Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, First Aid Equipment ranks #38 of 838 by danger score (46/100) at ER-volume #169 of 838 (24,542/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #38
- danger rank of 838
- #169
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 46/100
- danger score
- 24,542/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 (46/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
46 Higher than most more dangerous than 94% 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: 53/100
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) | 4 | 35th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 24,542 | 85th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | +465% | 100th | 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 269,955 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 1710. Segments sum to 269,955 - 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 Medical & Assistance Devices 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 Medical & Assistance Devices danger scores
How this 46/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for first aid equipment - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 24,542 ER visits/yr High volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 4.2% Below median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend+465%
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 first aid equipment are rising by about 465% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2010 (52,962 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2020 (21 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is foreign body to the ear, accounting for approximately 120,186 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the ear (49,690 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 46,238 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 4.2% 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 first aid equipment 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 | 26,797 | 19,441 | |
| 5-14 | 21,546 | 20,255 | |
| 15-24 | 19,089 | 25,389 | |
| 25-34 | 21,316 | 19,320 | |
| 35-44 | 15,133 | 15,434 | |
| 45-54 | 15,221 | 13,881 | |
| 55-64 | 9,672 | 8,918 | |
| 65-74 | 5,595 | 4,173 | |
| 75+ | 4,443 | 4,331 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Ear | Foreign Body | |
| Ear | Other | |
| Ear | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Ear | Internal Injury | |
| Ear | Puncture | |
| Ear | Laceration | |
| Face | Foreign Body | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Internal | Ingestion | |
| Ear | Hemorrhage | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Internal | Aspiration | |
| Lower Trunk | Derma/conjunct | |
| Lower Trunk | Foreign Body |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
28YOF USED A *** IN EAR AND WENT TO FAR, RIGHT EAR DRUM RUPTURE
44 YOF INJURED LEFT EAR WITH ***. DX-CERUMIN IMPACTION
21YOM WIFE CLEANING RIGHT EAR WITH A *** NOW IT IS BLEEDING OTITIS
1Y 9M M, PT RUNNING WITH *** TO EAR AND FELL DX: PERFORATED TM#
84YOF TOOK A *** OFF LEFT LOWER LEG AND TORE THE SKIN WITH IT AVULSION TO LEG
18YOF HAS THWE COTTON SWAB FROM A *** STUCK IN LEFT EAR FB EAR
68 YO F WITH *** IN EAR. PLACED *** IN EAR AND COTTON TIP GOT STUCKINSIDE EAR. DX:FOREIGN BODY REMOVAL, EAR.
50YOF CLEANING HER LEFT EAR WITH A *** AND FELL ASLEEP WITH *** IN EAR ROLLED OVER ON IT PERFORATED EARDRUM
32YOM, WAS CLEANING EAR WITH *** WHEN WAS HIT, ?MECH&SHOVELED THE ENTIRE *** INTO EAR>>TM PERFORATION
19 F SUST FB TO EAR#***
PT DX FOREIGN BODY IN LT EAR - 19 YR OLD BLACK MALE W/HX OF CLEANING LTEAR W/*** LAST NIGHT.
DX IMPACTED CERUMEN/OTALGIA EAR PN: 65YOF UES ***S FOR EAR WAX REMOVAL
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to first aid equipment on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Home Medical & Assistance Devices
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for First Aid Equipment: cross-group products nearest on danger score (46/100), estimated annual ER visits (24,542/yr), and hospitalization share (4.2%). 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.
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
- Lawn Trimmers Or Edgers, Powered (excl. Brushcutters) Lawn & Garden Equipment 4.2%admitted
- Glass Bathtub Or Shower Enclosures Home Furnishings & Fixtures 4.1%admitted
- Electric Fireplaces, Factory Built Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares 4.2%admitted
- Playground Equipment, Not Specified Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 4.2%admitted
Related Products in Home Medical & Assistance Devices
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, First Aid Equipment ranks #38 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #169 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does first aid equipment rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, first aid equipment ranks #38 by PlainSafety danger score (46/100) and #169 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (24,542/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from first aid equipment?
The most common injury is foreign body to the ear, accounting for approximately 120,186 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from first aid equipment increasing or decreasing?
Up 465% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for first aid equipment injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 46,238 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by first aid equipment?
Of all ER visits involving first aid equipment, approximately 4.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (95.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with first aid equipment?
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.