Bathtubs Or Showers
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 Furnishings & Fixtures · CPSC Code 611
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Bathtubs Or Showers carry a danger score of 50/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 308,185 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 50/100
- danger score (moderate risk)
- 308,185
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 11.8%
- end in hospital admission
- 75+
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 611 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 50/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for bathtubs or showers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume308,185 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)11.8%
- Fatality rate0.09%
- 5-year trend-3%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Bathtubs Or Showers (CPSC product code 611, in the Home Furnishings & Fixtures category) generate an estimated 308,185 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 6.2M ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 50/100 for this category (moderate risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2024 (395,830 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (209,020 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for bathtubs or showers is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 787,961 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the face (437,715 cases). The 75+ age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 1.1M cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 11.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.09%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 92 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how bathtubs or showers 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 | 322,929 | 225,020 | |
| 5-14 | 205,624 | 216,224 | |
| 15-24 | 190,319 | 376,027 | |
| 25-34 | 258,321 | 430,758 | |
| 35-44 | 276,061 | 408,987 | |
| 45-54 | 306,102 | 447,138 | |
| 55-64 | 300,527 | 433,250 | |
| 65-74 | 262,534 | 395,241 | |
| 75+ | 404,996 | 702,577 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Fracture | |
| Not Stated/unk | Other | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
13YOF PRESENTS AFTER SLIPPING AND FALLING WHILE GETTING OUT OF THE SHOWER DX: RIGHT HIP PAIN AND LOW BACK PAIN
74 YOM DTR BROUGHT HIM IN C/O LOWER BACK PAIN AFTER SLIP AND FALL IN THE SHOWER 2 DAYS AGO. DX: L1 LOW BACK FX
47 YOF FELL GETTING OUT OF BATHTUB AND HIT HER HEAD AND CHEST ON SINK DX CONTUSION HEAD FX RIB
61 YOF C/O LOWER ABDOMINAL (BELOW NAVEL) PAIN S/P RECENTLY FELL BACKWARDS IN HER BATHTUB AT HOME. DX: LOWER ABDOMINAL PAIN
80YOF, FALL, HIT HEAD ON BATH TUB X 3 DAYS AT HOME, HEADACHE,PAIN LWER LEGS DX: FALL, CLOSED HEAD INJURY, HEADACHE, MALIGNANT HYPERTENSIONS, BILATERAL LOWER EXTREMITY CONTUSIONS
50YOF PRESENTS COMPALINS OF HEADACHE AND FEELING SHAKY AND WEAK AFTER SYNCOPAL EPISODE GETTING OUT OF THE SHOWER THIS AM. ENDORSES HITTING HER HEAD ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR. ENDORSES NECK PAIN AND HEADACHE. DX: SYNCOPE AND COLLAPSE, FALL
67YOF, SLIPPED IN TUB X 3 DAYS AGO, C/O PAIN RIGHT RIBS,DX FALL, MULTIPLE DISPLACED RIB FRACTURE, DISPLACED 6TH-8TH RIB FRACTURE
36YOM TO ER FOR LUMBAR BACK PAIN THAT STARTED IN THE SHOWER WHEN HE BENT OVER TO WASH LEG & FELT PAIN TO LUMBAR REGION DX LUMBAR BACK PAIN, STRAIN TO LUMBAR REGION
47YOM WAS EXITING THE SHOWER AND TWISTED LEFT KNEE DX STRAINED KNEE
54YOF, HAS CHEST WALL PAIN STATUS POST SLIPPED IN THE SHOWER AND FELL AGAINST OPEN CABINET DOOR, DX: RIB PAIN
62YOM, DEVELOPED STABBING LIKE CHEST PAIN WHILE TAKING A SHOWER YESTERDAY THE PAIN PERSISTED PROMPTING ER VISIT, DX: CHEST PAIN UNSPECIFIED
59YOF SLIPPED IN THE BATHTUB AT HOME STRIKING LEFT FOOT DX ABRASION TO FOOT
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I purchased a bath tub at Lowes made by American standard. It is the American standard porcelain enameled steel Princeton model, model number 2394.202.020. It is supposed to have a "full slip resistant surface" as noted on the specs at Lowes. The slip resistant surface is non existent. The bottom of the tub is VERY slippery , almost to a point of being dangerous. I slipped two times in 6 months. I could have been seriously injured. this tub should betaken off the market
I was a patient at a local hospital. I am in a wheelchair and have lost hold/cold sensation in my legs. I tried to take a shower in the room I was assigned to. It had a Symmons Temptrol C. When I turned the water on, it became scalding hot (168 degrees) in less than two minutes. I suffered third-degree burns as a result and have had two surgeries for those burns, so far
Please see the emails below (read from bottom up). It appears they discontinued this product due to this problem. From: M-Global-ININ AS_STM01_Email_Q01 [mailto:[REDACTED]@maax.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 3:48 PM To: [REDACTED] Subject: FW: Pearl Whirlpool Tub 1110|AMOR00900860 Hi, I'm sorry but no, this system is discontinued. The way they build the system back in this time the control and the pump was built as one unit, for you that mean you will need a new pump, control box and starter button. I know a costumer, who got the same problem, install a wall switch to cut the power to the unit from the bathroom. Also here I join a document to show you different type of system to replaced your. Thanks! [REDACTED] Advisor - Technical Service Conseiller - Service Technique MAAX Bath Inc./Bain MAAX Inc. Tel: 1-877-GET-MAAX (438-6229) Fax: 1-800-667-9247 www.maax.com ________________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: [REDACTED] Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 07:18:50 To: M-Sainte-Marie-Aftersales Service Cc: [REDACTED] Subject: