Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Vaporizers ranks #735 of 838 by danger score (27/100) at ER-volume #686 of 838 (219/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #735
- danger rank of 838
- #686
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 27/100
- danger score
- 219/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 (27/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
27 Among the lowest lower than 88% 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: 35/100
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 | 50th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 219 | 14th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -34% | 18th | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 11 | 50th | 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 4,386 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 305. Segments sum to 4,386 - 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 Small Appliances & Housewares 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 Small Appliances & Housewares danger scores
How this 27/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for vaporizers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 219 ER visits/yr Low volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 5.8% Above median admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend-34%
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 vaporizers are declining by about 34% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (393 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2023 (77 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is burn, scald to the hand, accounting for approximately 489 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by poisoning to the all parts body (434 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 2,428 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 5.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 11 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how vaporizers 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 | 1,310 | 1,118 | |
| 5-14 | 264 | 254 | |
| 15-24 | 308 | 186 | |
| 25-34 | 32 | 145 | |
| 35-44 | 270 | 104 | |
| 45-54 | 76 | 15 | |
| 55-64 | 62 | 0 | |
| 65-74 | 0 | 87 | |
| 75+ | 84 | 64 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Hand | Burn, Scald | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Foot | Burn, Scald | |
| Upper Leg | Burn, Scald | |
| Upper Trunk | Burn, Scald | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Trunk | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Arm | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Leg | Burn, Scald | |
| Face | Burn, Scald | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Ankle | Burn, Scald | |
| Mouth | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
35 YOF A STEAM VAPORIZER BURNED HER LEFT ANKLE. DX: BURN OF LOWER EXTREMITY
29YOF WAS AT A FAMILY MEMBERS HOME WHEN THEY WERE RUNNIGN AN ESSENTIAL OIL VAPORIZER AND SHE DEVELOEPD HIVES ALL OVER DX: ALLERGIC REACTION
7YOF PT'S MOM USING A WATER STEAM VAPORIZER, SOME WATER SPILLED ON PT'S LEG DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF RT LOWER LEG #
2YOF WAS CRAWLING AT HOME AND KNOCKED OVER A HEATED VAPORIZER AND THE HOT WATER SPILLED ONTO HER BUTTOCKS SOAKED THROUGH HER PAJAMAS DX: SCALD BURN TO BUTTOCKS
4yom tripped on a cord of the *** vaporizer/humidifier (that was sitting on the kitchen island) at home and hot water spilled on his chest. DX: burn of chest wall.
17YOF PRESENTS W/ CHEST PAIN AND TROUBLE BREATHING PER GF THEY WERE SMOKING A TC VAPORIZER WHEN SYMPTOMS BEGAN DX: MOST LIKELY THC INTOX PANIC ATTACK
2YOM WAS FOUND DRINKING FROM A *** VAPORIZING STEAM LIQUID CONTAINER DX: ACCIDENTAL INGESTION OF A TOXIC SUBSTANCE
2YOM WHOSE PARENTS WERE USING A *** MACHINE TO HELP HIS CONGESTION, AND THE HOT WATER SPLASHED ON HIS ABDOMEN AND RIGHT WRIST. DX: BURN ANY DEGREE INVOLVING LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF BODY SURFACE.
4yom pulled over a *** machine and hot water spilled onto his thigh DX: scald burn to thigh
38YOM PRESENTS WITH A 2ND -3RD DEGREE BURN TO THE LT THIGH AFTER HIS VAPORIZOR EXPLODED IN HIS POCKET. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF THE LT LOWER EXTREMITY
25YO M WITH A FORIEGN BODY IN HIS RECTUM ONE HOUR PTA. HE STATES HE BELIEVES IT IS A VAPE AND IS NOT ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS. DX: RECTAL FOREIGN BODY #
14YOF SMOKED A DAB PEN WITH NICOTINE AND THEN DRANK AND ENERGY DRINK. DX CHEST PAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I was using a Cuboid 150W from Joyetech when it suddenly exploded in my hands and started shooting flames out of the battery compartment. It exploded without notice and was in good working order with no signs of abuse or neglect. It exploded inside my home office, filling the air with toxic fumes and burning my hands. It was quite terrifying. Had this happened inside a moving vehicle, I shudder to think of the outcome. Someone needs to investigate these before someone dies as a result of this product.
