43
CPSC NEISS Data 2009–2024

Decorative Yard Equipment, Excl Water Features

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.

Lawn & Garden Equipment · CPSC Code 1465

Stable over 5 years

The verdict

Decorative Yard Equipment, Excl Water Features carry a danger score of 43/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 14,348 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.

43/100
danger score (moderate risk)
14,348
ER visits per year (avg)
13.2%
end in hospital admission
75+
most-injured age group

Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1465 - last data year 2024.

PlainSafety danger score

0/100100/10043/100
PlainSafety danger score

Source: CPSC NEISS danger-score model As of 2024

How this 43/100 score is built

The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for decorative yard equipment, excl water features - no opinion, no editorializing:

  • Injury volume14,348 ER visits/yr
  • Severity (hospitalization rate)13.2%
  • Fatality rate0.07%
  • 5-year trend+0%

See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.

What the CPSC Data Shows

Decorative Yard Equipment, Excl Water Features (CPSC product code 1465, in the Lawn & Garden Equipment category) generate an estimated 14,348 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 229,561 ER-treated injuries across the 16-year span from 2009 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 43/100 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 2019 (17,295 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2009 (10,499 estimated visits).

The single most common ER diagnosis for decorative yard equipment, excl water features is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 23,588 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the face (12,802 cases). The 75+ age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 56,418 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 13.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.07%) result in fatality.

Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 5 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how decorative yard equipment, excl water features 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.

14,348
Injuries / Year
13.2%
Hospitalization Rate
0.07%
Fatality Rate

Annual Injury Estimates (2009–2024)

10K12K14K16K18K 200920112013201520172019202120232024 16K
Estimated annual emergency-room visits for Decorative Yard Equipment, Excl Water Features, CPSC NEISS

Source: CPSC NEISS national injury estimates As of 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 5,831 3,893 9,724
5-14 20,345 9,365 29,710
15-24 17,477 8,729 26,206
25-34 11,194 7,365 18,559
35-44 9,774 6,638 16,412
45-54 8,675 11,414 20,089
55-64 10,794 13,411 24,205
65-74 12,375 15,850 28,225
75+ 23,472 32,891 56,418

Most Common Injuries

Body Part Diagnosis Est. Injuries
Head Internal Injury 23,588
Face Laceration 12,802
Head Laceration 9,295
Lower Trunk Fracture 8,739
Finger Laceration 6,247
Hand Laceration 5,710
Face Contusions, Abr. 5,389
Not Stated/unk Other 5,069
Upper Trunk Fracture 4,757
Hand Fracture 4,722
Hand Contusions, Abr. 4,664
Upper Trunk Contusions, Abr. 4,572
Head Concussion 4,453
Ankle Strain, Sprain 4,396
Head Contusions, Abr. 4,395

Severity Breakdown

Treated/examined And Released 84.7% (194,396)
Treated And Admitted/hospitalized 12.2% (28,081)
Treated And Transferred 1.2% (2,818)
Left Without Being Seen 1.1% (2,586)
Held For Observation 0.7% (1,536)
Fatality Incl. Doa, Died In Er 0.1% (156)
Unknown, Not Stated 0.0% (15)

ER Visit Narratives

Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.

Age 71 · Female · Finger · Laceration · 2024

71 YOF CUT FINGER WITH KNIFE MAKING A BIRD FEEDER DX: LAC

Age 58 · Male · Lower Leg · Other · 2024

58YOM PRESENTS TO ED FOR CHEST PAIN. PT WAS FILLING BIRD FEDDER AND WHEN SAT UP SUDDENLY FELT WEIRD SENSATION IN CHEST AND HEART RATE MONITOR NOTED HR IN 180S AND LOWS IN THE 40S. CHEST PAIN ONGOING IN LEFT LOWER CHEST DOESNT RADIATE. DX: RT LEG PAIN, CHEST PAIN

Age 39 · Male · Head · Contusions, Abr. · 2024

39YOM RESTRAINED DRIVER IN MVC. NO LOC, NO AIRBAG DEPOYMENT. SIDE IMPACT AND PUSHED INTO MAILBOX. C/O L SIDE OF HEAD PAINDX CONTUSION SCALP , MVC

Age 67 · Male · Eyeball · Derma/conjunct · 2024

67YOM WAS CLEANING HIS MAILBOX OUT SPRAYING *** CLEANER WITH BLEACH AND *** AND BELIEVES IT GOT IN HIS EYES CAUSING REDNESS TO HIS EYES DX: CHEMICAL CONJUNCTIVITIS

Age 46 · Female · Shoulder · Contusions, Abr. · 2024

46 YOF WALKING INTO HER WISHING WELL IN HER FRONT YARD. DX SHOULDER CONTUSION

Age 55 · Male · Hand · Contusions, Abr. · 2024

55YOM, C/O RIGHT HAND PAIN & SWELLING, FELL GOING TO MAILBOX DX: RIGHT HAND CONTUSION

Age 90 · Male · Lower Trunk · Fracture · 2024

90 YOM C/O HIP FRACTURE S/P FELL ON ICE OUTSIDE HIS HOME AGAINST A GARDEN DECORATION. DX: HIP FRACTURE

Age 94 · Female · Lower Trunk · Fracture · 2024

94YOF, WALKED TO MAILBOX, FOUND BY FAMILY LAYING BY MAILBOX, THERE 2-3 HOURS, C/O PAIN LEFT HIP, HEMATOMA BACK OF SCALP DX:RHABDOMYOLYSISI, HYPOKALEMIA, FALL, SCALP HEMATOMA, LEFT HIP PRESSURE WOUND, NSTEMI, COMPRESSION DEFORMITY FRACTURE L2

