Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Clothespins ranks #370 of 838 by danger score (36/100) at ER-volume #744 of 838 (128/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #370
- danger rank of 838
- #744
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 36/100
- danger score
- 128/yr
- estimated ER visits (avg)
Danger score combines injury volume, hospitalization, fatality, and five-year trend. ER volume is the average annual NEISS estimate alone. Rank 1 is highest on each list.
Where this category's danger score sits nationally
Danger score (36/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
36 Around the middle lower than 44% of 838 product categories
scored CPSC product categories, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more product categories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CPSC NEISS, PlainSafety danger-score model · 2024
Composite verdict
Composite Safety Score: 47/100
One verdict blending 4 independently-sourced dimensions from two separate CPSC systems, each benchmarked against all 838 scored product categories by percentile rather than raw value, so no single huge-volume category can dominate the scale.
| Dimension | Value | National percentile | Weight applied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injury severity (hospitalization + fatality blend) | 19 | 92nd | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 128 | 10th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | +10% | 77th | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 0 | 0th | 20% | CPSC SaferProducts.gov public incident report count |
Methodology: each dimension is ranked against the full population's p10/p25/p50/p75/p90 breakpoints and interpolated to a 0-100 percentile; the composite is the weighted average of available percentiles. See methodology for the full benchmark table.
Where 2,424 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 669. Segments sum to 2,424 - a body-map mix, not a danger score or ER-volume rank.
Two danger lenses
Same-group peer scores and this product's dial
The bars compare PlainSafety danger scores inside the Home Furnishings & Fixtures group (same CPSC NEISS extract). The dial is this product's score alone on the Low/Moderate/High bands. Do not read a peer bar as an ER-visit count.
Home Furnishings & Fixtures danger scores
How this 36/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for clothespins - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 128 ER visits/yr Low volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 18.9% Very high admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend+10%
Band labels compare this category against the corpus of 838 scored CPSC product categories, see the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Across the 20-year NEISS window from 2005 to 2024, injury counts for clothespins are rising by about 10% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2012 (308 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2023 (8 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is ingestion to the internal, accounting for approximately 661 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by contusions, abr. to the eyeball (413 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 730 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 18.9% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 0 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how clothespins 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 Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 466 | 264 | |
| 5-14 | 304 | 136 | |
| 15-24 | 53 | 142 | |
| 25-34 | 70 | 92 | |
| 35-44 | 79 | 98 | |
| 45-54 | 0 | 144 | |
| 55-64 | 0 | 201 | |
| 65-74 | 0 | 176 | |
| 75+ | 70 | 133 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | Ingestion | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Foot | Puncture | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Internal | Aspiration | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Finger | Other | |
| Foot | Foreign Body | |
| Finger | Dislocation | |
| Toe | Puncture | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Toe | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Arm | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
3 YOM C/O PUNCTURE WOUND OF FOOT S/P STEPPED ON A CLOTHESPIN. DX: PUNCTURE WOUND OF FOOT
17YOM PRESENTS WITH SUSPECTED INFECTION TO THE RIGHT INDEX FINGER. PT WAS PUTTING ON A PATCH WITH A PUSH PIN STYLE BACKING, ACCIDENTALLY POKED THE TIP OF HIS INDEX FINGER 2 DAYS AGO. A BLISTER HAS NOW FORMED AT THE TIP OF HIS FINGER. DX: CELLULITIS OF FINGER.
60YOF C/O PUNCTURE WOUND OF FOOT S/P PT STATES SHE WAS WALKING WHEN A LONG CLOTHES PIN WENT THROUGH HER SHOE CAUSING A PUNCTURE WOUND TO HER LEFT FOOT. SON STATES HE REMOVED THE PIN. DX: PUNCTURE WOUND OF FOOT
14 MOM PRESENTS WITH FOREIGN BODY IN OROPHARYNX. WAS PLAYING WITH A SORT OF PLASTIC CLIP USED TO CLOSE CHIP BAGS WHICH HAS A METALLIC SPRING INVOLVED TO ALLOW THE CLIP TO CLOSE. SOMEHOW THE PATIENT GOT THE METALLIC SPRING INTO THEIR MOUTH. DX: AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION DUE TO FOREIGN BODY
44YOF PAIN AND SWELLING TO RIGHT INDEX FINGER, ENDORSES POKING SELF WITH CLOTHING PIN, FINGER TIGHT AND WARM TO TOUCH. DX: PARONCHYA OF FINGER OF RT HAND, PAIN OF RT HAND
5YOF CUT HER FINGER FROM PLAYING W/ SOME CLOTHESPINS ABOUT 1 WEEK AGO WHILE AT HOME. NOW LOOKS INFECTED. DX: INFECTION TO WOUND OF R INDEX FINGER
14YOF PRESENTING AFTER SWALLOWING A SHARP CLOTHES PIN NEEDLE YESTERDAY. DX: SWALLOWED F.B.; ADMIT
16YOF REPORTS SHE WAS WALKING ON THE STREET WHEN SHE STEPPED ON A CLOTHESPIN. DX PUNCTURE WOUND TO FOOT
54YOF GOT FINGER CAUGHT IN A CLOTHES PIN/ RACK AND CUT FINGER. DX FINGER LAC
2YOF PATIENT'S MOTHER STATES THE CHILD SWALLOWED THE METAL PART OF A CLOTHESPINS DX: SWALLOWED FOREING BODY
2YOF SWALLOWED THE METAL PART OF CLOTHESPIN DX: FOREIGN BODY IN ESOPHAGUS
15MOM PRESENTING W SUSPECTED FOREIGN BODY INGESTION MOM SAW PT PUT A METAL CLIP OFF OF A CLOTHESPIN INTO MOUTH AND UNSURE IF HE SWALLOWED IT DX SUSPECTED FOREIGN BODY INGESTION BY INFANT NOT FOUND AFTER EVALUATION
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to clothespins on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Home Furnishings & Fixtures
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Clothespins: cross-group products nearest on danger score (36/100), estimated annual ER visits (128/yr), and hospitalization share (18.9%). Same-group neighbours stay in Related Products above.
Similar danger score
Nearest cross-group products by PlainSafety danger score (100-point scale).
Similar ER visit volume
Nearest cross-group products by NEISS estimated annual ER visits.
- Electric Waffle Irons Kitchen Cooking Appliances 128/yr
- Amateur Two-way Radios Home Structures & Construction Materials 129/yr
- Combination Fire/smoke Alarm And Carbon Monoxide Detector Home Heating & Cooling Equipment 127/yr
- Multi-purpose Lighters, Not Specified Personal Care & Safety Products 126/yr
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
Related Products in Home Furnishings & Fixtures
Read with this product
About this data
CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports form the basis of this page. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments.
According to PlainSafety's CPSC NEISS corpus ranking, Clothespins ranks #370 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #744 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does clothespins rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, clothespins ranks #370 by PlainSafety danger score (36/100) and #744 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (128/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from clothespins?
The most common injury is ingestion to the internal, accounting for approximately 661 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from clothespins increasing or decreasing?
Up 10% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for clothespins injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 730 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by clothespins?
Of all ER visits involving clothespins, approximately 18.9% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (81.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with clothespins?
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.
PlainSafety is rendered directly from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall and incident records, no number is typed in by an editor. Product recall timelines and hazard labels are drawn from CPSC recall records for this product. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.