Severe Workplace Injuries in Seattle, Washington

Oct 16, 2025 · Industrial Resources, Inc. Hospitalized

An employee was drilling a hole into the sealed hold of a vessel so a marine chemist could test its atmosphere. Upon drilling the hole, a gas that was under pressure was released and caught fire at the drill motor, where the employee was holding it. The employee was burned.

Fires, explosions onboard water vehicle in normal operation · Part of body · Construction · OSHA inspection 1855930

Jul 8, 2025 · JONES STEVEDORING COMPANY Hospitalized

An employee parked a side-by-side on the fixed internal ramp aboard a cargo ship. They exited the side-by-side and went to inspect the cargo below. The side-by-side rolled toward the employee and struck them as they were walking toward the edge of the ramp. The employee was knocked off the ramp and landed on the lower deck approximately 8 feet below. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured shoulder.

Fall, contact incident onboard water vehicle · Shoulder(s), clavicle(s), scapula(e) · Transportation and warehousing

Jul 8, 2025 · SSA TERMINALS LLC Hospitalized

An employee was unlocking containers on deck. The employee was de-lashing while standing on the edge of the lid. The lashing bar he was holding came off the cone, causing him to turn 90 degrees and strike a railing behind him. The employee sustained four fractured ribs.

Fall, contact incident onboard water vehicle · Rib(s), oblique area · Transportation and warehousing · OSHA inspection 1836760

Jun 26, 2025 · SSA MARINE Hospitalized

An employee was on a catwalk performing maintenance on the deck of a ship. While preparing to descend a ladder, the employee's foot missed the lower rung and he fell sideways onto the deck. The employee sustained fractures to his arms and was hospitalized.

Fall, contact incident onboard water vehicle · Arm(s) · Transportation and warehousing · OSHA inspection 1835555

Jun 24, 2024 · SSA MARINE Hospitalized

An employee was walking on a catwalk on a ship examining a container and fell approximately 7 feet through an open ladder way. The employee sustained fractured ribs and fractured a lumbar vertebra.

Fall, contact incident onboard water vehicle · Multiple trunk locations · Transportation and warehousing

May 29, 2023 · Veterans Health Administration Puget Sound Health Care System Hospitalized

An employee was operating a riding lawn mower to mow the grass when the mower flipped over, ejecting the employee and pinning them underneath. The employee sustained fractures to the left ribs, shoulder, and arm.

Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway · Multiple body parts (other) · Health care and social assistance · OSHA inspection 1679399

Jun 13, 2022 · Centerline Logistics Corporation Amputation

An employee was pulling on a heavy line with the assistance of a powered capstan, which was attached to a barge tow chain. The capstan suddenly pulled the line in, catching and crushing the employee's fingers and resulting in an amputation.

Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation · Finger(s), fingernail(s) · Transportation and warehousing · OSHA inspection 1603299

Apr 30, 2022 · Vigor Marine, LLC Hospitalized

An employee was shaving rubber off a seal with a right angle grinder. The grinder's chainsaw-style blade cut his index finger at the second knuckle.

Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker · Finger(s), fingernail(s) (other) · Manufacturing · OSHA inspection 1594257

Jan 31, 2022 · SSA TERMINALS LLC Hospitalized

An employee was using an unlocking pole to remove a stuck cone on a container. The twist lock fell down and struck the employee in the face, causing them to lose consciousness.

Struck by falling object or equipment · Brain · Transportation and warehousing

Jun 27, 2021 · U.S. Postal Service, Wedgewood Post Office Hospitalized

An employee was delivering mail along an outdoor mail route during a heat wave. After completing the route, the employee was hospitalized, suffering from heat-related illness.

Exposure to environmental heat · Body systems · Transportation and warehousing

Jan 28, 2021 · U.S. Postal Service Hospitalized

A mail carrier was walking to the next delivery when a dog came up from behind and jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. The employee suffered a broken right hip and broken left elbow.

Struck by animal (other) · Multiple body parts (other) · Transportation and warehousing

Dec 8, 2020 · Lake Union Drydock Company Hospitalized

An employee was building scaffolding on a floating drydock. A plank kicked up when he stepped on it, and he fell 8 feet 4 inches to the concrete surface. He suffered fractures to the face and spine.

Fall on water vehicle · Head and trunk · Manufacturing

Dec 5, 2020 · U.S. POSTAL SERVICE Hospitalized

While working in the maintenance shop, an employee's jacket caught the spout of a bottle of chemical floor stripper, spilling the chemical on his pants. Later that evening the employee was hospitalized with chemical burns to the leg.

Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue · Leg(s) · Transportation and warehousing

Aug 11, 2020 · U.S. Census Bureau, Los Angeles Regional Census Center Hospitalized

A census taker was attacked by a dog at a private residence. The census taker fell to the ground and suffered two broken thumbs.

