Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Paper Cutters ranks #684 of 838 by danger score (29/100) at ER-volume #578 of 838 (638/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #684
- danger rank of 838
- #578
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 29/100
- danger score
- 638/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 (29/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
29 Among the lowest lower than 82% 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 · 2024
Composite verdict
Composite Safety Score: 22/100
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) | 1 | 6th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 638 | 28th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -13% | 46th | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 2 | 25th | 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 12,761 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 1654. Segments sum to 12,761 - 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 Personal Care & Safety Products 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.
Personal Care & Safety Products danger scores
How this 29/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for paper cutters - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 638 ER visits/yr Below median volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 0.9% Low admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend-13%
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 20-year NEISS window from 2005 to 2024, injury counts for paper cutters are declining by about 13% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2007 (1,267 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2012 (319 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 7,952 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by avulsion to the finger (1,523 cases). The 25-34 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 2,268 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 0.9% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
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 paper cutters 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 Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 328 | 127 | |
| 5-14 | 822 | 439 | |
| 15-24 | 1,149 | 961 | |
| 25-34 | 1,094 | 1,174 | |
| 35-44 | 442 | 1,409 | |
| 45-54 | 464 | 1,583 | |
| 55-64 | 557 | 637 | |
| 65-74 | 753 | 385 | |
| 75+ | 45 | 390 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Finger | Avulsion | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Toe | Laceration | |
| Finger | Amputation | |
| Lower Arm | Laceration | |
| Upper Leg | Laceration | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Foot | Fracture | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Laceration | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Toe | Other |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
45YOF PRESENT TO ED C/O LACSTO PALMER ASPECT OF R 4TH-5TH DIGITS.PT ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED A PAPER CUTTER,ATTEMPTED TO CATCH IT.ADMITS TO SCANT BLEEDING,IRRIGATED/CLEANSED WOUND PTA.DX:LAC TO R RING FINGER W/O FB,W/O DAMAGE TO NAIL.
65YOM P/W HAND LAC, PT CUT HAND PN PAPER CUTTER, DX: HAND LAC
21YOF PRESENTS WITH LACERATION TO RIGHT INDEX FINGER AFTER WHILE SHE WAS USING A PAPER CUTTER AND MOVING HER HANDS AROUND AND CUT HER FINGER DX: FINGER LACERATION
3YOM,PAPER CUTTER CUT FINGER PER MOM,DX:FINGER LAC
36YOF WITH LAC TO FINGER FROM PAPER CUTTER DX: LAC TO FINGER
47YOF PT ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE DORSUM OF HER HAND ON A PAPER CUTTER. +LACERATION. DX; LACERATION OF HAND
46YOM PRESENTS TODAY FOR LACERATION TO THE LEFT THUMB ON THE DORSAL SIDE. ONSET TODAY. PT REPORTS HE WAS CUTTING PAPER TO WRAP FOOD AT ABOUT 6PM WHEN HE CUT HIS HAND ACCIDENTALLY. DX; . LACERATION OF FINGER
83YOM, ON *** FOR AFIB, LOST HIS BALANCE WHILE TAKING OFF HIS PANTS AND FELL BACKWARD STRIKING HEAD ONTO THE DRESSER DRAWER KNOB BREAKING IT, NO LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS, DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY; LACERATION OF SCALP
15YOF WAS USING A PAPER CUTTER WHEN THE BLADE FELL OFF TRACK AND CUT HER LEFT 3RD FINGER. DX: FINGER LACERATION.
28 YOM INJURED WRIST USING A PAPER CUTTER DX: TENDONITIS WRIST
6YOM CHILD CUT HIS FINGER WITH A PAPER CUTTER AT HOME, LEFT WITHOUT BEING SEEN DX: NA
26 YOF CUT HER FINGER WHILE USING A PAPER CUTTER.DX: LACERATION RIGHT LITTLE FINNGER
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Purchased a product called Beaverbot which is advertised for being for kids ages 3 and up. I tried it first to see if it was really safe, and there are openings where even an adult can insert their finger and touch moving parts. This is not a product that should be marketed to children if even an adult sized finger can reach dangerous parts. It is also significantly lacking in markings, warnings, and other labels. For example, no warnings about not touching the moving cutting shaft. Also, very limited information about the company itself is available, and their story on the About Us page of their website seems fabricated or AI generated.
I bought a huge paper cutter off of Ebay. It is made by Bright Office (registered trademark) No. 8292. It's a large guillotine type paper cutter. And normally, there is a safety latch on these puppies to hold the blade down. There is none on this one. It is too large to leave on a table, so I was trying to place it back in the box to put it back in my storage/craft room and it almost cut me, because as soon as you tip it, it literally SPRINGS OPEN. And there you are with this huge paper cutter and the blade won't behave! It's made in China and I don't know if you have any control over that. For such a large guillotine, I can't understand why this safety feature isn't there.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to paper cutters on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Personal Care & Safety Products
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Paper Cutters: cross-group products nearest on danger score (29/100), estimated annual ER visits (638/yr), and hospitalization share (0.9%). 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.
Related Products in Personal Care & Safety Products
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, Paper Cutters ranks #684 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #578 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does paper cutters rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, paper cutters ranks #684 by PlainSafety danger score (29/100) and #578 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (638/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from paper cutters?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 7,952 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from paper cutters increasing or decreasing?
Down 13% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for paper cutters injuries?
The 25-34 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 2,268 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by paper cutters?
Of all ER visits involving paper cutters, approximately 0.9% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (99.1%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with paper cutters?
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.