Age 95 · Female · Lower Leg · Hematoma · 2024

95 YOF RECENTLY RECEIVED A MOBILITY SCOOTER TO WHICH SHE IS BECOMING ACCUSTOMED. SHE WAS USING THE SCOOTER TODAY TO GO TO THE MAILBOX WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE SCOOTER PINNING HER LEFT LEG AGAINST THE MAILBOX. DX: LEG HEMATOMA LEFT

Age 16 · Male · Finger · Laceration · 2024

16YOM WITH LAC TO FINGER AFTER PUNCHING MAIL BOX . PT ALSO HAS PAIN TO HANDS DX: LAC OF RIGHT LITTLE FINGER WITHOUT FB WITHOUT DAMAGE TO NAIL

Age 15 · Male · Hand · Fracture · 2024

15YOM WAS ANGRY AND PUNCHED A MAILBOX DX: FX RIGHT HAND

Age 77 · Female · Mouth · Laceration · 2024

77YOF WAS CARRYING GROCERIES INTO THE HOUSE WHEN SHE TRIPPED OVER A DECORATIVE GARDEN STONE AND FELL ONTO FACE DX: CONTUSION FACE, LIP LACERATION

Consumer Incident Reports

Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.

9/18/2022 · Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received · SALLIA BACKYARD DECOR · New York

I bought a hummingbird feeder from Amazon. It was a handmade glass ball hummingbird feeder. It came with no directions and a metal hook to be inserted into a glass loop at the top of the hummingbird feeder. As I was putting the hook through the hummingbird feeder the loop snapped off and severed my wrist nicking and artery. I feel these birdfeeders are unsafe and should not be on the market. I want to go into the hospital and received several stitches over this accident

7/24/2014 · Incident, No Injury · Duncraft, Inc · California

I spy plastic bird feeder refracted the sunlight and caught my yard/ house on fire.

6/14/2022 · Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional · Songbird Essentials · California

We purchased a Seed loop manufactured by Songbird Essentials PO Box 355 Mexico Mo 65265 that arrived earlier this week. It is folded in a little bag into two folds and is spring loaded to expand to a 16" round bird feeding platform. As my wife took it out of the little bag the feeder sprang out of its folded position and flew out of her hand, hitting in the eye. She was lucky that it did not blind her! The instruction sheet in the little box it came in says in a lower page paragraph "The seed hoop may spring open when removed from the storage bag". This is not something a person would read prior to getting the platform out of its bag. The company has not responded to my email sent on Tues, June 7th. Trust me, the packaging must be dangerous otherwise why the warning on the instruction sheet. My wife will attest that it is a booby trap!

1/6/2014 · Injury, Level of care not known · Lenfest Media Group, LLC · Texas

The consumer stated that she saw this product advertised on tv. She is concerned for the safety of children because her father became Ill from the bacteria from the bird dropping. The consumer stated that he had a bird feeder on his window ledge on the outside of his home. Who manufactures this product? Have they taken Illness from Bacteria in bird droppings into account for safety? My father almost died and would have died in his sleep if we had not been with him that evening. The bacteria from bird droppings on his window ledge were we had fixed a feeder close so that he could watch the birds, had caused a membrane of bacteria to grow across his trachea. That cut off his oxygen supply and he went to sleep. Only when the ER Doctor put an airway down into his lungs did we find out what was wrong. He woke up at once as oxygen again entered his lungs. Again I request you to stop sell of this bird house and feeder for up close use for health safety of the young and elderly. One Life is too many to lose to a silent killer!!! I am a very concerned person who lived a night of anguish from a personal use of such an item. A beloved father and grandfather almost died and his first born grandson thought He had killed his beloved grandfather. What a relief when suddenly life returned!! but had we not been with him at that moment the out come would had caused pain for the grandson for ever. Thank You for your consideration [REDACTED]

1/30/2014 · No Incident, No Injury · Collier Metal Specialties Ltd · Unspecified

I am a retired engineer and respectfully offer my concern regarding product safety. Has CPSC reviewed the product called metal landscape edging (usually a green color, 8' segments) regarding safety? The product is sold at Lowe's and Home Depot and other landscaping companies. It is used by home owners and landscapers. The product is a potential safety hazard with reported injuries to people and animals. Please refer to a medical paper "Metal lawn edging and garden edging: The hidden knife?" by [REDACTED], MD and [REDACTED], MD in Pediatric Medical Care Vol. 17, No. 1, 2001. The metal edging can disengage at its connections, typically has a projection higher than grade level, has sharp edges and corners, has a high potential as a trip point in residential and commercial settings, especially at entrance walkways, has caused serious injuries. I can provide a copy of the referenced medical paper if requested. Other information may be available in the open literature. The desired outcome of your review of this product: Designated as a safety hazard, removal of the product from the market.

Product Recalls

Search for active and past recalls related to decorative yard equipment, excl water features on the CPSC website.

Frequently Asked Questions

How dangerous are decorative yard equipment, excl water features?

Based on 20 years of CPSC data, decorative yard equipment, excl water features have a danger score of 43/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 14,348 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.

What are the most common injuries from decorative yard equipment, excl water features?

The most common injury is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 23,588 injuries over 20 years.

Are injuries from decorative yard equipment, excl water features increasing or decreasing?

Stable over 5 years.

Who is most at risk for decorative yard equipment, excl water features injuries?

The 75+ age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 56,418 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.

What happens when someone is injured by decorative yard equipment, excl water features?

Of all ER visits involving decorative yard equipment, excl water features, approximately 13.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (86.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.

How can I report a safety problem with decorative yard equipment, excl water features?

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.

Safety Guides

What this means for you

Treat the 43/100 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.