Power Hedge Trimmers
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.
Lawn & Garden Equipment · CPSC Code 1427
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Power Hedge Trimmers carry a danger score of 36/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 5,370 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 36/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 5,370
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 1.3%
- end in hospital admission
- 45-54
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1427 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 36/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for power hedge trimmers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume5,370 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)1.3%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend+8%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Power Hedge Trimmers (CPSC product code 1427, in the Lawn & Garden Equipment category) generate an estimated 5,370 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 107,391 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 36/100 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 (8,491 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2011 (2,843 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for power hedge trimmers is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 77,472 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by fracture to the finger (7,839 cases). The 45-54 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 21,859 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 1.3% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 48 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how power hedge trimmers 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 | 430 | 20 | |
| 5-14 | 3,192 | 628 | |
| 15-24 | 8,234 | 2,222 | |
| 25-34 | 8,468 | 4,350 | |
| 35-44 | 11,014 | 6,752 | |
| 45-54 | 11,931 | 9,928 | |
| 55-64 | 9,967 | 10,232 | |
| 65-74 | 7,600 | 5,631 | |
| 75+ | 4,224 | 2,516 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Knee | Laceration | |
| Upper Leg | Laceration | |
| Finger | Avulsion | |
| Lower Arm | Laceration | |
| Finger | Amputation | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Toe | Laceration | |
| Wrist | Laceration | |
| Shoulder | Other | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Face | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
45 YOF CAUGHT HER FINGER CAUGHT IN HEDGE TRIMMER DX LACERATION FINGER
68YOF TRIMMING HEDGESS WITH POWER TRIMMER AND CUT HER RIGHT INDEX FINGER. AT HOME.DX: SINGLE DEEP LAC. RIGHT INDEX FINGER, NO FB PRESENT.
78 YOM WAS USING HEDGE TRIMMER AND INJURED KNEE DX LACERATION KNEE
70YOM CAUGHT HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER ON SOME HEDGE TRIMMERS HE WAS USING RESULTING IN AN AVULSION TO THE TIP OF THAT FINGER. DX: INJURY OF FINGER OF LEFT HAND; AVULSION OF SKIN OF FINGER
63 YOM GOT HIS HAND CAUGHT IN A HEDGE CLIPPER CAUSING LACERATIONS TO FINGERS. DX: FINGER LACERATION
21 YO *** F USING ELECTRIC HEDGE CLIPPERS WHEN THEY SLIPPED AND CUT THE MIDDLE FINGER. DX FINGER LAC
12YOM WAS HANDLING POWER HEDGE CLIPPERS WHEN HE CUT HIS RIGHT KNEE DX: LACERATION KNEE
41YOM WAS USING HIS POWER HEDGE TRIMMER AND CUT HIS FINGER. DX LEFT SECOND FINGER LACERATION
53YOF PRESENTS WITH INDEX FINGER LACERATION. PATIENT REPORTS CUTTING HER FINGER TONIGHT WITH A PAIR OF ELECTRIC HEDGE CUTTERS. DX: INDEX FINGER LACERATION
24YOF PRESENTS FROM HOME WITH HAND LACERATIONS. PATIENT STATES SHE WAS USING A HEDGE TRIMMER AND USED HER OTHER HAND TO MOVE THE CORD WHEN SHE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE TRIGGER CAUSING THE LACERATION TO HER LONG AND RING FINGERS. DX: FINGER LACERATIONS
65YOM ACCIDENTALLY CUT HIS FINGERS WITH SOME HEDGE TRIMMERS DX: RT 2ND AND 5TH FINGER LACERATIONS
45 YOM LACERATED HIS FINGERS WHEN HE WAS USING ELECTRIC HEDGE TRIMMERS. DX: LEFT INDEX, MIDDLE FINGER LACERATIONS
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I was using my battery operated craftsman hedge trimmer and it stayed running after taking finger off trigger. I am hard of hearing and didnt know it was still running and other hand hit hit the running blades 10 stitches on three fingers on left hand.
