Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2023, Floor Buffers Or Waxers ranks #735 of 838 by danger score (27/100) at ER-volume #632 of 838 (425/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #735
- danger rank of 838
- #632
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 27/100
- danger score
- 425/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 (27/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
27 Among the lowest lower than 88% 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 · 2023
Composite verdict
Composite Safety Score: 18/100
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) | 3 | 25th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 425 | 24th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -43% | 10th | 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 8,076 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 113. Segments sum to 8,076 - 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 Laundry & Household Appliances 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.
Laundry & Household Appliances danger scores
How this 27/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for floor buffers or waxers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 425 ER visits/yr Low volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 3.1% Below median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend-43%
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 19-year NEISS window from 2005 to 2023, injury counts for floor buffers or waxers are declining by about 43% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2013 (958 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2010 (188 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 951 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the lower trunk (627 cases). The 45-54 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 2,218 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 3.1% 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 floor buffers or waxers 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 2023-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2023)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 80 | 0 | |
| 5-14 | 21 | 0 | |
| 15-24 | 220 | 111 | |
| 25-34 | 700 | 315 | |
| 35-44 | 870 | 205 | |
| 45-54 | 1,852 | 366 | |
| 55-64 | 1,475 | 464 | |
| 65-74 | 788 | 280 | |
| 75+ | 256 | 74 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Eyeball | Foreign Body | |
| Foot | Other | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Hand | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Toe | Fracture | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Leg | Hematoma |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
54 YOM C/O WRIST INJURY S/P FELL OFF BUFFER MACHINE. DX: WRIST INJURY
29YOF TO ER FOR PAIN OF NECK & RIGHT KNEE, PT WAS SHOPPING & A EMPLOYEE OF THE STORE WAS USING A FLOOR WAXER & HE LOST CONTROL OF WAXER THAT HIT PT, PT STUMBLED, NO FALL LATER HAD KNEE PAIN NECK PAIN DX ACUTE PAIN RIGHT KNEE, NECK PAIN
53YOM.WHILE USING FLOOR POLISHER PARTICLE FELL ON EYE.DX.FOREIGN BODY LT.EYE
48YOM.USING FLOOR POLISHER ACCIDETALLY INJURED FINGER.DX.FRAX.LT.3RD.FINGER
69 YOM C/O PAIN LEFT HIP AFTER FALL WHILE USING A BUFFER TO CLEAN THE FLOOR, DX; ARTHRALGIA
74YOF PRESENST TO ED FOR CO CHEST PAIN PTW AS CLEANING A FLOOR WITH A BUFFER AND IT BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL SHE LET GO OF IT BUT IT KNOCKED HER OVER AND LANDED ON HER CHEST DX: CONTUSION OF RIGHT CHEST WALL
59YOM.WHILE USING FLOOR POLISHER CUT HAND.DX.LAC.LT.HAND
20MOM WAS IN A PUBLIC AREA AND WALKED INTO THE PATH OF A FLOOR SCRUBBER AND IT HIT HIS LEFT ANKLE DX: LACERATION TO ANKLE
51YOF.USING FLOOR POLISHER CUT FINGER.DX.LAC.LT.2ND,FINGER.
72YOM WAS USING A FLOOR BUFFING MACHINE AT HOME WHEN HE SLIPPED AND FELL DX: FRACTURE TO LEFT FOREARM
42YOM HAD A FLOOR BUFFER FALL ONTO HIS RIGHT FOOT DX: RIGHT SECOND TOE INJURY
45YOM LAC TO L FOOT ON A CEMENT BUFFER WHEN NOT WEARING SHOES OR BOOTSDX LAC L FOOT
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to floor buffers or waxers on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Laundry & Household Appliances
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Floor Buffers Or Waxers: cross-group products nearest on danger score (27/100), estimated annual ER visits (425/yr), and hospitalization share (3.1%). 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.
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
- Fabrics (not Part Of Finished Item) Floors, Walls & Ceilings 3.1%admitted
- Power Workshop Grinders, Buffers Or Polishers Home Communication & Entertainment 3.1%admitted
- Combs, Not Specified Personal Care & Safety Products 3.0%admitted
- Croquet (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports & Recreation Equipment 3.0%admitted
Related Products in Laundry & Household Appliances
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, Floor Buffers Or Waxers ranks #735 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #632 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does floor buffers or waxers rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, floor buffers or waxers ranks #735 by PlainSafety danger score (27/100) and #632 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (425/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from floor buffers or waxers?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 951 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from floor buffers or waxers increasing or decreasing?
Down 43% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for floor buffers or waxers injuries?
The 45-54 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 2,218 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by floor buffers or waxers?
Of all ER visits involving floor buffers or waxers, approximately 3.1% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (96.9%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with floor buffers or waxers?
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.