Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Flares ranks #482 of 838 by danger score (34/100) at ER-volume #727 of 838 (158/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #482
- danger rank of 838
- #727
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 34/100
- danger score
- 158/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 (34/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
34 Lower than most lower than 57% 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: 46/100
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) | 15 | 90th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 158 | 11th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | +9% | 76th | 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 3,010 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 1718. Segments sum to 3,010 - 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 34/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for flares - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 158 ER visits/yr Low volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 15.4% Very high admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend+9%
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 flares are roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2012 (335 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2008 (30 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is burns, thermal to the hand, accounting for approximately 291 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by burns, thermal to the lower arm (283 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 1,085 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 15.4% 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 flares 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-14 | 252 | 163 | |
| 15-24 | 778 | 307 | |
| 25-34 | 356 | 80 | |
| 35-44 | 235 | 17 | |
| 45-54 | 177 | 0 | |
| 55-64 | 97 | 111 | |
| 65-74 | 301 | 65 | |
| 75+ | 69 | 0 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Arm | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Leg | Burns, Thermal | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Face | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Face | Burn, Not Spec. | |
| Ankle | Burns, Thermal | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Foot | Puncture | |
| Foot | Other |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
49YOM WAS CUTTING A PIECE OF WOOD 2 DAYS AGO THAT HAD A SCREW IN IT AND THE SCREW BROKE OFF IN A PIECE THAT WENT INTO HIS EYE, DX FB TO EYE
15YOM AS LEVEL ONE TRAUMA, PER EMS HE WAS RUNNING FROM A FLARE GUN THAT HE MAY/MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SHOT IN THE BACK WITH. HE RAN INTO THE STREET AND GOT RUN OVER BY A PICKUP TRUCK, UNKNOWN LOC, HE HAS ABRASIONS TO ENTIRE BODY, INJURY TO LEFT KNEE, AND DEFORMITY TO LEFT HIP. DX; KNEE INJURY
60YOF REPORTED WAS BURNED BY FLARE ON HER RIGHT FOOT. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF RIGHT ANKLE
12YOF PLAYING WITH A FLARE GUN, IT DISCHARGED, NOW SHE HAS A SMALL BURN TO NECK, DX; THERMAL BURN NECK
72 YOF S/P LOWER EXTREMITY INJURY. THE PATIENT STATES THAT EARLIER TODAY SHE WAS CLEANING HER HOME AND FOUND A FLARE GUN--AS SHE WAS HANDLING THE FLARE GUN, SHE STATES THAT THE GUN ACCIDENTALLY FIRED AND STRUCK HER RIGHT ANTERIOR THIGH/GROIN AREA. DX INJURY KNEE, LACERATION RIGHT THIGH
14YOF SHOT IN FACE WITH FLARE GUN AT 3FT AWAY. SISTER ACCIDENTALY SHOT FLARE HITTING PTDX FACIAL , HEAD, NECK BURN 1ST AND 2ND DEGREE, FACIAL ABRASION
44 YOM PRESENTS WITH MULTIPLE SKIN INJURIES AFTER HIS FRIEND DISCHARGED A FLARE GUN. DX: ABRASION SCALP, LACERATION RIGHT MIDDLE FINGER, BURN LEFT ANKLE, PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN LEFT FOREARM
21YOM PRESENTS TO ED FOR CO BURN TO LT LEG PT HAD A FLARE GUN IN HIS POCKED THAT WAS ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGED SUSTAINED BURNS TO ANTERIOR LT THIGH AND LT ANKLE OCCURED A FEW HOURS PTA DX: BURN
87YOM WAS HANDLING A FLARE GUN ON HIS BOAT WHEN THE FLAIR GUN WENT OFF A FEW DAYS AGO SUSTAINED A THERMAL BURN TO RIGHT HAND THAT GOT INFECTED NOTHING STATED ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DX: THERMAL BURN TO HAND; CELLULITIS TO HAND
38 YOM DROPPED A FLARE BOX ON HIS TOES.DX: CLOSED NONDISPLACED FRACTURE OF PROXIMAL PHALANX OF LESSER TOE OF RIGHT FOOT
64YOF, ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HER SELF IN RIGHT INDEX FINGER WITH FLARE GUN, DX: OPEN FRACTURE DISLOCATION OF FINGER
24 YOM INJURED NECK,LOW BACK,BROUGHT IN FROM JAIL,REPORTEDLY SHOT BY A FLARE GUN MORE THATN A MONTH AGO,WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE WOODS AND WAS TACKLED BY THE POLICE. DX-STRAIN NECK,STRAIN LUMBAR
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to flares on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Home Medical & Assistance Devices
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Flares: cross-group products nearest on danger score (34/100), estimated annual ER visits (158/yr), and hospitalization share (15.4%). 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.
- Beds Or Bedframes, Other Or Not Specified Floors, Walls & Ceilings 15.3%admitted
- Baby Bathtub Seats Or Rings (not Toys) Nursery & Baby Products 15.3%admitted
- Dune Buggies/beach Buggies Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 15.2%admitted
- Runners, Throw Rugs Or Doormats Home Furnishings & Fixtures 15.8%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, Flares ranks #482 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #727 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does flares rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, flares ranks #482 by PlainSafety danger score (34/100) and #727 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (158/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from flares?
The most common injury is burns, thermal to the hand, accounting for approximately 291 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from flares increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for flares injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 1,085 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by flares?
Of all ER visits involving flares, approximately 15.4% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (84.6%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with flares?
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.