Photographic 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 Structures & Construction Materials · CPSC Code 536
Up 23% over 5 years
The verdict
Photographic Equipment carry a danger score of 37/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 1,935 ER-treated injuries a year that are rising by about 23% over the last five years.
- 37/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 1,935
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 6.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 536 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 37/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for photographic equipment - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume1,935 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)6.2%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend+23%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Photographic Equipment (CPSC product code 536, in the Home Structures & Construction Materials category) generate an estimated 1,935 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 38,704 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 37/100 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 rising by about 23% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (2,905 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2016 (1,270 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for photographic equipment is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 3,726 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the face (2,788 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 5,903 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 6.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 135 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how photographic 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 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 | 1,842 | 1,347 | |
| 5-14 | 1,725 | 1,623 | |
| 15-24 | 2,840 | 3,063 | |
| 25-34 | 2,326 | 2,649 | |
| 35-44 | 2,055 | 2,957 | |
| 45-54 | 1,383 | 2,859 | |
| 55-64 | 2,443 | 2,443 | |
| 65-74 | 1,986 | 2,359 | |
| 75+ | 1,286 | 1,515 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Foot | Fracture | |
| Ankle | Fracture | |
| Mouth | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
46 YOF INJURED FINGER WHILE HOOKING CAMERA ONTO CAMPER WITH A MAGNET, PINCHED FINGER. DX-AVULSION RIGHT INDEX FINGER
43 YOM HAS A LAC TO RT TEMPLE AFTER HITTING HEAD ON SECURITY CAMERA. DX: CHI, SCALP LAC
46YOF C/O LEFT EYE INJURY, AFTER HER GRANDAUGHTER ACCIDENTALLY HIT HER EYEBROW WITH A LATERAL CAMERA HOOKED TO A SLING. DX: CONTUSION OF FACE
23YOM W/REPORT OF SYNCOPE.DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING TODAY,HAD A COUPLE OF DRINKS OF ALCOHOL & SMOKED SOME MARIJUANA WHEN HE ARRIVED AT PARTY.WAS TAKING PICTURES IN THE PHOTO BOOTH,STOOD UP&FELT LIGHTHEADED,HAD BLURRED VISION&PASSED OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS. BAL N/S. DX: SYNCOPE
55YOF WAS CARRYING HER CAMERA EQUIPMENT WHILE WALKING AND FELL FORWARD ONTO OUTSTRETCHED LEFT ARM DX:FRACTURED LEFT RADIUS
^23YOM STATES THAT HE WAS ON TOP OF HIS TRUCK TAKING PICTURES WHEN HE TRIPPED BACKWARDS AND HAD TO FALL ONTO HIS BUTTOCKS DX: ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN
64 YOF TRIPPED ON THE SIDEWALK AT THE BEACH WHILE TAKING PHOTOS. +ABRASIONS PINKY FINGER, RIGHT ANKLE. DX: LACERATION RIGHT KNEE, MULTIPLE ABRASIONS.
26YOF SAYS WAS DOING FAMILY PICTURES W/ HER CHILDREN & TWISTED HER RIGHT ANKLE DX INJURY RIGHT ANKLE
57YOM PRESENTS AFTER SLIP AND FALL IN APARTMENT. PT SAYS HE WAS VIDEO-TAPING HIS CEILING DRIPPING, WHEN HE SLIPPED AND HIT THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD, HAD A BRIEF LOC. REPORTS PAIN T/O ENTIRE SPINE, LEFT WRIST PAIN, DX: CLOSED FX OF LEFT HAND
73YOM PT OUT IN THE FIELD PHOTOGRAPHING GEESE, WHILE BACKING UP PT FELL BACKWARDS ONTO RT ELBOW DX: ELBOW LAC
84YOF PRESENTS WITH FINGER INJURY. PATIENT REPORTS EARLIER TODAY SHE WAS OUT IN THE PARK TAKING PICTURES WHEN SHE TRIPPED OVER A STICK AND FELL CATCHING HERSELF ON HER HAND AND SMASHING HER CAMERA ON HER RING FINGER. DX: RING FINGER FRACTURE
80YOF, HISTORY OF ALZHEIMER DEMENTIA LIVES HOME ALONE WITH DAILY CARETAKER VISITS, OBSERVED BY FAMILY ON HOME CAMERA AND WASN'T SEEN FOR 4 HOURS AND FOUND DOWN ON THE GROUND DX: FALL INITIAL ENCOUNTER; PAIN OF LEFT HIP; CLOSED NONDISPLACED INTERTROCHANTERIC FRACTURE OF LEFT FEMUR
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Child opened battery compartment as there was no screw, ate battery wand it got lodged in his esophagus.
We use the Nanit baby monitor. I removed the camera from its floor stand to use with a travel stand. This is a common thing to do with the camera as it is meant to be removable for travel. A few hours later we noticed a piece of metal in the babys crib. A prong had come detached from the stand and fallen into the crib. Thankfully we noticed before the baby was placed in the crib, but he could have swallowed it. Its a small piece so I did not notice when it fell off.
When removing the Sylvania 7" Digital Photo Frame AC Adapter from the surge protector, the adapter was removed with the prongs still in the surge protector and giving my husband an electrical shock.
While heli-skiing in February 2022, my GoPro camera locked up and stopped recording video. I lost around 20 minutes of video though the audio kept recording. At the time I could not tell what the problem was and swapped out batteries. A few months ago (2023), I noticed that there was something wrong with the battery because it would not come out of the camera - it is bulged out on each long side. Since it is a Lithium-ion battery, and a potential fire hazard upon failure, I thought I should document this.
After opening the box, we inserted the cameras battery into the charger. We then plugged the wall cable into the charger and finally into the outlet. When plugging the charger into the wall, the charger shot sparks out of the side and I received a minor electrical shock. I immediately unplugged the charger and you could smell the burnt charger and battery.
I purchased the Lorel Care n Share baby monitor with 2 cameras for my children. Within a month of using it the battery life was cut in half, within 2 months it had to remain on the charger. From there the sound stopped working. From there the video stopped showing live and would show a stale image that refreshed every 30 seconds or so. Now the camera is hot and not working at all and the battery is swollen. So it went from not working well to being dangerous. If you visit the Lorex Technology [REDACTED]page you can see that many many others are experiencing the same things. Lorex won't respond via phone, e-mail or online. So many people are losing money and being exposed to dangerous products!
I have a Lorex baby care monitor, the BB4325X. The battery pack included with this model becomes hot and expands pushing the door off the back of the monitor. I contacted the company and they sent me a replacement monitor, then the battery pack expanded again within 2 weeks. Now I cannot get ahold of them, they don't return calls or emails and they will not address this unsafe product.
After using this product for over a year the battery expanded and pushed the back of the monitor out. This battery is used as a back up if the power goes out. I have seen other products from this company with the same problem. Battery info: JS 404380 3000mah 11.1wh 100129 20140225 3.7v There needs to be a recall on all Lorex products with this battery.
Showing 8 of 135 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to photographic equipment on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are photographic equipment?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, photographic equipment have a danger score of 37/100 (low risk). An estimated 1,935 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from photographic equipment?
The most common injury is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 3,726 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from photographic equipment increasing or decreasing?
Up 23% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for photographic equipment injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 5,903 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by photographic equipment?
Of all ER visits involving photographic equipment, approximately 6.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (93.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with photographic 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 Structures & Construction Materials
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 37/100 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 15-24 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.
