Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Trash Compactors ranks #574 of 838 by danger score (32/100) at ER-volume #636 of 838 (394/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #574
- danger rank of 838
- #636
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 32/100
- danger score
- 394/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 (32/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
32 Lower than most lower than 68% 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: 39/100
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 | 61st | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 394 | 22nd | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -10% | 51st | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 1 | 18th | 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 7,882 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 252. Segments sum to 7,882 - 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 Kitchen Cooking Appliances 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.
Kitchen Cooking Appliances danger scores
How this 32/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for trash compactors - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 394 ER visits/yr Low volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 3.1% Below median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.43% Elevated fatality rate
- 5-year trend-10%
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 trash compactors are roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2008 (674 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2009 (168 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 1,688 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by internal injury to the head (404 cases). The 35-44 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 1,491 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 3.1% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.43%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 1 consumer incident report filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how trash compactors 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 | 64 | 7 | |
| 5-14 | 406 | 21 | |
| 15-24 | 658 | 771 | |
| 25-34 | 789 | 279 | |
| 35-44 | 1,084 | 407 | |
| 45-54 | 818 | 620 | |
| 55-64 | 670 | 312 | |
| 65-74 | 400 | 230 | |
| 75+ | 33 | 304 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Finger | Hematoma | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Hand | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Finger | Amputation | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Finger | Crushing | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Hand | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Arm | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Hand | Crushing |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
20YOM WITH BEING HIT IN HEAD BY TRASH COMPACTOR DX: CONCUSSION
53 YOM HIT HEAD ON TRASH COMPACTOR LAST NIGHT, C/O FEELING DIZZY, DOES NOT TAKE BLOOD THINNERS, DX: CONCUSSION, ACUTE HEAD INJURY
69 YOM WAS CRUSHING CANS WITH A CAN CRUSHER WHEN IT SLIPPED AND CUT HIS HAND. DX: LEFT HAND LACERATION
40YOM KICKED A METAL TRASH COMPACTOR THIS MORNING DX RT GREAT TOE CONTUSION
68YOM FELL DOWN A TRASH CHUTE ABOUT 20 FEET DX: FRACTURED HIP
44 YOF WAS FOUND IN A TRASH COMPACTOR AT AN APRATMENT COMPLEX . DX: OPEN SKULL FRACTURE, BILATERAL UPPER ARM OPEN FRACTURES.
69YOM,FINGER INJURY AGAINST A CAN CRUSHER,DX:FINGER LAC
40 YOM STRUCK HIS ARM WHILE LOADING A TRASH COMPACTOR. DX: RIGHT ARM PAIN
14 YOM GOT HIS LEFT HAND CAUGHT IN A PRESSURIZED CAN CRUSHER.DX: LACERATION LEFT MIDDLE FINGER
70YOF WITH FINGER LAC AFTER GETTING FINGER CAUGHT ON GARBAGE COMPACTOR DX: LAC OF FINGER
62 YOM INJURED THORACIC BACK, FALL, FELL FROM TRASH COMPACTOR. DX-COMPRESSION FRACTURE T12
37YOF WAS USING A TRASH COMPACTOR WHEN THERE WAS BROKEN GLASS IN IT AND CUT RIGHT FOREARM DX: LACERATION FOREARM
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Two new KitchenAid trash compactors were installed in my new kitchen in May, 2011. Several months ago, one of them started smoking (I'm assuming a burning motor). We're still awaiting the repair; The second trash compactor started smoking on Friday 6/1. I'm concerned that this is a real safety issue. It's unusual for one household's kitchen to contain 2 trash compactors so it may not be apparent to most consumers that it may be a model-wide issue.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to trash compactors on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Kitchen Cooking Appliances
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Trash Compactors: cross-group products nearest on danger score (32/100), estimated annual ER visits (394/yr), and hospitalization share (3.1%). 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.
- Shuffleboard (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 394/yr
- Gas-burning Fireplaces, Factory Built Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares 390/yr
- Skeet Shooting (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 398/yr
- Infant & Toddler Play Ctrs, Excl Jumpers,bouncers&exercisers Nursery & Baby Products 389/yr
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
- Balls, Other Or Not Specified Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment 3.2%admitted
- Toy Guns With Projectiles Toys & Children's Recreation 3.1%admitted
- Ice Skating (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 3.1%admitted
- Other Specified Plastic Products Containers & Packaging 3.1%admitted
Related Products in Kitchen Cooking Appliances
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, Trash Compactors ranks #574 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #636 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does trash compactors rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, trash compactors ranks #574 by PlainSafety danger score (32/100) and #636 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (394/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from trash compactors?
The most common injury is laceration to the finger, accounting for approximately 1,688 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from trash compactors increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for trash compactors injuries?
The 35-44 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 1,491 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by trash compactors?
Of all ER visits involving trash compactors, approximately 3.1% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (96.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with trash compactors?
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.