2025 ICD-10-CM code W31.1
(Active) Effective Date: N/A External causes of morbidity - Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces 20 Feed
Contact with metalworking machines.
The 7th character acts as a modifier, indicating the encounter type (A - initial encounter, D - subsequent encounter, S - sequela).
The medical necessity for the treatment provided relates to the specific injuries sustained due to the accident. The W31.1 code itself does not establish medical necessity but provides context for the injuries.
The clinician's responsibility is to document the nature of the injury resulting from the contact with the metalworking machine, using the appropriate ICD-10-CM code from Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)).They should also document the circumstances of the accident, including the specific type of metalworking machine involved.
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- Accidents (V00-X58), Other external causes of accidental injury (W00-X58), Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces (W20-W49)
In simple words: Injury caused by contact with a metalworking machine, such as a lathe, drill press, or milling machine.
Contact with metalworking machines (includes abrasive wheel, forging machine, lathe, mechanical shears, metal drilling machine, milling machine, power press, rolling-mill, and metal sawing machine).
Example 1: A worker's hand gets caught in a lathe, resulting in a laceration and fracture. The ICD-10-CM code W31.1 is used to indicate the external cause of the injury (contact with metalworking machine), along with codes from Chapter 19 for the laceration and fracture., A machinist is struck by a piece of metal ejected from a milling machine, resulting in a contusion. W31.1 is used to specify the external cause, with an appropriate code from Chapter 19 for the contusion., An individual sustains an amputation of a finger while operating a power press. The amputation is coded from Chapter 19, and W31.1 indicates the external cause of the injury.
The documentation should clearly describe the circumstances of the accident, including the specific metalworking machine involved (e.g., lathe, drill press, power press), the body part(s) injured, and the nature of the injury (e.g., laceration, fracture, amputation). The 7th character should be used to specify the encounter type (initial, subsequent, or sequela).
** This code describes the circumstance causing an injury, not the nature of the injury.It should always be used as a secondary code to a code from another chapter, usually Chapter 19, which describes the injury itself.
- Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery
- Place of Service:Industrial facility, Hospital (inpatient or outpatient), Physician's office,Emergency Room - Hospital, Factory, Outpatient Hospital, Place of Employment - Worksite, Office