Floor covering, in new and existing homes, offices and commercial establishments, includes new flooring installations, additions, alterations, repairs and maintenance.

The common types of flooring available are:

• Timber
• Laminate
• Vinyl
• Bamboo
• Cork
• Tile (porcelain or ceramic)
• Tile (natural stone)
• Carpet

Flooring Installation Industry Statistics from IBISWorld, 2020 indicates that:

The market size, measured by revenue, of the Flooring Installers Industry in the United States is around $26.6 Billion. 

• The number of businesses in the industry in 2020, was 134,391 with a total of 200,871 employees! 
• Employment of flooring installers and tile and marble setters is projected to grow 11 percent from 2018 to 2028.

Health and Safety Hazards faced by Floor Covering Installation Workers

Floor covering installation is hard work and can be physically demanding.  Many workers are forced to end their careers due to high work related stress and wear and tear on their bodies.

Contractors and flooring professionals risk their lives and livelihoods everyday due to the following reasons:

• Accidents involving power tools can be critical leading to physical injury, disability and even death.
• Unloading, storing, moving and handling of stone tiles can cause serious injuries.
• Prolonged exposure to acrylic, epoxy and polyurethane adhesives & bonding agents can cause skin and eye irritation, allergies, chemical burns and chronic respiratory ailments and diseases like asthma and lung cancer.
• Wood floor finishing products are highly flammable and expose workers to fire hazards.
• Flooring installation involves tasks requiring repetitive movements, prolonged awkward postures and high force physical exposure mainly to the neck, lower back and knees that contribute to musculo-skeletal disorders.     

Why do Flooring Companies need Workers' Comp?

Workers' Compensation is mandated by law in most states.  Failure to provide workers' comp could result in penalties, fines and even jail time.          

Workers' Comp protects both employer and employee when accidents take place at work.

Benefits to Employees

• It pays for medical treatment when workers get injured in the course of their work.
• It covers a portion of the worker's lost wages in the period of recovery from illness or injury.
• It provides disability benefits to injured flooring workers, as well as death benefits in case of fatal injury.

Benefits to Employer   

The policy protects employers when injured workers file claims or lawsuits citing negligence on the part of the employer .

For additional risk management solutions, such as general liability and property coverage for flooring businesses, visit our guide to Floor Covering Contractors General Liability Insurance.

Contractors managing teams or operating in commercial spaces may also benefit from exploring Workers Compensation for Floor Covering Stores to understand coverage differences across business types.

Do self-employed or independent flooring contractors need Workers' Comp?

The answer is yes, even though, one person businesses (that don't have employees) are not required to purchase workers' comp.

Self-employed floor installers might want to purchase workers' comp because:

• General contractors and construction companies often refuse to hire self-employed workers who do not carry workers' comp.
• Most individual health insurance policies exclude coverage for work related illness or injury.        
• Floor covering is a high risk job.  An injury could put you out of business for weeks.  Workers comp pays for lost wages during your recovery and rehabilitation.