Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Photographic Equipment ranks #313 of 838 by danger score (37/100) at ER-volume #432 of 838 (1,935/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #313
- danger rank of 838
- #432
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 37/100
- danger score
- 1,935/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 (37/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
37 Around the middle lower than 37% 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: 62/100
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) | 6 | 53rd | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 1,935 | 47th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | +23% | 83rd | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 135 | 87th | 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 38,715 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 536. Segments sum to 38,715 - 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 Home Structures & Construction Materials 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.
Home Structures & Construction Materials danger scores
How this 37/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for photographic equipment - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 1,935 ER visits/yr Below median volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 6.2% Above median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend+23%
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 photographic equipment 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 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 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.
Compare beyond Home Structures & Construction Materials
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Photographic Equipment: cross-group products nearest on danger score (37/100), estimated annual ER visits (1,935/yr), and hospitalization share (6.2%). 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.
- Gas Fumes Or Gas Vapors Of Unknown Origin Building Materials & Home Structures 1,934/yr
- Artificial Christmas Trees Home Medical & Assistance Devices 1,939/yr
- Badminton (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 1,948/yr
- Snow Tubing (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports & Recreation Equipment 1,922/yr
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
Related Products in Home Structures & Construction Materials
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, Photographic Equipment ranks #313 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #432 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does photographic equipment rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, photographic equipment ranks #313 by PlainSafety danger score (37/100) and #432 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (1,935/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
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.
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.