How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 26 severe cases involving finishing and surfacing materials over the last decade. These incidents frequently result in amputations, which account for 27% of all reported injuries in this category.
The severity of these injuries is often driven by the weight and density of the materials you handle. You most commonly suffer damage to your fingers and head, often leading to long-term physical impairment and significant medical costs.
How these injuries happen
Injuries involving finishing and surfacing materials are most often caused by falling objects that strike you during installation or removal. When heavy panels or trim are not properly secured or handled, they can slip and crush your extremities or cause blunt force trauma to your head and back. Overexertion during the manual movement of these materials also frequently leads to debilitating musculoskeletal injuries.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by falling object | 16 |
| 2 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 3 |
| 3 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 2 |
| 4 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 2 |
| 5 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 1 |
| 6 | Struck by rolling, sliding, or shifting objects—non-running | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction accounts for 42% of all severe injuries involving finishing and surfacing materials. This high rate is driven by the constant handling of heavy siding, wall panels, and metal trim in environments where materials are frequently moved, flipped, or installed at heights. Retail trade also sees significant incidents as you manage large, heavy tiles and display materials.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these incidents include materials slipping from a coworker's grip, falling from heights during installation, or shifting unexpectedly while being moved. These events often stem from a lack of adequate team lifting protocols or failure to secure materials during the installation process. If your injury resulted from a similar failure in safety procedures, an attorney can help you review the specific details of your case.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | SD | Construction | "The injured employee was assisting with flipping over a wall panel (used for siding) when the panel slipped out of the other employee's hands. The panel crushed and lacerated the injured employee's fingertip. Flesh was surgically removed." | |
| 2025 | FL | Retail Trade | "An employee was lifting a 24 x 48" tile. The employee bent down to check the pallet tag (dye lot) and felt pain in their back and shoulder. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Information | "An employee was working from a scissor lift about 6 feet off the ground, installing pieces of cut, non-rusted galvanized steel siding on a premanufactured building. A piece of siding (about 3 feet long, weighing 2 to 4 pounds) slipped from the employee's grasp and cut the top of his right hand. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | MS | Construction | "An employee was removing metal wall panels from a commercial building when a brick behind the panels fell on his leg, resulting in a broken left leg and a torn ACL in the right leg." | |
| 2025 | GA | Accommodation & Food Services | "On January 2, 2025, an employee was standing in the dining room when a piece of metal trim fell from the wall and struck them on the head. The employee was hospitalized with a concussion." | |
| 2024 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was working in a furnace, tearing out brick from the door jambs. A brick fell from about 5 feet above him and landed on his left middle finger. The fingertip was medically amputated." | |
| 2024 | IL | Construction | "A piece of terracotta coping fell from two stories above and struck an employee in the head causing facial fractures including a forehead fracture and an orbital bone fracture. " | |
| 2024 | PA | Construction | "An employee was cleaning when a brick fell from a roof and struck his head, resulting in a fractured skull." | |
| 2024 | OH | Construction | "An employee was cutting wood flooring materials in the driveway of a residential construction worksite. The employee used a table saw to rip the tongue off a fresh cut of wood approximately 12" in length. The saw kicked back, which sent the board forcefully backward into the employee's right knee. The board then ricocheted into their left arm. The impact from the wooden board ruptured the bursa sac in the employee's knee, requiring hospitalization for surgery. The employee also sustained a fractured femur. " | |
| 2024 | IL | Construction | "A crew of four employees were moving a large and heavy sectional floor panel from one room to another. They were utilizing two forklifts with a boom attachment as a lifting mechanism (tandem lifting). They moved the panel as much as they could through the doorway and then had to adjust it. They lowered the floor panel so that one side was resting on the floor. The employee went to make an adjustment when the floor panel slid and pinned his leg against a safety bollard that was outside the doorway. The employee suffered a fractured right tibia and fibula above the ankle." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
When you are struck by falling surfacing materials, you most frequently suffer from amputations, fractures, and intracranial injuries. These injuries often occur when heavy panels crush your fingers or strike your head during installation. An attorney can help you determine how these specific injuries impact your Workers' Compensation claim.
Employers are responsible for ensuring that materials are handled, stored, and installed using safe methods that prevent them from falling or striking you. If your employer failed to provide proper training or equipment for moving heavy panels, they may be liable for your medical expenses and lost wages. An attorney can help you evaluate whether your employer met these safety obligations.
Yes, Workers' Compensation covers injuries caused by overexertion while you move heavy materials like tiles or wall panels. Even if the injury occurred while performing routine tasks, you are generally entitled to benefits for medical treatment and recovery time. An attorney can help you document your injury to ensure your claim is processed correctly.
Workplace injuries involving falling objects are rarely just accidents, as they often result from preventable failures in safety protocols or material handling procedures. You should document the incident, report it immediately to your supervisor, and seek medical attention. An attorney can help you gather evidence to challenge an employer's dismissal of your claim.