Animal and insect related incidents · Finger(s), fingernail(s) · Public administration

Jun 4, 2019 · Northlake Shipyard, Inc. Hospitalized

Before noon on June 4, 2019, a marine inspector was conducting an inspection on board a fishing vessel at a shipyard. As the employee was climbing out of the vessel's anchor chain locker, he was shocked by a damaged extension cord running through a chain attached to shelving on a bulkhead. He suffered nerve damage to his thumb and thermal burns to his forearm muscle, and was hospitalized.

Machinery or equipment incident on water vehicle · Body systems · Manufacturing · OSHA inspection 1408138

Jan 22, 2019 · NORTHLAND SERVICES, INC. Hospitalized

An employee was walking across the deck of a barge in the dark to move a vehicle that was in the way of the unloading process. About 6 feet before the employee reached the truck, he stepped into an open deck plate. The employee fell into the tank and dropped about 18 feet down onto an elevated metal platform inside the tank. He fractured both ankles and also sustained bruising on both elbows and forearms; a large contusion to his right shin; and minor bruising on his chest, back, and face.

Fall on water vehicle · Ankle(s) · Transportation and warehousing

Sep 21, 2018 · COASTAL TRANSPORTATION INC Hospitalized

An employee was trying to flip over a D ring so it could be used to secure deck cargo on a vessel. A 20-foot bundle of rebar was being held up with a pry bar so the ring could be flipped. The rebar slipped off the pry bar and crushed the employee's right index finger. The employee was hospitalized, requiring surgery.

Machinery or equipment incident on water vehicle · Finger(s), fingernail(s) · Transportation and warehousing

Apr 27, 2017 · Vigor Marine, LLC Hospitalized

An employee was climbing down a steep staircase aboard a ship, missed a step and landed on the bottom stair, sustaining a fractured left tibia. At the time of the incident, the vessel was on dry dock.

Other fall to lower level · Lower leg(s) · Manufacturing

Jan 26, 2017 · PUGET SOUND NAVAL SHIPYARD Hospitalized

An employee was ascending a scaffold ladder when his foot got caught in a rung and he fell backwards. A co-worker came to his aid and freed him. While descending the remaining scaffold he slipped and fell approximately four feet to the pavement. The employee was hospitalized for a head injury.

Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet · Brain · Public administration

Dec 10, 2016 · Washington Marine Cleaning LLC Hospitalized

An employee was working on the compressed air line for a vessel and connecting a 2-inch hose to a valve in a bilge in order to flush a new pipe. He then stepped on the valve, which opened and released air that knocked off his safety glasses and blew metal debris into his eye. He was hospitalized.

Machinery or equipment incident on water vehicle · Eye(s) · Transportation and warehousing

Nov 3, 2016 · U.S. Postal Service: Lake City Post Office Hospitalized

An employee slipped on wet grass while delivering mail. He fell and broke his ankle.

Fall on same level due to slipping · Ankle(s) · Transportation and warehousing

Sep 15, 2016 · Icicle Seafoods, Inc. Amputation

An employee was trying to remove a cord from a hatch when it closed on his right pinky finger, amputating the fingertip.

Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment · Fingertip(s) · Manufacturing

Sep 12, 2016 · F/V Time Bandit Hospitalized

An employee was standing on a step ladder torqueing a bolt. When the bolt broke loose, he lost his balance and fell to the deck, bruising his side and possibly breaking ribs.

Fall on water vehicle · Trunk · Agriculture, forestry and fishing

Sep 7, 2016 · TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company Hospitalized

An employee fell down the stairs.

Other fall to lower level · Nonclassifiable · Manufacturing

Aug 5, 2016 · U.S. Postal Service Hospitalized

While delivering parcels to an office building, and employee fell down stairs and suffered a broken neck and sprained legs and arms.

Other fall to lower level · Neck, except internal location of diseases or disorders · Transportation and warehousing

Jan 13, 2016 · Federal Bureau of Investigation Hospitalized

An employee broke his ankle in three places while climbing stairs on January 13, 2016, at approximately 10:20 AM. He was hospitalized for surgery.

Fall on same level while climbing stairs, steps, or curbs · Ankle(s) · Public administration

Dec 1, 2015 · American Seafoods Hospitalized

An employee stepped into a storage tote to retrieve fishing line. The tote tipped over, causing the employee to fall into the hold of the ship. The employee suffered a broken right wrist and right leg, requiring hospitalization.

Other fall to lower level · Upper and lower limb(s) · Manufacturing

Nov 24, 2015 · American Seafoods Amputation

An employee's fingertip was amputated while the employee attempted to straighten a box in a vertical box conveyer system.

Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation · Fingertip(s) · Manufacturing

Aug 26, 2015 · Federal Bureau of Investigation Hospitalized

An employee came in from the stairwell, tripped over the door seal, fell and broke her elbow. The employee had surgery and was admitted to the hospital.

Fall on same level due to tripping on uneven surface · Elbow(s) · Public administration