Common injuries affecting terminal, station, and material workers
The physical demands of terminal, station, warehouse, and materials work can lead to injuries such as:
- Back and neck injuries
- Shoulder and knee injuries
- Strains and sprains
- Crush and caught-between injuries
- Hand and finger injuries
- Foot and ankle injuries
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recognizes a range of terminal, station, warehouse, and material-related railroad occupations in its employee job classifications, including station attendants, warehouse laborers, materials workers, and related positions.
How these injuries can happen
For terminal, station, and material workers, injuries often involve loading and unloading, heavy materials, vehicles, moving equipment, and working in busy areas.
Common scenarios may include:
- Lifting or carrying heavy materials
- Pushing or pulling carts and equipment
- Forklift or vehicle incidents
- Freight or materials falling or shifting
- Workers caught between equipment or loads
- Slips and trips on platforms or warehouse floors
- Falls from loading areas
- Defective carts, lifts, or material-handling equipment
- Struck-by incidents
- Unsafe stacking or storage
- Repetitive bending, reaching, or lifting
- Work performed near moving rail equipment
Safety bulletin
Injured while working in a terminal, station, or materials role? Do this now
1
Get medical care
Seek appropriate medical attention and clearly explain how the injury occurred, including the equipment, material, load, vehicle, or work condition involved.
2
Document the work area and equipment
Record the terminal, station, warehouse, platform, or yard location along with any carts, forklifts, vehicles, machinery, or materials involved.
3
Preserve details about the condition
Write down whether the injury involved a shifting load, defective equipment, unsafe storage, a fall, vehicle movement, or another unsafe condition while the details are still fresh.
4
Identify witnesses
Record the names of coworkers, supervisors, equipment operators, drivers, or others who witnessed the incident or were aware of the condition involved.
5
Be accurate when reporting the injury
Describe the equipment, materials, work process, and conditions that contributed to the injury. Avoid guessing about facts you do not know.
6
Talk to a FELA attorney before signing important documents
Statements, releases, authorizations, settlement documents, or other paperwork may affect your rights after a serious railroad injury.
Injuries that develop over time
Not every terminal, station, or material-worker injury results from a single accident.
Years of lifting boxes, parts, supplies, baggage, or other materials, along with repetitive pushing, pulling, carrying, bending, and reaching, can contribute to chronic back, neck, shoulder, knee, hand, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
Long-term exposure to machinery, vehicle noise, vibration, diesel exhaust, dust, or other workplace conditions may also contribute to hearing loss or occupational illness.
When symptoms develop gradually, documenting your work history can be important. Record the tasks you performed, materials handled, equipment used, physical demands of the work, years of exposure, and when symptoms first appeared.
How FELA may apply
The Federal Employers’ Liability Act, or FELA, allows covered railroad employees to pursue damages when railroad negligence contributes in whole or in part to an injury.
For terminal, station, and material workers, an investigation may examine issues such as:
- Material-handling procedures
- Forklifts, carts, and lifting equipment
- Vehicle movement
- Loading and unloading practices
- Storage and stacking
- Walking and working surfaces
- Lighting
- Staffing
- Training
- Worksite access
- Equipment inspection and maintenance
- Prior complaints or known hazards
FRA oversees railroad safety across operating practices, equipment, track, signals, and other areas that may become relevant depending on how an injury occurred.
What a terminal, station, or material worker FELA case may be worth
There is no standard value for a terminal, station, or material worker injury claim.
The value of a FELA case can depend on the severity of the injury, medical treatment, whether the worker can return to railroad service, lost earnings, future restrictions, long-term medical needs, and the evidence showing how railroad negligence contributed to the injury.
Evidence that may matter
Important evidence can include:
- Equipment inspection and maintenance records: These may show defects, prior repairs, or recurring problems involving forklifts, carts, lifts, vehicles, or other equipment.
- Loading and material records: These may help establish what was being moved, how it was handled, and whether the load or storage method contributed to the injury.
- Photos and video: Images can preserve floor conditions, platforms, equipment positions, materials, storage areas, and other hazards before conditions change.
- Work orders and safety reports: These may document prior complaints, requested repairs, or known issues related to the work area or equipment.
- Witness statements: Coworkers, supervisors, drivers, and equipment operators may provide important information about the work process and conditions surrounding the injury.
- Work and assignment records: Job assignments, schedules, material-handling duties, and work history may help establish the circumstances surrounding the injury or long-term physical demands.