Nonelectric Soldering Equipment
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 Communication & Entertainment · CPSC Code 868
Down 88% over 5 years
The verdict
Nonelectric Soldering Equipment carry a danger score of 24/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 48 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 88% over the last five years.
- 24/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 48
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 20.0%
- end in hospital admission
- 45-54
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 868 - last data year 2022.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 24/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for nonelectric soldering equipment - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume48 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)20.0%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-88%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Nonelectric Soldering Equipment (CPSC product code 868, in the Home Communication & Entertainment category) generate an estimated 48 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 240 ER-treated injuries across the 13-year span from 2010 to 2022. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 24/100 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 88% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2018 (78 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2014 (14 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for nonelectric soldering equipment is burns, thermal to the hand, accounting for approximately 81 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the finger (78 cases). The 45-54 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 95 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 20.0% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 3 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 5 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how nonelectric soldering 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 2022-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2010–2022)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 14 | 0 | |
| 45-54 | 95 | 0 | |
| 55-64 | 64 | 0 | |
| 75+ | 67 | 0 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Other | |
| Eyeball | Burn, Chemical | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
51YOM BILATERAL HAND BURNS FROM SOLDERING IRON THAT CAUGHT FIRE IN TOOLBOX. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF MULTI SITES OF HANDS- FIRE W/ NO F.D.
50YOM RT HAND WOUND AFTER WORKING W/SOLDERING TORCH,7 DAYS AGO;PINCHED SAME FINGER,FRIEND STEPPED ON HAND SAME DAY DX:SUPERFIC WOUND FINGER
83 YOM MISTAKENLY PUT STAY CLEAN LIQUID FLUX INTO EYE THINKING IT WASEYEDROPS. DX: BURN ACID R CORNEA/CONJUNCTIVA.
26YM ACC BURNT RT MIDDLE FINGER ON A SMALL TORCH USED FOR SOLDERING>>BURN
64YOM BURNED LT HAND USING A SOLDERING TORCH
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
the last tool we used was the torch, we put it back in the garage after we used it, and a short time later our garage caught on fire. and the fire started in the area where the torch was sitting.
I have used these products before but bought a new adjustable map gas torch set of this product. http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2012/Gas-Cylinders-Recalled-by-Worthington-Cylinders-Wisconsin-Due-to-Fire-Hazard/ While using this to light a grill which i norm do no problems. When i removed the igniter head and tank, i sat them down for a moment to open the door which is near eachother the cylinder cought fire due to gas leak which i was able to quickly grab and show the bottle into the dirt, putting the fire out before tank exploded! I was almost seriously injured or killed due to this safety issue which should NEVER of gotten past the production line! OMG If my neice would of been with me like she normally is and got hurt! wow This company should do ALOT MORE than JUST replace the tanks! This company should either refund the money for the products, AND replace it with a safer one. OR compensate those who have these products. Because not all stores will refund someone for this product since its used and if there is no receipt!
Propane torch purchased from Harbor Freight in Dec 2024, first time use 5/31. Shutoff valve does not turn off, only trigger valve controls gas. Second issue flames coming up out of the cup, melting the piezo electric wiring and then the cup that is mounted to the body to control the flame fell off. This unit failed in 1 hr of use, this is a safety/burn hazard. I have never filed something before for safety matter but this is a dangerously poor quality part being sold by harbor freight
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to nonelectric soldering equipment on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are nonelectric soldering equipment?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, nonelectric soldering equipment have a danger score of 24/100 (low risk). An estimated 48 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from nonelectric soldering equipment?
The most common injury is burns, thermal to the hand, accounting for approximately 81 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from nonelectric soldering equipment increasing or decreasing?
Down 88% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for nonelectric soldering equipment injuries?
The 45-54 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 95 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by nonelectric soldering equipment?
Of all ER visits involving nonelectric soldering equipment, approximately 20.0% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (80.0%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with nonelectric soldering 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.
Related Products in Home Communication & Entertainment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 24/100 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 45-54 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.
