Magazine Racks Or Book Ends
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.
Home Furnishings & Fixtures · CPSC Code 692
Down 34% over 5 years
The verdict
Magazine Racks Or Book Ends carry a danger score of 32/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 686 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 34% over the last five years.
- 32/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 686
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 9.8%
- end in hospital admission
- 75+
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 692 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 32/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for magazine racks or book ends - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume686 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)9.8%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-34%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Magazine Racks Or Book Ends (CPSC product code 692, in the Home Furnishings & Fixtures category) generate an estimated 686 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 13,714 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 32/100 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 34% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2009 (1,455 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2023 (202 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for magazine racks or book ends is laceration to the face, accounting for approximately 1,706 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the lower leg (1,152 cases). The 75+ age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 3,412 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 9.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 1 consumer incident report filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how magazine racks or book ends 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 | 1,428 | 688 | |
| 5-14 | 703 | 827 | |
| 15-24 | 257 | 306 | |
| 25-34 | 124 | 252 | |
| 35-44 | 310 | 573 | |
| 45-54 | 169 | 618 | |
| 55-64 | 597 | 1,397 | |
| 65-74 | 764 | 1,286 | |
| 75+ | 653 | 2,759 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Laceration | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Toe | Fracture | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Toe | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
84YOM - STOOD UP AND LOST BALANCE CAUSING HIM TO FALL BACKWARDS INTO MAGAZINE RACK IN BATHROOM - MID/LOW BACK DISCOMFORT - WEAKER SINCE INCIDENT - DX: PAIN IN BACK, HYPERKALEMIA, GENERALIZED WEAKNESS
81YOF WAS CLEANING HER HOME WHEN SHE CAUGHT HER RIGHT LOWER LEG ON A MAGAZINE RACK RESULTING IN A LACERAITON. DX: LACERATION OF RIGHT LOWER EXTREMITY
77YOF STATES THAT SHE STRUCK HER RIGHT LOWER LEG ON A MAGAZINE RACK IN HER HOUSE NOW HAS BLEEDING DX: BLEEDING TO RIGHT LOWER LEG
73 YOF TRIPPED AND FELL INTO MAGAZINE RACK AT HER HOUSE DX RIB PAIN, KNEE PAIN
81YOF PATIENT WAS AT HOME, SHE TRIPPED OVER A MAGAZINE HOLDER AND FELL, SHE STRUCK HER RIGHT LEG AND LEFT ARM, SHE HAS UPPER ARM PAIN. DX: OLECRANON FRACTURE, FALL, HUMERUS FRACTURE
13MOF PRESENTS AFTER BOOKENDS HIT HER ON THE FACE. DX: LACERATION OF FACE
25YOM ACCIDENTIALY SELF-INFLICTED GSW TO THE CALF. PT WENT TO GRAB HIS GUN OUT OF A COMPARTMENT. THE GUN WAS COVERED BY A MAGAZINE WHEN IT ACCIDENTIALLY DISCHARGED. DX: SELF-INFLICTED GSW
97YOF PT LOST BALANCE WHILE PUTTING IN EYE DROPS, FELL BACKWARDS & HIT HEAD ON A MAGAZINE RACK, THEN ONTO HARDWOOD FLOOR; PT ON *** DX: HEAD INJURY, SKIN TEAR, LAC #
55YOF C/O FALLING OVER MAGAZINE RACK 2 WEEKS PRIOR. SWELLING AND PAIN IN THE RIGHT MEDIAL ASPECT OF RIGHT KNEE. DX: CONTUSION OF RIGHT KNEE
90YOM WAS AT *** WITH HIS WIFE, LEANED OVER TO PICK UP SOME CHANGE AND FELL OVER STRIKING HIS BACK ON A MAGAZINE RACK DX: THORACIC FX
5YOF PRESENTED TO ED C/O SYNCOPE, PER FATHER PT LIL BROTHER THREW A BOOK HOLDER AT HER UPPER BACK C/O BACK PAIN DX; VASOVAGAL EPISODE
66YOF WITH TRIPPING ON A MAGAZINE RACK DX: LAC AND FRACTURED TOE
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I purchased 9-inch "deluxe" black steel bookends from Staples to hold up cookbooks on a shelf 6' high. I did not like the bookends, because they seemed very flimsy -- nothing like the sturdy old steel bookends we had around the house from years ago. In the middle of the night, one of the bookends completely collapsed (flattened), causing 3 cookbooks to fall off the shelf, damaging them. My concern is, what if a baby's highchair, etc., had been under the shelf when this happened? The sharp corners of a heavy book could cause a laceration, put out a child's eye, etc. It was suggested by store management that my comments about the product were my "opinion" (I don't think it is my "opinion" that the product physically failed, creating a risk of injury). I went to the trouble to speak to the Office of the President at Staples, and was told, "It does show they're OK" (i.e., the website shows 3.3 "positive" reviews on a scale of 5, with 96 total reviews). But a number of the negative customer reviews are similar to my experience, and mention product failure. For example: "As a Teacher's Aide, I needed bookends to support two classroom textbooks which I use frequently. I thought these would do the trick. WRONG! The one textbook took down the bookend, flattening it! Solid steel? I think it was more like flimsy tin!!" Another customer wrote: "Bookends were just too flimsy to hold books upright...i was really surprised to find such a poor quality item in such a usually great store." (I agree with the comment about Staples usually being a great store, and hope they'll drop this product.) Here's a link to all the reviews: http://www.staples.com/MMF-Industries-9-High-Black-Deluxe-Bookends/product_408682 I tried to explain to the Office of the President, this is different from a malfunctioning printer, etc., that causes consumer "frustration".......this is a product defect that can actually cause injury. Staples did ultimately advise they would "send an e-mail to the buyer"
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to magazine racks or book ends on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are magazine racks or book ends?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, magazine racks or book ends have a danger score of 32/100 (low risk). An estimated 686 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from magazine racks or book ends?
The most common injury is laceration to the face, accounting for approximately 1,706 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from magazine racks or book ends increasing or decreasing?
Down 34% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for magazine racks or book ends injuries?
The 75+ age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 3,412 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by magazine racks or book ends?
Of all ER visits involving magazine racks or book ends, approximately 9.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (90.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with magazine racks or book ends?
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 Home Furnishings & Fixtures
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 32/100 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
