc.	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee fell off a stepladder while installing a new HVAC unit, hitting the floor and suffering a head fracture.	Fractures	Head	Other fall to lower level	Step ladders
15/03/2017	The Charles Stark Draper Labratory, Inc.	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was walking in the parking garage, slipped on ice and fell striking the right knee on the ice and concrete. The employee was hospitalized for a torn right quadricep.	Major tears to muscles, tendons, ligaments	Thigh(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping	Parking lot-paved	Ice, sleet, snow
15/03/2017	MIT	Cambridge	Massachusett	On 3/15/17, an employee walking on a walkway towards the southwest entrance of the building slipped and fell on ice and broke their right leg. The employee was hospitalized.	Fractures	Leg(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping	Sidewalks, paths, outdoor walkways	Ice, sleet, snow
13/03/2017	Delta Beckwith Elevator Company	Cambridge	Massachusett	On 3/13/17, a ladder slipped while an employee accessed an elevator pit and the employee fell 14 feet to the elevator platform. The employee then rolled and fell an additional 6 feet to the elevator pit, suffering a hairline fracture to the head.	Fractures	Head	Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet	Movable ladders
17/02/2017	HARVARD UNIVERSITY	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was seated behind the reception desk at which he works. Dust from ongoing construction activities in the facility reached the employee, who experienced respiratory distress. The employee was hospitalized.	Other respiratory system symptoms-toxic, noxious, or allergenic effect	BODY SYSTEMS	Inhalation of harmful substance-single episode	Dirt particles and dust from dirt, debris
10/02/2017	SDI Interiors Contractor	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee was balancing a granite countertop that was on the floor when it fell on and broke his left ankle.	Fractures	Ankle(s)	Struck by object or equipment dropped by injured worker	Counters, counter tops
07/01/2017	Cambridge Brands, Inc., a Subsidiary of Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc.	Cambridge	Massachusett	An employee felt a sharp pain in his back and neck while picking up stock. The employee was admitted to the hospital.	Soreness, pain, hurt-nonspecified injury	Neck and back	Overexertion in lifting-single episode	Nonclassifiable
09/10/2016	Petta Enterprises, LLC	Cambridge	Ohio	At approximately 2:30 a.m., an employee was power washing the inside of a tanker. The employee got out of the tanker and said it smelled foul. Monitoring was done and no hazardous atmospheres were detected. The employee re-entered the tanker and approximately 10 minutes upon return he passed out. The employee was hospitalized and treated.	Other traumatic injuries and disorders	BODY SYSTEMS	Nonclassifiable	Nonclassifiable
AccidentDate	Employer	City	State	Description	Injury	Body Part	Event	Injury Source	Other Injury Source

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