Ashtrays, Not Elec. Or Battery Or Not Specified
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Home Medical & Assistance Devices · CPSC Code 1740
Down 37% over 5 years
The verdict
Ashtrays, Not Elec. Or Battery Or Not Specified carry a danger score of 30/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 1,282 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 37% over the last five years.
- 30/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 1,282
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 3.8%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1740 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 30/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume1,282 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)3.8%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-37%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Ashtrays, Not Elec. Or Battery Or Not Specified (CPSC product code 1740, in the Home Medical & Assistance Devices category) generate an estimated 1,282 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 25,630 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 30/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 37% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2007 (2,241 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2022 (544 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 2,880 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the foot (2,313 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 4,962 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 3.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 3 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1,777 | 1,084 | |
| 5-14 | 1,070 | 836 | |
| 15-24 | 2,907 | 2,055 | |
| 25-34 | 2,629 | 1,342 | |
| 35-44 | 1,634 | 2,082 | |
| 45-54 | 1,705 | 2,638 | |
| 55-64 | 916 | 944 | |
| 65-74 | 358 | 845 | |
| 75+ | 118 | 672 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Foot | Laceration | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Knee | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Lower Arm | Laceration | |
| Toe | Laceration | |
| Wrist | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
23 YOM INJURED HEEL, STEPPED ON BROKEN GLASS ASHTRAY. DX- LACERATION RIGHT HEEL
33YOF HX OF POLYSUBSTANCE ABUSE, REPORTS SHE IS IN REMISSION, ALTHOUGH DOES APPEAR TO BE SLIGHTLY INTOXICATED DISINHIBITED CURRENTLY. RUDE & ABUSIVE TO STAFF, PRESENTS WITH R HAND LACERATION AND PAIN AFTER SHE PUNCHED AN ASHTRAY LAST NIGHT BECAUSE SHE WAS ANGRY AT SOMEBODY BANGING ON THE DOOR OF HER MOTEL. BAL N/S. DX: BOXERS FRACTURE
12YOM PTS MOTHER STATES GLASS ASHTRAY FELL AND BROKE WITH GLASS LANDING ON PTS LEFT KNEE LAST NIGHT AT HOME, 7CM LACERATION IS NOTED TO LEFT KNEE DX: LACERATION OF LEFT KNEE
63 YOM WAS TAKING THE GARBAGE OUT AT HOME AND SLIPPED ON AN ASHTRAY AND FELL DOWN FOUR SHORT STEPS. AND FELL ON HIS RIGHT KNEE AND SIDE. HAS ABRASION TO RIGHT KNEE. DX: ABRASION OF RIGHT KNEE
16YOM P/W HAND LAC, AS PER MOM PT SLIPPED CUTTING HAND ON PLASS ASHTRAY WHILE PLAYING W/ BROTHER, DX:LAC OF HAND
56YOF - PATIENT PRESENT FOR LACERATION TO HAND. PT CUT HAND ON BROKEN GLASS ASHTRAY. DX: FINGER LACERATION.
23YOM P/W LAC TO HAND AFTER CUTTING IT ON ASHTRAY, DX: HAND LACERATION
52 YOF STEPPED ON BROKEN ASHTRAY AT HOME DX FB FOOT
35YOF PRESENTS WITH THUMB LACERATION. PATIENT STATES SHE CUT HER THUMB ON AN ASHTRAY. DX: THUMB LACERATION
65YOF PRESENTS FROM HOME WITH COMPLAINT OF ARM PAIN AFTER LIFTING HEAVY ASHTRAY. DX: WRIST STRAIN, ELBOW EPICONDYLITIS
10MOF GOT A MARUJUANA BLUNT OUT OF ASHTRAY ON MOMS NIGHTSTAND AND ATE IT. +CANNABINOID. DX INGESTION
9MOF PRESENTS AFTER POSSIBLE INGESTION OF CIGARETTE ASH. MOM REPORTS PT GOT AHOLD OF AN ASHTRAY (NOT HOT) AND PUT THEM IN HER MOUTH, POSSIBLY SWALLOWING THEM. MOM WAS NOT INITIALLY CONCERNED, HOWEVER, ABOUT 15 MIN LATER, MOM VISUALIZED SWELLING TO PT'S TONGUE/CHEEKS. DX: PATIENT LEFT WITHOUT BEING SEEN.
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
EMAIL 2: Subject: Re: Plastic container melted on finger - HOT Fire Hazard - The 2 in 1 extinguisher. Quality of plastic?? PRODUCT: TNT MARKETING INC. GRAND HAVEN, MI49417 - 6 colors - MADE IN CHINA. (The BLUE ONE MELTS) Subject: Consumer product defect- liability. Attachment 8. "Better lighting". Photo of my finger print impression. Plastic melting down - boiling from the inside out. Hot! There is no warning label -product may get hot and melt in its entirety if the lid is not sealed tight!. :( Causing minor burns or worse - fire hazards. Homes, Cars, Boats. Caution! EMAIL 1: Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2018 9:50 PM To: Center, Information <Info@cpsc.gov> Subject: Plastic container melted on finger - HOT Fire Hazard - The 2 in 1 extinguisher. Quality of plastic?? Attachments (7). Consumer product Safety Alert. Please see attached photos. Discovery: With the lid not set tightly, the cigarette butts burn the inside plastic - to the outside - I noticed the smell of smoldering plastic - noticed just in time and hot to the touch-melted plastic on my finger when I picked it up. Please see photos. Burnt plastic on right hand finger. That is my finger impression on their container. Little bubbles melting from inside out. :( Thank you for your review of my finding of this unknown - unaware fire hazard found and reported today. Email secured by [REDACTED] ----------------------------------I chose electronic record from below response. On Mon, Jun 11, 2018, 5:59 AM Center, Information <Info@cpsc.gov> wrote: Good morning, Thank you for contacting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Regarding your below e-mail, we would like you to submit an incident report against the plastic container in question; you can: fill out the attached form and e-mail it back to us, or print it and mail it to the address indicated on said form call us Monday Friday between 08:00 A.M. and 05:30 P.M. EST to file an incident report over the phone
Resident of house smoked a cigarette on a wood deck outside his house. Resident discarded cigarette butt in a plastic "self-extinguishing astray" located on the deck less than an hour before passerby notices the fire. Passerby notices fire on the deck of the house and reports fire to 911 dispatch. Passerby knocks on residence and alerts them of fire and everyone evacuates before south side of structure and attic is engulfed in fire. Investigation of fire results in the cigarette deposited in the plastic ashtray as the ignition source for the fire. Residence was a home daycare with 3 clients under the age of 5 years of age. 120,000 dollars damage to structure and 59,000 dollars damage to contents. The fire spread quickly due to wind gusts of up to 25 mph.
Not sure of the real date, but not long ago, I was driving & using Dollar Generals Smokeless ashtray, & the hot ash burned through the lower end of the ash tray & I could smell it, os pulled up on it, from the bottle holder in my side dash hole, & the ash rolled out all over my car's seat, & burned it everywhere! I called them, & never heard back, from them, 7 had to spend $40.00 on car seats to hide the holes, everywhere! This is my first New car in 50 years, & it's ruined!
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified have a danger score of 30/100 (low risk). An estimated 1,282 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 2,880 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified increasing or decreasing?
Down 37% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 4,962 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified?
Of all ER visits involving ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified, approximately 3.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (96.3%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with ashtrays, not elec. or battery or not specified?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Home Medical & Assistance Devices
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 30/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 15-24 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.