Benches
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 687
Down 10% over 5 years
The verdict
Benches carry a danger score of 41/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 36,741 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 10% over the last five years.
- 41/100
- danger score (moderate risk)
- 36,741
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 6.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 0-4
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 687 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 41/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for benches - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume36,741 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)6.2%
- Fatality rate0.04%
- 5-year trend-10%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Benches (CPSC product code 687, in the Home Furnishings & Fixtures category) generate an estimated 36,741 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 734,828 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 41/100 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 declining by about 10% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2024 (47,355 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (27,555 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for benches is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 116,045 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the face (76,919 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 181,133 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 6.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.04%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 30 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how benches 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 | 104,536 | 76,537 | |
| 5-14 | 95,519 | 62,323 | |
| 15-24 | 32,322 | 24,319 | |
| 25-34 | 20,249 | 20,641 | |
| 35-44 | 24,344 | 22,283 | |
| 45-54 | 29,954 | 27,285 | |
| 55-64 | 32,389 | 28,460 | |
| 65-74 | 24,772 | 31,260 | |
| 75+ | 29,723 | 47,480 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Mouth | Laceration | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Toe | Fracture | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
72YOF WITH FALL, STATES SHE WAS TRYING TO GET UP OUT OF A BOOTH AT RESTURANT FELL AND HIT BACK ON FLOOR.DX: STABLE L3 WEDGE COMPRESSION FX.
45YOF PRESENTS WITH LEFT LATERAL FOOT PAIN AFTER STEPPING DOWN FROM BENCH AND ROLLING ANKLE WHILE WORKING OUT THIS MORNING. PAIN WORSE WITH WALKING. DX: SPRAIN OF LEFT ANKLE
12MOM C/O FALL WITH LACERATION TO FOREHEAD WHILE IN CHURCH. WAS WALKING AND TRIPPED AND FELL STRIKING THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD AGAINST A METAL CORNER OF A BENCH. DX: LACERATION OF FOREHEAD
74YOM HAD A SYNCOPAL EPISODE AND FELL OFF PARK BENCH HITTING HIS HEAD DX:CLOSED HEAD INJURY SYNCOPY
40YOM WITH DETOX FROM BENZOS AND OPIATES. PT DOES NOT APPEAR INTOX ON EXAM. PT HAS LIP LAC S/P SEIZURE AT TRAIN STATION AND FELL OFF BENCH DX: BENZODIAZEPINE ABUSE
87 YOM WAS TRYING TO MOVE A BENCH AND IT FELL ON HIS RIGHT LOWER LEG, BENCH WAS METAL, ELOPED AFTER TRIAGE, MEDICATIONS UNKNOWN, DX: RIGHT SHIN LACERATION
3YOM WITH FALL OFF BENCH HITTING A TABLE DX: CHI
67YOM WITH STATING HE IS ANEMIC AND ALSO HAS NECK PAIN FROM FALLING FROM A BENCH ONTO HIS HEAD PT LEFT ED DX: DYSPNEA
2YOF,WRIST,ARM PAIN AFTER PLAYING ON BENCH BEGAN TO FALL AN DAD GRABBED BY ARM HEARD POP,DX:NURSEMAID ELBOW
3YOM PATIENT RAN HEADFIRST INTO A WOODEN BENCH, HE SUSTAINED A LACERATION WITH BLEEDING. DX: FOREHEAD LACERATION
76YOM WAS IN HIS GARAGE WHEN HE STRUCK HIS LEFT LOWER LEG ON HIS WORK BENCH DX: SKIN CARE TO LOWER LEG
49YOM DROPPED A WOODEN BENCH ON TOP OF HIS RIGHT GREAT TOE DX: TOE FRACTURE
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Caller is reporting that he started to refinish the bench and he noticed that the paint did not appear normal more of a metallic look. He stated that he use a test kit to test the paint and it was positive for lead at the highest color. He stated that he has not noticed any health symptoms sustained from exposure. Caller stated that he contacted the company through email but have not heard back from them as yet. Caller stated that he would like the company to test the product to see what levels of lead he has been exposed to.
This is regarding the "Thatcher Wood Bench - Threshold designed with Studio McGee" sold at Target (TCIN 78138952 / UPC 191908078953 / Item Number (DPCI) 249-12-6550) Link: https://www.target.com/p/thatcher-wood-bench-threshold-designed-with-studio-mcgee/-/A-82745475?preselect=78138952#lnk=sametab Our infant pulled himself up on the bench, but the bench is not sturdy and tipped over just from weight on one side of the seat. The bench tipped over and pinned him to the ground by his neck. Luckily no injury occurred since we were able to immediately intervene, but if it had landed on a different spot or we didn't immediately see it happen it could have been much worse.
