June 25, 2025

Lacerations and eye injuries

As a service to our policyholders, Texas Mutual shares serious workplace injury trends based on catastrophic injuries and fatalities reported to our claims department. Not all of these reported injuries are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, but our goal is to help you ensure these types of incidents do not happen in your workplace. Find safety tips below to help keep your employees safe on the job.

You can contact our safety services support center with any questions at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723) or safety@texasmutual.com.

In this alert:

• Lacerations
• Eye injuries

Cuts from sharp equipment

An employee was cutting a box with a razor knife. They held the box with one hand while cutting with the other, but cut upwards toward themselves and accidentally sliced their forearm. In another incident, an employee was using a shearing machine when their thumb bypassed the safety guard and got caught in the blades, lacerating the tip of their finger.

Lacerations pose significant risks in the workplace. They can potentially cause severe injuries and long-term consequences. These incidents underscore the importance of proper tool use, adequate safety guards and complete focus during cutting tasks. Prioritize cut-prevention strategies to ensure a safe work environment.

• Always use proper elevated work platforms such as ladders, scaffolds or aerial lifts for tasks above ground level.
• Inspect all work platforms before use to ensure they are stable and in good condition.
• Implement and follow fall protection measures when working at heights, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
• Report any unsafe conditions or lack of proper equipment to your supervisor immediately.

Eye injuries

While an employee was using an angle grinder, debris deflected off the tool and struck their eyelid. In a separate incident, an employee was attempting to remove a stuck grease gun by pulling on it. When the fitting suddenly released, the momentum caused the grease gun to recoil and strike the employee above their eyebrow.

Eye injuries can cause severe damage, like vision impairment or loss. These incidents highlight the importance of wearing proper eye protection, handling tools with care and always being aware of potential hazards. Implementing comprehensive safety protocols and ensuring consistent use of personal protective equipment are crucial for preventing eye injuries in the workplace.

• Always wear appropriate eye protection, such as safety glasses or goggles, when working with tools or in potentially hazardous environments.
• Ensure machinery and tools have proper guards in place to deflect debris and prevent eye injuries.
• Maintain a clean work area to reduce the risk of airborne particles that could irritate or harm the eyes.
• Use caution when working with pressurized equipment or substances that could splash or spray.
• Immediately flush eyes with water if exposed to chemicals and seek medical attention quickly for any eye injury.

Get free safety resources

Texas Mutual policyholders have access to thousands of free training materials in our multimedia safety resource center, including our safety catalog with up-to-date resources.

To access the free materials, log in to your texasmutual.com account and select Safety. If you need help accessing safety resources or you have a safety question, call us toll-free at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723).

Download a PDF (667KB) version of the June Safety Alert.