Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Cots ranks #574 of 838 by danger score (32/100) at ER-volume #519 of 838 (1,064/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #574
- danger rank of 838
- #519
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 32/100
- danger score
- 1,064/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 (32/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
32 Lower than most lower than 68% 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: 40/100
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) | 6 | 52nd | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 1,064 | 34th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -23% | 30th | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 6 | 37th | 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 21,291 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 4069. Segments sum to 21,291 - 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 Floors, Walls & Ceilings 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.
Floors, Walls & Ceilings danger scores
How this 32/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for cots - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 1,064 ER visits/yr Below median volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 6.1% Above median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend-23%
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 cots are declining by about 23% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (1,898 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2021 (517 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is other to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 2,425 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by internal injury to the head (2,141 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 6,197 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 6.1% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 6 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how cots 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 | 3,873 | 2,324 | |
| 5-14 | 851 | 673 | |
| 15-24 | 463 | 339 | |
| 25-34 | 1,258 | 1,351 | |
| 35-44 | 1,578 | 1,372 | |
| 45-54 | 1,154 | 1,247 | |
| 55-64 | 1,008 | 1,028 | |
| 65-74 | 893 | 487 | |
| 75+ | 506 | 874 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Mouth | Laceration | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Elbow | Dislocation | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Hand | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Neck | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Nerve Damage | |
| Not Stated/unk | Other |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
35 YOM INJURED LOW BACK ON A COT DX: PAIN
63 YOF THINKS THAT LOW BACK PAIN IS RELATED TO SLEEPING ON COTS AT SHELTER. DX: LOW BACK PAIN.
18YOM SHOULDER INJURY, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN UP A COT AND FELT A POP IN RIGHT SHOULDER DX: STRAIN OF AC LEFT JOINT
84YOF REPORTS INJURING WHEN A *** SPRING BROKE ON A COT AND HIT HER KNEE. DX KNEE INJURY
2YOM WAS CLIMBING ON COTS AT DAYCARE AND INJURED HIS RIGHT LEG. DX: CLOSED DISPLACED SPIRAL FRACTURE OF SHAFT OF RIGHT TIBIA
42YOM C/O LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS S/P PT WAS IN POLICE CUSTODY IN JAIL AND THE POLICE STATES HE ROLLED OFF OF HIS COT IN THE JAIL CELL, ABOUT 2 FEET TO THE GROUND. DX: ALTERED MENTAL STATUS; SYNCOPE
9 MOM FELL OFF A COT BED AT HOMELESS SHELTER HITTING HEAD, DX; HEAD INJURY
58YOM FELL ASLEEP ON A COT NOW HAS SEVERE PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK DX: LOW BACK PAIN
68YOM,SITTING ON FOLDABLE COTS OUTSIDE AN WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET UP,COLLAPSE HIT MOUTH WITH CORNER OF CLOT INJURED LMOUTH,DX:LIP LAC
67YOM PRESENTS WITH COMPLAINT OF ARM, SHOULDER, FINGER, KNEE AND PELVIS PAIN AFTER FALLING WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TRANSFER FROM COT TO WHEELCHAIR THIS MORNING AT HOME. DX: SHOULDER PAIN, UPPER ARM PAIN
19YOM, COMPLAINING OF LEFT SIDED RIB PAIN THAT STARTED WHILE LYING ON A CUT IN JAIL CELL DX: JUST WALKING
39YOF INMATE IN THE JAIL HAD TO SLEEP IN A COT NOW HAVING PAIN IN NECK DX: STRAINED NECK
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I bought this folding cot on Amazon and it has collapsed three times, once when my child sat on it and twice when I have. It's very dangerous. Fortunately none of us were hurt. I"m reporting this to Amazon now, as well. [REDACTED]
I ordered the LILYPELLE Folding Camping Cot on Amazon and upon opening it up , realized it was emitting toxic fumes. I should have put it outside to air out, instead I left it in the living room next to my elderly mother's bedroom. The next day she complained that she felt sick perhaps COVID or another respiratory ailment. Tested Negative for all. However, a cough developed and now she has ASTHMA.
Pinched/cut on fingers on Coleman cot
My 5 year old child was sleeping on this cot and hit his head on the tile
I bought a Smart Cot XL Made by Rio brands from Wal-Mart. On the same day of my purchase, I got home and wanted to test it out. As soon as a laid down on it... SNAP!! The middle portion of it broke in two. I bumped my head and pulled a muscle in my back! I looked up reviews of this unit and apparently this is a common issue. The product is rated for up to 350 pounds. I weigh only 280. The product was discounted at Wal-Mart. They had probably 15 to 20 units for sale. I am sure the manufacturer knows about this issue and is trying to push out all the units
We purchased cots to use in our health evaluation rooms at school sites. Our Maintenance & Operations dept. was setting up the cots to prepare for hybrid re-opening and discovered if they push/move a cot with or without someone on it the front and/or back legs collapse. No injuries have occurred at this time, we've contacted the vendor the cots were purchased from to let them know of the issue and they were going to contact the manufacturer. We purchased cots from All Safe Industries, but cot is manufactured by Blantex, Inc.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to cots on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Floors, Walls & Ceilings
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Cots: cross-group products nearest on danger score (32/100), estimated annual ER visits (1,064/yr), and hospitalization share (6.1%). 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.
- Glue Guns Home Communication & Entertainment 1,067/yr
- Pressurized Containers (nonaerosol) Containers & Packaging 1,078/yr
- Electric Baseboard Heaters Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares 1,049/yr
- Other Sound Recording, Reproducing Or Receiving Equip. Home Structures & Construction Materials 1,082/yr
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
- Flashlights Or Battery-powered Lanterns Home Furnishings & Fixtures 6.1%admitted
- Luggage Personal Care & Safety Products 6.1%admitted
- Tie Racks, Belt Racks Or Other Clothes Hangers Containers, Tableware & Packaging 6.1%admitted
- Sewing Machines Or Accessories Laundry & Household Appliances 6.1%admitted
Related Products in Floors, Walls & Ceilings
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, Cots ranks #574 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #519 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does cots rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, cots ranks #574 by PlainSafety danger score (32/100) and #519 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (1,064/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from cots?
The most common injury is other to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 2,425 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from cots increasing or decreasing?
Down 23% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for cots injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 6,197 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by cots?
Of all ER visits involving cots, approximately 6.1% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (93.9%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with cots?
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.