If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Have the machine shut off and, if possible, locked out.
- 2Press firmly with a clean cloth, raise the hand and keep pressure on.
- 3Call 911 for spurting or heavy bleeding, a deep or jagged cut, exposed bone, or a finger that is partly cut off.
- 4Remove rings from that hand before swelling starts.
- 5Get the cut evaluated today, especially if a finger won't bend, feels numb or looks pale.
- 6Tell your supervisor and report the injury in writing. Keep a copy.
- 7Note the machine, what you were doing and whether the guard was on.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Reporting it and the claim process
Hand cuts from machinery happen in factories, meat and food processing, restaurant kitchens with slicers and mixers, and farm work with blades and belts. In your written report, name the machine and describe the task — feeding material, clearing a jam, cleaning, changing a blade — and whether guards and lockout were in place.
Your employer generally sends the report to its insurer or claims administrator to start a workers' compensation claim. Ask for the claim number and keep a copy of any incident report.
Deadlines to report and file vary by state, so check with your state's workers' compensation agency as soon as possible.
Keep photos of the wound and machine, appointment records, and notes on missed time and tasks you can't do with that hand.
Getting medical care
Deep machine cuts usually need emergency or urgent care. Hand and upper extremity specialists or orthopedics often handle follow-up for injuries to tendons, nerves or bones, and physical or hand therapy is common afterward. A licensed clinician decides what is appropriate after an evaluation.
Tell the clinician it was a machine at work and what kind. Machine cuts may be contaminated with oil, metal, food or soil, so share that too. Some states and employers have rules about which provider you see first, so ask your employer or adjuster.
If you are prescribed medication, ask the pharmacy and adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Many can be filled locally or delivered to your home.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery, common medications after work injuries, or find pharmacies near you. Your doctor and pharmacist decide what is right for you.
When people often talk to an attorney
- The cut damaged a tendon or nerve and you have lasting loss of grip or feeling.
- The guard was missing or the lockout process wasn't followed.
- The machine may have had a defect or was serviced by another company.
- Your claim is denied or delayed, or you're blamed for the cut.
- There are disputes about surgery or hand therapy.
- You can't return to your job because of hand function.
Learn more: what a workers' comp attorney does. Many offer a free first consultation; fees in workers' comp are often regulated by the state.
Recovery and going back to work
Follow wound care and therapy instructions carefully. Hand injuries often stiffen without the exercises you're given.
Ask your doctor for specific restrictions and ask your employer about one-handed or light tasks while you heal.
Keep your supervisor and adjuster updated after each visit. If you feel nervous around the machine, tell your clinician and your employer.
Questions to ask
- Doctor: Did this cut reach a tendon or nerve?
- Doctor: What signs of infection should I watch for?
- Doctor: Will I need hand therapy?
- Employer: Was the guard in place, and can I get the incident report?
- Employer: Is there one-handed work I can do?
- Adjuster: What is my claim number, and can I see a hand specialist?
- Attorney: The machine was missing its guard. Does that change my options?
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I cut my hand on a machine at work?
Get the machine stopped, press firmly on the cut, raise your hand and call 911 for heavy bleeding or a deep cut. Remove rings and get evaluated. Report it in writing.
How do I know if a hand cut damaged a tendon?
Trouble bending or straightening a finger, weakness or a finger that rests differently can be signs. Numbness or tingling can point to a nerve. A clinician needs to evaluate it.
Is a hand cut from a machine covered by workers' comp?
Machine injuries on the job are often handled through workers' compensation, depending on your state and situation. Report it in writing. Check deadlines with your state's agency.
Should I go to a hand specialist?
Many deep hand cuts are referred to a hand and upper extremity specialist, but a clinician decides. Ask your treating clinician. Check provider rules under your claim.
Can I keep working after cutting my hand on a machine?
That depends on the cut and your clinician's restrictions. Ask for them in writing. Your employer may have one-handed tasks.
What if the machine guard was off?
Note it in your report and tell your supervisor. A missing guard may matter to how the incident is reviewed. Many people talk with an attorney about it.
Related situations
Industries where this often happens
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).