Modavari Forrest Live Edge Benches LE6 Already very dissatisfied with the safty of this bench, we then received a recall notice from Fred Meyer. I sent for the free "repair kit" which consisted of 4 simple felt pads. I received the kit and the old plastic floor protectors were removed and new pads were placed exactly as instructed. This has done VERY LITTLE to make this a safe and stabilized bench. IT IS STILL VERY TIPPY!!! Unusable! We always have to warn people to make sure they DO NOT sit toward the edges, that they need to place their bottoms exactly in the middle, to be careful, etc. We should not have to instruct people on how to safely sit on our furniture! We have already had guests tip it and fall on the floor! This bench should be safe. We have a 10 month old in the house who, if he should try to pull himself up by holding the edge of the bench, would instantly tip it onto himself, it's THAT unstable! This bench could be deadly for a baby. You need to know that four felt pads are NOT correcting this!!!
Dakota bench tipped over on my child and a friend while trying to sit down on it...thankfully I was right next to the bench and was able to move kids out of the way.
immediately upon assembling and using, our Modavari Forrest Live Edge Benches proved to be unsteady unless body positioned directly center of bench. Both my children and my mother tipped on the benches. This is due to base of legs being narrower than bench and top.
Apex Medical Corporation 92 I E. Amidon Street Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Phone: ( 605) 332-6689 Apex Medical Corporation is evidently doing business as "Carex Health Brands." In the United States, that is often abbreviated as d/b/a, i.e., Apex Medical Corp d/b/a Carex Health Brands. Apex is a South Dakota corporation and Sioux Falls in listed as its principal place of business. My name [REDACTED] of [REDACTED] I live in [REDACTED]. On November 5th 2012 I bought an orthopedic shower bench Made in USA named Carex "Carex Health Brand". The item was bought via amazon.com US. On March 16th, 2014, while having a shower two of the hard plastic screws broke off, the bench slid off and I immediately fell off on my lumbar spine causing bodily injuries. Immediately, afterwards, I went to the local hospital to be treated for pain in my lumbar sacro-area.l had been diagnosed with a post traumatic lumbalgia with radiculopathy in both lower extremities. I have since then taken medication for pain relief and I have followed up with my own doctor periodically. Medical report indicates that pain persists. I was referred to the specialist at another local hospital with specialty on this issue. To make matters worse the pain had remained steady and it had not subsided, therefore reinforced with more medication. As a result of the aforementioned accident, I spent one day in the hospital ER where I was treated with medication to palliate the pain arising out of Not to mention the emotional distress, discomfot1 and inconveniences that followed this accident and still haunts me today. In several occasions, I contacted in numerous opportunities Carex health manufacturer thru the website in-form contact-customer service, but without success. I had requested the help ofOCU.ORG (an international Consumer help association I am member of headquartered in [REDACTED]. This organization, by information and belief sent two letters with the same outlined events. However, again, no response from Carex.
My 3-year-old son was getting off the bench when the bench suddenly flipped on its side hitting my son's toe.
Suncast 50 gallon Patio Bench, Model PB 6700 (?) I purchased this product on Dec 30, 2022. I believe this patio bench by Suncast may be a safety hazard or poses a safety hazard to the user. I had been using the patio bench near daily for about 6 months (as a smoker who does not smoke in the house, I'd go out and sit on the bench numerous times a day and read/play on my smart device). On the afternoon of July 7, the patio bench seat catastrophically failed by becoming unhinged from frame. I ended up with my butt on the patio cement, knees higher than my head, a few scrapes and bruises, and a moderately strained (wrenched) back. Note: Product indicates 300 lb. weight limit, I currently weigh 198 lbs. I reached out to Suncast and received a boilerplate reply; I either misused it (by sitting on it ???) or I didn't properly assemble it.
Showing 8 of 30 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to benches on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are benches?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, benches have a danger score of 41/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 36,741 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from benches?
The most common injury is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 116,045 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from benches increasing or decreasing?
Down 10% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for benches injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 181,133 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by benches?
Of all ER visits involving benches, approximately 6.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (93.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with benches?
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 41/100 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 0-4 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.