Whether it is an onsite space dedicated to storage or it is an enormous offsite distribution center, a warehouse represents a critical part of any organization’s footprint. Unfortunately, even the most efficient, well-organized warehouse can be home to serious worker accidents and devastating injuries.

Several different types of warehouse accidents and injuries can lead to workers’ compensation claims, including:

• Accidents involving forklifts: Even though workers must be certified to use this essential piece of equipment, and a safety checklist must be completed prior to every shift, forklift accidents lead to a significant number of worker injuries. From being crushed against a stationary object to being pinned by the forks themselves, workers can suffer severe injuries.
• Accidents involving falling objects: The warehouse, by definition, is an area designed for stacked objects and merchandise. If these objects are not stacked properly, they can fall, striking a worker and leading to injuries.
• Slip, trip and fall accidents: Whether it is the puddle of a spilled liquid on the floor, merchandise stacked in walkways, defective railings or broken stairs, a warehouse offers a multitude of ways workers can fall and get seriously injured.
• Accidents involving rack collapse: One of the most frightening types of warehouse accidents involves a pallet rack collapse. These huge metal structures can fail and topple to the warehouse floor crushing a worker dozens of feet below.
• Muscle strain: Whether from the lifting of a heavy object causing a strain to lifting an object over and over again over the course of weeks or years causing repetitive stress, muscle damage is common in warehouse work and heavy industry.

Depending on numerous factors including the type of accident and the medical history of the worker, the injury can result in serious medical problems. From an extended hospital stay to lengthy physical therapy, an employee and his or her entire family could be impacted by a warehouse accident.