Pearl Whirlpool Tub 1110 Thank you for your prior response. The continues to be a chronic problem. We do not use this tub much and the only way we can seem to keep the tub from running when the water is gong from the tub is to turn the circuit breaker off. Any other suggestions? [REDACTED] From: [REDACTED] On Behalf Of M-Sainte-Marie-Aftersales Service Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2012 4:52 PM To: [REDACTED] Subject: RE: Pearl Whirlpool Tub 1110 HI [REDACTED], That is the Pearl Multispeed system. My first suggestion is to clean the water detector. The small button just above one of the jets approximately the size of a dime, remove this by turning it counter clockwise and applying force to the surface. Once it is removed clean the back and the little rod behind it and reinstall it. Often this is all that is required for you to revive the tub and make it w
Shower mat from Walmart (item # 556949748) is wreaking strong chemical odor and causing eye itching and sore throat. They should review for product recall
The new bath handle is defective. I attached it after reading the instructions to a new show (tile) wall, it griped very well and then fell off a little later. I reapplied it to the shower wall 2 or 3 times and it held well then would fall off later on when checking on it. I attached it to a smooth dresser top and it held then later on it was unattached. Nice safe product for elderly people, ha. Emailed to the company and got it no reply. Got through a wellness catalog covered by medicare and supplemental insurance.
A Delta designed shower door uses a plastic hinge on the bottom of the door to hold the door on. This plastic piece deformed in normal use after 2.5 years, causing the door to fall off and almost causing injury to my wife. Luckily she was holding the door by the handle and was able to hold it from striking the tile floor and shattering. I was able to remove the door from my wife and safely place it where it would not shatter.
The lady I care for who is 95yrs old very much still able to do things for herself was asked by a lady who was there to try and make things in her home safe so as to prevent falls etc to get a suction cup handle for her shower so she would have something to help her get into the shower safer. I myself was not so sure that anything with a suction cup would be so safe. But she insisted I get it for her because that is what she was told to do. I bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond and left it for the lady to install she had told her not to let anyone else do it because it had to be done a special way so I left it there for the lady to do. I got a call from the lady I care for and she was a little upset because she had gone to the bathroom and noticed the handle which the lady had just put on on the shower floor. I went and tried to put it on myself and I did I also pulled on it and hung on it myself to make sure it was secure but i did tell her I really don't think you should trust it and to be careful. I got another call the a day or two later from the lady I care for telling me that she went to take a shower and luckily didn't depend on that handle to get in because once she was in she touched it and it fell to the floor. This is a very dangerous product people think they can depend on it for supporting themselves to enter the shower or bathtub and if they did they could have a very bad fall along with a very serious injury if it didn't kill them. I took this product back to the store and told the checker this was a very unsafe product not that they were concerned at all they just gave me the money back. I am very concerned this product could do so harm to a person who is depending on it to get in to the bathtub or shower
This a bathtub bench. I needed it because I had surgery and I am sore/stiff. The bench states that the support bars are non-slip. On the 8/31/2015 it arrived and I assembled it and placed it on my tub. When I sat down it seemed a little unsafe because my weight caused it to slide a little on the tub. As I bathed I didn't realize it was slowly sliding until the bars slipped off into the tub with me on it. It fell into the tub and cracked my tub. It hurt my back as it hit the bottom of the tub. I only weigh 130 pounds some it could do much more damage to a person older or heavier. I contacted a tub repair person and it is an estimated 330.00 to fix the tub. I am due to see my doctor on Sept. 23rd and will have my back checked. This product is not slip resistant and was unstable the entire time I was bathing.
Showing 8 of 92 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to bathtubs or showers on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are bathtubs or showers?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, bathtubs or showers have a danger score of 50/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 308,185 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from bathtubs or showers?
The most common injury is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 787,961 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from bathtubs or showers increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for bathtubs or showers injuries?
The 75+ age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 1.1M cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by bathtubs or showers?
Of all ER visits involving bathtubs or showers, approximately 11.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (88.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with bathtubs or showers?
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 Furnishings & Fixtures
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 50/100 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 75+ 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.