On 8/2/23, I was using a Portland 22" electric bladed hedge trimmer (SKU 62630) manufactured/sold by Harbor Freight, when I suffered severe lacerations to the fingers on my left hand. I was using this trimmer outside of my home, as intended, to trim overgrown hedges. Prior to my injury, I had engaged the trigger and "safety switch" to start the trimmer, as both must be activated to start the device. The "safety switch" on the trimmer is located on the front handle, where the same hand must be used to hold the trimmer. For this reason, I continued to activate the safety switch and trigger during my use of the trimmer, as I presumed that disengaging the safety switch would stop the blades. While using the trimmer, my left hand came off of the front handle and the safety switch, and the hedger fell towards my left hand - but the blades continued to run. This caused severe lacerations to my fingers and blood loss, for which I received approximately 35 stitches at the emergency room. I have lost feeling in the tips of my fingers and, due to the severity of the lacerations, as well as bone fragments, I am awaiting surgery. This product is unreasonably dangerous. Unbeknownst to users, the blade of the trimmer continues to run even when the "safety switch" is disengaged. There is no such warning on the trimmer itself or in the product manual. To the contrary, the user is led to believe (i.e. as with a lawnmower or chainsaw) that if both mechanisms are required to start the trimmer, then releasing the "safety switch" will likewise stop the blades. Thus, when I disengaged the safety switch, the blades should have stopped such that my injury would never have occurred. These dangers are concealed from the user and the alleged safety switch does not function as expected.
Craftsman 20-In. Hedger Trimmer, Model Number 900.794410 had defective switch that appears not to work. But, when I touched the cutter bar with the trigger switch in the "Off" position, it suddenly turned on. This resulted in badly lacerated fingers. The switch was completely Off with nothing touching it. I've been able to safely test repeat the incident. The On / Off switch and safety does not turn the machine or On or Off. It appears to be non-working. However, if you touch the cutter bar it suddenly turns On. Other safety reports mention the switch has a problem of always being "On", but the cutter runs as soon as plugged in. In my case, it may be similar but touching the cutter bar causes some other short to complete the circuit then turning it On. This is especially dangerous as it is likely a person will want to inspect the bar with the unit Off (not realizing doing so will turn the cutter on).
My wife was using Sears Hedge Trimmer, Model #900.79442. She got a severe laceration (requiring stitches) on her left index finger. As she was placing the trimmer on a ledge, she released the trigger. The trimmer did not turn off and her left finger got too close to the blade. She did NOT have the trimmer set for continuous run. Both the trigger and the lock are VERY sticky and I could make the trimmer do the same thing. The trimmer is stored indoors and is used for light-duty work. We haved owned it for approx 2yrs.
Item not safely operating & properly, keeps getting stuck even though it has been clear out will start and few second later will stop when both hands are on the handle, and restart unexpectedly
The submitter was weeding her front lawn when gravel hit her on her left and right leg. She indicated that it had rained a lot the past few days and she did not notice gravel in the grass. She sustained a laceration on her right thigh and a 1-inch piece of gravel went into her left calf. She was taken by an ambulance to the emergency room at [REDACTED]. The gravel entered through the front and had to be removed from the back. She also indicated that she has a hematoma on her left knee from a 3rd piece of gravel. She received the product as gift two days ago and it was her first time using the product. She may contact the firm to report the incident.
On May 20th 2024 I was using a hedge trimmer and my hand slipped forward off of the handle bar causing my middle finger to be 80%severed/broken and my first and ring finder severely lacerated. The is a design flaw in the Stihl HS56 hedge trimmer. The call it an integrated gas tank/guard when all other brands in the US have am actual guard. The previous model had the gas tank on the side and a guard on the front. Stihl has also offered me $15000 to sign an NDA which means they don't want the design flaw to draw attention. I have a whole series of emails from Stihl that I would be happy to forward.
EGO Power+ Model HT2410 Cordless Brushless Hedge Trimmers This product started unexpectedly and my wife got sharp cuts in legs and thigh.
Showing 8 of 48 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to power hedge trimmers on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are power hedge trimmers?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, power hedge trimmers have a danger score of 36/100 (low risk). An estimated 5,370 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from power hedge trimmers?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 77,472 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from power hedge trimmers increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for power hedge trimmers injuries?
The 45-54 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 21,859 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by power hedge trimmers?
Of all ER visits involving power hedge trimmers, approximately 1.3% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (98.7%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with power hedge trimmers?
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 Lawn & Garden Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 36/100 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.
