How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 661 severe cases involving storage racks, cabinets, and shelving over the last decade. These incidents most frequently result in amputations, which account for 38% of all reported injuries in this category.
The severity of these accidents is often driven by the weight of falling inventory or the force of collapsing structures. Fingers are the most affected body part, suffering 40% of all reported injuries as you attempt to stabilize or move heavy materials.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Injuries involving storage systems typically occur when objects fall from heights or when you are compressed between equipment and shelving. Struck by falling objects accounts for 32% of all incidents, often due to overloaded shelves or improper stacking. Additionally, you are frequently caught between running equipment and storage racks, leading to severe crushing injuries.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by falling object | 197 |
| 2 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 156 |
| 3 | Other fall to lower level | 135 |
| 4 | Struck against stationary object | 35 |
| 5 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 14 |
| 6 | Collapse, engulfment— building or structure | 12 |
| 7 | Caught or wedged between objects— nonrunning | 10 |
| 8 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 9 |
Where injuries happen most
Retail trade leads all sectors with 25% of reported incidents, followed by manufacturing at 24%. These industries rely on high-density storage systems where the constant movement of inventory and heavy machinery creates a risk for structural failure or accidental contact with racking components.
Real cases like yours
Reports show that injuries occur during routine tasks like moving room dividers, picking items from lockers, or using forklifts to unload racks. These incidents often stem from equipment that is unstable, improperly secured, or poorly maintained. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer negligence played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was setting up a banquet hall. While pulling on an air wall/divider their left middle fingertip became caught in the wall and was amputated." | |
| 2025 | FL | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee was putting items away in a locker. They bent down to pick up an item. When they lifted their head, it struck the bottom of a locker. The employee sustained a head injury." | |
| 2025 | MO | Education | "On 7/22/2025, an employee was moving some room dividers when their left index finger was caught in one of the dividers. The employee's fingertip was amputated without loss of bone." | |
| 2025 | FL | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was driving a forklift and unloading racks of glass from a truck. A rack began to tilt; the employee exited the forklift and went to stabilize it. The rack tipped and pinned his left arm against the forklift. The forearm was broken and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | OH | Transportation & Warehousing | "A temporary employee was loading warehouse racking into a container in the parking lot at the worksite. Their left index finger was caught between two racks when the racks were pushed together. The employee's fingertip was amputated above the first knuckle." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was painting when they fell from the top of a locker to the concrete floor approximately 8 feet below. The employee sustained fractures to their ankle and left heel. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | PA | Retail Trade | "An employee was turning in a chair while closing a safe. The safe door closed on his left index finger, causing a soft-tissue amputation to the fingertip." | |
| 2025 | MO | Construction | "An electric crew was unloading a lighting instrument rack (approximately 400-500 pounds) from a box truck when one of the wheels rolled off the lift gate and the rack tipped over, falling onto the injured employee's right leg. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured tibia and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | PA | Wholesale Trade | "An employee climbed up a 4-foot step ladder and then stepped onto shelving in the grocery store. They lost balance and fell 3.5 feet, striking a cart and then the floor. The employee sustained a fractured right forearm that required surgery." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "An employee was using an overhead crane to align a tooling rack. The employee's hand slipped and the tooling rack shifted, pinching his right fifth finger. The employee's fingertip was amputated." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.