Paintbrushes Or Rollers, Manual
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 Workshop Tools & Equipment · CPSC Code 925
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Paintbrushes Or Rollers, Manual carry a danger score of 35/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 2,403 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 35/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 2,403
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 5.0%
- end in hospital admission
- 55-64
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 925 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 35/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for paintbrushes or rollers, manual - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume2,403 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)5.0%
- Fatality rate0.06%
- 5-year trend-5%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Paintbrushes Or Rollers, Manual (CPSC product code 925, in the Home Workshop Tools & Equipment category) generate an estimated 2,403 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 48,059 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 35/100 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 roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (4,876 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2007 (534 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for paintbrushes or rollers, manual is other to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 3,976 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the upper trunk (3,957 cases). The 55-64 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 8,815 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 5.0% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.06%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 2 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how paintbrushes or rollers, manual 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 | 1,379 | 1,035 | |
| 5-14 | 714 | 858 | |
| 15-24 | 982 | 1,191 | |
| 25-34 | 3,034 | 2,952 | |
| 35-44 | 4,757 | 3,832 | |
| 45-54 | 5,005 | 3,804 | |
| 55-64 | 4,881 | 3,934 | |
| 65-74 | 3,969 | 2,659 | |
| 75+ | 1,860 | 1,218 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Shoulder | Other | |
| Upper Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Neck | Other | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Nerve Damage | |
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
57 YOM C/O INJ TO WRIST AREA GIVES HX OF REPETIVE MOTION PAINTING HIS HOUSE DX WRIST STRAIN
59YOF PRESENTS TO ED FOR NECK PAIN. PT HAS BEEN PAINTING HER HOUSE AND FEELS PAINTING MOTION W/ RT ARM HAS EXACERBATED NECK PAIN. DX: NECK PAIN. BENIN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO
37YOF PRESENTS TO THE ER WITH A LEFT FOOT LACERATION. SHE STATES SHE WAS PAINTING WHEN A PIECE GLASS HIT THE TOP OF HER FOOT. EXAM SHOWS A PUNCTURE WOUND TO ONE OF THE VARICOSE VEINS. DX: LACERATION FOOT WITHOUT FOREIGN BODY INITAL LEFT
37YOM, LACERATION MIDDLE FINGER CLIANING PAINT ROLLER DX: LEFT HAND LACERATION 3RD FINGER
70 YOM WAS PAINTING 6 DAYS AGO WHEN HE TURNED HIS HEAD AND HEARD A LOUD CRACK IN HIS NECK, C/O NECK PAIN. DX: CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY, RIGHT NECK PAIN
84YOM PRESENTS WITH LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY PAIN AFTER PAINTING AT HOME 3 DAYS AGO WHEN HE FELT WEAKNESS AND FELL ONTO HIS LEFT ARM DX: GOLFER'S ELBOW, ELBOW PAIN, HISTORY OF STROKE, FALL
61 YOF BIBA FROM HOME AFTER A FALL WHILE PAINTING TODAY. SHE WAS UP ON THE SECOND RUNG OF A STEP STOOL AND WENT TO STEP OFF TO USE THE BATHROOM AND FELL TO THE GROUND LANDING ON HER RIGHT HIP AND ELBOW. DX INTERTROCHANTERIC RIGHT HIP FX, RIGHT RADIAL HEAD FX
55 YOF PRESENTS WITH LEFT UPPER BACK PAIN. RECENTLY PAINTED A ROOM WITH A LOT OF OVERHEAD ACTIVITY. DX UPPER BACK PAIN
67YOF, C/O SHOULDER/ARM PAIN LEFT, PAINTING X 2 WEEKS DX: ADHESIVE CAPSULITIS
56YOM PAINTING A HOUSE, DEVELOPED PAIN IN RT UPPER BACK. DX: RT UPPER BACK PAIN
67YOM PAINTING HIS HOUSE, DEVELOPED PAIN IN CHEST. DX: CHEST PAIN
74YOF, ON ***, WAS PAINTING ON A TABLE IN HER GARAGE A FEW DAYS AGO WHEN SHE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED HER HEAD AGAINST TABLE, STRUCK FOREHEAD, NO LOC, DX: BLUNT HEAD TRAUMA, [WHILE ON ANTICOAGULATION]; CONTUSION OF FOREHEAD
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Home Right C800755 EZ Twist Paint Stick I bought this thinking wow this will make my project go easy. Was I ever wrong. I painted half the room no problem. Then when painting the ceiling, I noticed that the end came unlocked a couple of times. No problem, just some paint on the hands to secure it. Then the end came unclicked while I was on a ladder causing the roller to come off and dump paint in my eyes. This caused me to fall off the ladder.
Here is an extract of the email I sent to the manufacturer of the product. Subject: Defective Paint Tray To: [REDACTED] on 03-20=2012 I purchased your Metal Roller Paint Tray at Home Depot last month and when I got it home I put it in a box where I keep my paint supplies. Yesterday when I removed it from the box, I got a razor type cut on my finger which is still healing. Both feet on the tray are sharp and gagged. I picked the tray up by the tray feet. Here are the details from the Bar Code Tag. Bar Code Tag Info: [REDACTED] Sincerely yours, [REDACTED] The following additional details were not in the email. 1. It was purchased at Home Depot at [REDACTED] on 02-09-2012 and I still have the register tape and the paint tray.. 2. I called the company on 03-23-2012 [REDACTED] to verify they received my email and spoke with customer service and they verified that they received the email and said someone will be getting back to me. Less than an hour later I received a call from [REDACTED]( he was at the Chicago airport) and I explained my problem. He said something to the effect that they redesigned their manufacturing process to address some problems they were having with the paint tray. I have no idea what tray I purchased.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to paintbrushes or rollers, manual on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are paintbrushes or rollers, manual?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, paintbrushes or rollers, manual have a danger score of 35/100 (low risk). An estimated 2,403 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from paintbrushes or rollers, manual?
The most common injury is other to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 3,976 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from paintbrushes or rollers, manual increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for paintbrushes or rollers, manual injuries?
The 55-64 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 8,815 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by paintbrushes or rollers, manual?
Of all ER visits involving paintbrushes or rollers, manual, approximately 5.0% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (95.0%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with paintbrushes or rollers, manual?
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 Workshop Tools & Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 35/100 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 55-64 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.
