Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Pull-down Or Folding Stairs ranks #659 of 838 by danger score (30/100) at ER-volume #507 of 838 (1,158/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #659
- danger rank of 838
- #507
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 30/100
- danger score
- 1,158/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 (30/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
30 Among the lowest lower than 79% 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: 38/100
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) | 7 | 59th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 1,158 | 35th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -54% | 13th | 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 23,152 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 1840. Segments sum to 23,152 - 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 Building Materials & Home Structures 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.
Building Materials & Home Structures danger scores
How this 30/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for pull-down or folding stairs - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 1,158 ER visits/yr Below median volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 7.1% Above median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend-54%
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 pull-down or folding stairs are declining by about 54% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2011 (2,411 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2024 (353 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 2,020 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the head (1,778 cases). The 35-44 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 5,146 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 7.1% 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 pull-down or folding stairs 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 | 51 | 185 | |
| 5-14 | 277 | 162 | |
| 15-24 | 749 | 498 | |
| 25-34 | 1,322 | 1,598 | |
| 35-44 | 2,440 | 2,706 | |
| 45-54 | 2,468 | 2,306 | |
| 55-64 | 1,613 | 2,379 | |
| 65-74 | 1,030 | 1,348 | |
| 75+ | 1,159 | 863 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Lower Trunk | Fracture | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Other |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
53YOF WAS PULLING DOWN ATTIC PULL DOWN STAIRS AND IT HIT HER IN HEAD DX:CONCUSSION
32YOF WAS IN THE ATTIC GETTING CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND FELL DOWN PULL DOWN STAIRS STRIKING HEAD DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY, LAC SCALP
11YOM WAS PULLING DOWN AN OVERHEAD STAIRWAY WHEN SOMETHING FELL INTO RIGHT EYE DX: FOREIGN OBJECT EYEBALL
47YOM WAS IN HIS ATTIC WHEN HE FELL DOWN THE PULL-DOWN STAIRS ABOUT EIGHT FEET LANDING ONTO BUTTOCKS DX: COMPRESSION FRACTURE LOWER BACK
70YOM WAS IN THE ATTIC WHEN THE PULLED DOWN LADDER CAME DOWN ONTO HIS RIGHT FOREARM DX: CONTUSION FOREARM
61YOM WAS WALKING DOWN THE PULL DOWN ATTIC STAIRS AND LOST FOOTING STRIKING HEAD DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY, FRACTURED LOWER BACK
48YOM WAS PULLING DOWN THE ATTIC STAIR PULL DOWN LADDER AND IT STRUCK HIM IN THE HEAD DX: LACERATION SCALP
59YOM STRUCK BY FOLDING STAIRS WHILE CLEANING OUT HIS ATTIC. DX: FACIAL FX
5YOF PRESENTS WITH A RIGHT FOOT/ANKLE INJURY AFTER A STAIRCASE FELL ON HER. PER MOM, THE STAIRCASE IS ONE THAT WOULD BE USED TO GAIN ACCESS TO AN ATTIC. FATHER ESTIMATES STAIRCASE IS SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS. SIGNIFICANT SWELLING AND BRUISING AND IS UNABLE TO BEAR WEIGHT. FXS TO MEDIAL/LATERAL CUNEIFORMS, CUBOID, AND POSSIBLE 2ND METATARSAL. DX: MULTIPLE CLOSED FRACTURES OF RIGHT FOOT.
72YOF KNEE PAIN AND FOREARM LAC WHEN FALL FROM TOP OF METAL ATTIC STEPS
68 YOF FROM HOME WAS PULLING DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE ATTIC AND IT HIT HER ON THE TOP OF HER HEAD. DX: INJURY OF HEAD; NECK PAIN; MINOR HEAD INJURY
37YOM WAS CLIMBING DOWN THE PULL DOWN ATTIC LADDER AND ACCIDENTLY CUT LEFT INDEX FINGER ON THE METAL SECTION OF THE LADDER DX: LACERATION TO FINGER
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Product: Louisville aluminum folding attic stairs Model AA259GS87 Incident: Folding stair support bracket on left side failed to fold on pivit joint when the stairs were closed resulting in bending the braket and tearing the aluminim stair channel where the bracket mounts to the aluminim stair channel. Subsequent use of attic stairs resulted in the braket breaking loose from the aluminum stair channel when a person was climbing the stairs. When the supporting bracket broke lose the stair sagged on the left side almost causing the person to fall from the stairs. The stair will to support a person now.
The pull down stairs is supposed to be for ceiling up to 108 my ceiling is 104. When I try to lower or put stairs up it will fall back down and hit you in head. The only way you can put stairs up or down is by using another ladder. This is a very unsafe situation. The builder and supplier agree you can not work it with out another ladder. They then say its ok because the manufacturer says its the right one for ceiling height. Ive talked to manufacture and the agree most would need to use a ladder to work the pull down stairs.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to pull-down or folding stairs on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Building Materials & Home Structures
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Pull-down Or Folding Stairs: cross-group products nearest on danger score (30/100), estimated annual ER visits (1,158/yr), and hospitalization share (7.1%). 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 Building Materials & Home Structures
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, Pull-down Or Folding Stairs ranks #659 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #507 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does pull-down or folding stairs rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, pull-down or folding stairs ranks #659 by PlainSafety danger score (30/100) and #507 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (1,158/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from pull-down or folding stairs?
The most common injury is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 2,020 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from pull-down or folding stairs increasing or decreasing?
Down 54% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for pull-down or folding stairs injuries?
The 35-44 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 5,146 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by pull-down or folding stairs?
Of all ER visits involving pull-down or folding stairs, approximately 7.1% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (92.9%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with pull-down or folding stairs?
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.