Tapes (with Adhesive Surfaces)
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 Workshop Tools & Equipment · CPSC Code 927
Down 11% over 5 years
The verdict
Tapes (with Adhesive Surfaces) carry a danger score of 33/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 2,225 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 11% over the last five years.
- 33/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 2,225
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 2.6%
- end in hospital admission
- 5-14
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 927 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 33/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for tapes (with adhesive surfaces) - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume2,225 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)2.6%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-11%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Tapes (with Adhesive Surfaces) (CPSC product code 927, in the Home Workshop Tools & Equipment category) generate an estimated 2,225 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 44,508 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 33/100 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 declining by about 11% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (3,163 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2008 (1,610 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for tapes (with adhesive surfaces) is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 9,668 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the hand (4,812 cases). The 5-14 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 7,005 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 2.6% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 4 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how tapes (with adhesive surfaces) 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 | 2,326 | 1,657 | |
| 5-14 | 4,768 | 2,237 | |
| 15-24 | 4,531 | 2,372 | |
| 25-34 | 3,493 | 2,839 | |
| 35-44 | 2,391 | 2,390 | |
| 45-54 | 2,926 | 2,356 | |
| 55-64 | 2,209 | 1,847 | |
| 65-74 | 1,873 | 1,645 | |
| 75+ | 1,397 | 1,224 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Internal | Ingestion | |
| Ear | Foreign Body | |
| Wrist | Laceration | |
| Lower Trunk | Derma/conjunct | |
| Lower Arm | Laceration | |
| Face | Foreign Body | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Upper Trunk | Derma/conjunct | |
| Lower Arm | Derma/conjunct | |
| Internal | Aspiration | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Other | |
| Upper Trunk | Other |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
41 YOF C/O CUT HAND WAS CUTTING TAPE WITH KNIFE CUT HAND DX HAND LACERATION
14 YOM WAS CUTTING TAPE OFF ANKLE WITH A KNIFE AND INJURED FINGER DX LACERATION FINGER
62YOM CUT THE TOP OF HIS LEFT MIDDLE FINGER ON A PIECE OF PLUMBER'S TAPE TODAY. DX: LACERATION WITHOUT FOREIGN BODY LEFT MIDDLE FINGER WITHOUT DAMAGE TO NAIL
67YOF HAS A MEDI PORT THAT WAS JUST PLACED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER CHEST AND THE SKIN AROUND THE SITE IS NOW RED AND ITCHY DX: ALLERGIC DERMATITIS DUE TO ADHESIVES
76YOF WAS WALKING NEAR A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WHEN SHE GOT A TRIP AND FALL OVER A PIECE OF TAPE IN A CONSTRUCTION SHOWING AND FELL STRAIGHT FORWARD STRIKING FACE DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY; CONTUSION TO LEFT KNEE
51 YOF WAS TRYING TO RESCUE THE NEIGHBOR'S KITTEN AS IT HAD DUCT TAPE STUCK TO ITS BACK AND WAS STUCK UNDER A FENCE. THE CAT SCRATCHED AND BIT HER. +PUNCTURE WOUND LEFT INDEX FINGER, LEFT THUMB, ABRASIONS HANDS AND FOREARMS. DX: CAT BITE, CAT SCRATCH
17YOM PT CUTTING TAPE OFF A PIPE, RT HAND SLIPPED TIP OF SCISSORS CUT WRIST DX: LAC OF WRIST
34 YOM HAS A ULCER TO HIS LEFT HIP OVER WHICH HE HAS A DRESSING SECURED WITH ADHESIVE TAPE. HE HAS A BURNING SENSATION AND BLISTERS UNDER THE ADHESIVE TAPE. DX CONTACT DERMATITIS
59YOF WITH ALLERGIC REACTION TO ADHESIVE TAPE DX; ALLERGIC REACTION
13YOM PRESENTS FOR RASH ON FACE AND ARM AFTER ALLERGIC REACTION TO THE ADHESIVE TAPE FROM THE PICC LINE. DX: RASH
59YOF WITH CHEAT PAIN, DIZZINESS, DIETETIC AT HOME WITH A FINGER STICK BLOOD SUGAR OF 32, TAKES METFORMIN AND *** DX: HYPOGLYCEMIA
38YOM PRESENTS WITH WOUND TO HIS ARM AFTER PULLING TAPE OFF HIS SKIN. DX: WOUND OF UPPER EXTREMITY
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I BOUGHT 10 CASES OF PACKING TAPE FROM EBAY USER NAME "[REDACTED]" ON EBAY... AFTER USING TAPE I BECAME ILL...DIZZY..FAINT AND HAD A SICK FELLING WITH BURNING SKIN.. THE TAPE GLUE SMELLS HIGHLY TOXIC WITH MORE THAN NORMAL FUMES.. AFTER USING PRODUCT FOR 6-8 WEEKS IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THE TAPE WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS.. WENT TO DOCTOR AND THEY SAID MY THYROID COUNT WAS LOW.. NOT SIURE IF TAPE CAUSED IT OR NOT??? ALL THESE SYMPTONS CAME AT ABOUT THE SAMETIME... I THINK THE TAPE SHOULD BE TESTED FOR POISON TOXICS??? NAME OF COMPANY "SECURETAC" ADDRESS.... VM 9200 BREWERTON RD BREWERTON,NY 13029 I'M RETURNING 7 CASES OF TAPE TO THEM.. I HAVE KEPT A HALF OF CASE FOR TESTING IF NEED BE... YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT [REDACTED] THANK YOU
Office depot has a tape gun with they're name on it that has a retractable blade that cuts the tape but it gets stuck into the out position and becomes very dangerous after very little use I have cut myself on it a few time the last time pretty severely.
Purchased packing tape on ebay from seller gafferpower. Upon opening and using the tape, within 2 minutes my head was spinning and I was vomiting. A very strong chemical odor emanated from the adhesive on the tape. It was overpowering. The tape originated from China, of course. I still have the complete package of 6 rolls. it is fine unless you pull the tape off the spool.
I had hung up a picture with 3M Command Strips and it fell face forward on the bridge of my nose while I was standing in front of it. I had to go the ER and now have a scar. I received a letter from Costco stating that the 3M Command strips were not sticking right and they were going to send me new ones.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to tapes (with adhesive surfaces) on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are tapes (with adhesive surfaces)?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, tapes (with adhesive surfaces) have a danger score of 33/100 (low risk). An estimated 2,225 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from tapes (with adhesive surfaces)?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 9,668 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from tapes (with adhesive surfaces) increasing or decreasing?
Down 11% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for tapes (with adhesive surfaces) injuries?
The 5-14 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 7,005 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by tapes (with adhesive surfaces)?
Of all ER visits involving tapes (with adhesive surfaces), approximately 2.6% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (97.4%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with tapes (with adhesive surfaces)?
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 Workshop Tools & Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 33/100 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 5-14 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.
