Occupational horizontal pushing inducing massive haemothorax: an unusual case report

Summary We report an unusual case of a 55-year-old male machine operator who developed a massive unilateral haemothorax and ipsilateral rib fracture following occupational horizontal pushing of a cold-rolled steel coil. Notably, this occurred in the absence of direct chest trauma, coagulopathy or underlying anatomical abnormalities. The patient fully recovered after timely tube thoracostomy and hospital monitoring. This case highlights the potential for severe occupational injuries resulting from horizontal pushing activities, which are often overlooked and underreported in injury statistics. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of haemothorax induced by horizontal pushing, warranting further research to guide preventive safety measures and enhance the recognition and reporting of similar cases, thereby improving clinician awareness of indirect occupational trauma. It underscores the need for standardized force limits and ergonomic interventions to mitigate such risks and eventually eliminate manual handling of heavy machine components.