Laundry Baskets
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.
Containers, Tableware & Packaging · CPSC Code 438
Down 18% over 5 years
The verdict
Laundry Baskets carry a danger score of 39/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 15,448 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 18% over the last five years.
- 39/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 15,448
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 6.0%
- end in hospital admission
- 25-34
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 438 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 39/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for laundry baskets - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume15,448 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)6.0%
- Fatality rate0.03%
- 5-year trend-18%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Laundry Baskets (CPSC product code 438, in the Containers, Tableware & Packaging category) generate an estimated 15,448 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 308,954 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 39/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 18% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2017 (20,487 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (11,518 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for laundry baskets is strain, sprain to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 43,075 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the lower trunk (32,520 cases). The 25-34 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 55,648 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 6.0% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.03%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 3 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how laundry baskets 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 CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 12,879 | 9,916 | |
| 5-14 | 7,812 | 8,727 | |
| 15-24 | 5,687 | 19,143 | |
| 25-34 | 11,792 | 43,856 | |
| 35-44 | 10,985 | 39,419 | |
| 45-54 | 9,607 | 34,592 | |
| 55-64 | 8,101 | 27,038 | |
| 65-74 | 5,690 | 18,739 | |
| 75+ | 7,307 | 27,606 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Nerve Damage | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Shoulder | Other | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
45YOF PRESENTS TO ED FOR LEFT SHOUDLE RPAIN. PT WAS POURING OUT A BASKET OF LAUNDRY INTO LARGER BASKET OF LAUNDRY AND HAD SUDDEN PAIN IN LEFT SHOULDER. DX: ACUTE PAIN OF LEFT SHOULDER
80YOF-SHE REPORTS THAT SHE TRIPPED OVER A LAUNDRY BASKET AT HOME FALLING ONTO THE CARPET AND THE END OF THE BED. DX: CONTUSION OF RIGHT SHOULDER
25YOF STATES THAT TWO DAYS AGO SHE ACCIDENTALLY KICKED A LAUNDRY BASKET AND HURT HERSELF. DX: TOE CONTUSION
86 YOF PRESENTS WITH THORACIC SPINE FRACTURE S/P LIFTING A LAUNDRY BASKET AND LOADING CLOTHES INTO THE WASHING MACHINE AT HOME. DX: COMPRESSION FRACTURE OF THORACIC SPINE
91 YOF C/O BUTTOCK PAIN S/P WAS DRAGGING A LAUNDRY BASKET BEHIND HER WHILE USING HER WALKER AT HOME AND FELL TO CARPET. DX: BUTTOCK PAIN
69YOM PATIENT RESIDES AT A LOCAL ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY, FELL IN A LAUNDRY BASKET, NO INJURIES REPORTED DX: SEVERE DEMENTIA, FALL
48YOF WITH PAIN WHILE HOLDING LAUNDRY BASKET AND TRYING TO OPEN A DOOR DX: NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN
55YOM C/O SHOULDER PAIN S/P PT STATES HE LIFTED UP A LAUNDRY BASKET AND IS IN PAIN. DX: SHOULDER PAIN
19MOM WAS CLIMBING ON A LAUNDRY BASKET AND FELL OFF NOW WILL NOT BEND LEFT ELBOW DX NURSEMAIDS ELBOW
81YOM, ON *** FOR AFIB TRIPPED OVER LAUNDRY BASKET AND FELL STRIKING HEAD AND KNEE, EXAM UNREMARKABLE FOR INJURIES, DENIES LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND COMPLAINING MAINLY OF LEFT KNEE PAIN, DX: TRAUMATIC INJURY OF HEAD; ACUTE PAIN OF LEFT KNEE
30 YOF WAS CARRYING A LAUNDRY BASKET UP STAIRS WHE SHE TRIPPED AND FELL. DX: CHEST WALL STRAIN
43YOF WAS CARRYING LAUNDRY DOWN THE STAIRS AND MISSED THE LAST TWO STAIRS AND INVERTED HER ANKLE LANDING ON TOP OF IT DX: LT ANKLE SPRAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I was cleaning a Sterilite laundry basket (Ultra 1.5 bu)....there are holes on all sides of the basket, and some of them have sharp edges....I received a cut from cleaning this basket.
The consumer stated that her 4 years old son was sleep, woke up at approximately 1am and walked into his room. The consumer stated that her son got into her bed and fell asleep on the edge. The consumer stated that she was sleep and unaware that her son was in the bed. The consumer stated that she woke up to her son screaming and he was standing up crying. The consumer stated that he told her that he fell off the bed. The consumer stated that he was shaking and he told her that his belly hurt. The consumer stated that she noticed blood on sheets and she turned her son over and noticed a puncture wound on his left side above his hip. The consumer stated that she noticed the basket on the side of the bed with a visible rounded metal rode coming out of basket. The consumer stated that it looked like the plastic woven material had collapsed around the metal frame. The consumer stated that she drove her son to the Maria Fareri childrens Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. She stated that they took him to the pediatric trauma center and they did chest x-rays, and a CAT scan with oral IV and rectal tracing to see if he was internally bleeding. The consumer stated that the test reveal blood and air in the abdomen. The consumer stated that he had to have emergency laparoscopy surgery and the surgery showed that the metal rode puncture 8 into the abdomen almost coming out on the right side of his belly. The rode did not puncture any internal organ, it caused bruising to the pancreas and the liver and they removed hematomas from the abdomen. The consumer stated that he was in the hospital for 5 days and she needs to follow up in 2 weeks with the surgeon. The consumer stated that at the moment he was on bed rest. The consumer stated that the metal rode had a wax coating that made it easier for it to sly out of his side from him. The consumer stated that she contacted the manufacturer and she informed them of the incident. She stated th
I purchased a couple of laundry baskets from the dollar tree is Salem Oregon.. my 2 year old son was dancing around and when he went to the side he brushed his hand along side one of the baskets and it sliced his skin off one finger and cut another finger...
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to laundry baskets on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are laundry baskets?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, laundry baskets have a danger score of 39/100 (low risk). An estimated 15,448 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from laundry baskets?
The most common injury is strain, sprain to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 43,075 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from laundry baskets increasing or decreasing?
Down 18% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for laundry baskets injuries?
The 25-34 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 55,648 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by laundry baskets?
Of all ER visits involving laundry baskets, approximately 6.0% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (94.0%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with laundry baskets?
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.
Related Products in Containers, Tableware & Packaging
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 39/100 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 25-34 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