(08/25/2013) The consumer stated that she walked into her kid's room. She smelled something burning. The consumer stated that there was smoke coming from the vaporizer. The consumer stated that she unplugged the vaporizer. The consumer stated that the plug was very hot. The consumer stated that the plug was so hot that it burned her hand.The consumer stated that the vaporizer had been on for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Hello, I purchased a Volcano Hybrid from Storz and Bickel in January 2020. They sent me an outdated safety manual so I was unaware of a defect with their product. They also did not notify me of the updated instructions or notify me that I was entitled to a replacement part that fixed the defect altogether. The article through this link ([REDACTED]) provides more specific details around the issue. As a result, I potentially inhaled metal dust through their product for months. I just want to make sure that everyone who purchased this product, before the defective parts were replaced, is aware of the issue and solution. I happened to learn of the safety issue while browsing [REDACTED] - Storz and Bickel should have emailed me months ago. Furthermore, I have not been able to get in contact with Storz and Bickel for my replacement part, making my Volcano unsafe to operate. Please let me know if you need any additional information. Best, [REDACTED]
I walked into the gym. I felt like there was a cloud around me in the air. The air was full of some chemicals. It turned out to be an "aromatherapy" machine that was spraying some fragrance in the air. I got dizzy, had difficulty breathing, got horrible pain in my head, my eyes were burning and I couldn't breathe. I had to leave. I was sick for some time because of this so got curious and investigated to find out what was in the product. I managed to get the "top secret proprietary" ingredients of the product. The product contains known carcinogens, 2 ingredients that are in the state of NJ's Hazardous substance Right to Know list, and includes 16 pages of warnings and hazards including: - causes cancer - causes damage to fetuses in pregnant woman - toxic to the environment/ do not release to the environment - fatal to marine life - do not breathe the vapors, mist or fumes (then why are they putting into a machine to breathe!) - use gloves, mask and protective eyewear - the list goes on for 16 pages like this Luckily, once my building's gym saw the ingredients, they promptly turned the machine off and are having the air professionally cleaned. They were horrified as well. Our manager was pregnant breathing in this poison during her pregnancy because she was told it was safe. Not to mention all the other pregnant women in the building. The reason I am contacting you, is that I have learned that this product is being used nationwide, basically everywhere, including: - Miami International Airport - Lexus and Lincoln car dealerships - Abercrombie and Fitch, Versace. ZGallery, Modani, and many other retailers - Hilton, Hyatt, The Shore Club, The Mondrian, and other hotels - Universal Studios - The Casino at Gulfstream - Carnival Cruise Lines - Disney - any many many more. The company told me that this is their number one selling fragrance worldwide, and this exact formula, for which I have the ingredients, is being used at all of these pl
My family returned home from the grocery store, we made it a habit of not leaving any humidifiers plugged in. After turning on the switch, we smelled an acrid burning scent. I ran over to the humidifier and unplugged it quickly. I immediately opened the doors and windows, allowing the smoke to dissipate before setting off the fire and security alarm. I immediately phoned Mainstays who manufactured the product for Walmart and was told the return window was closed and there was nothing they will do about the dangerous product being sold in stores.
Just bought the Crane Vaporizer, cleaned it and filled it with water. When I tried to plug it in it sparked and blew a circuit. I dumped the water and cleaned it thoroughly per instructions and fill it again. I tried plugging it in a different outlet that has surge protection. Again it sparked a lot and melted the plug.
Walmart's Mainstays brand steam vaporizer / humidifier caught on fire during regular use. Plastic melted and and flames were shooting out of the top of the unit.
Family Care Vaporizer model HV 740/745 caught fire at junction of cord and vaporizer motor after being on for 2 hours or less. Vaporizer was used successfully the evening before, but otherwise has only been used sparingly. No injuries sustained, cord was swiftly unplugged.
Showing 8 of 11 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to vaporizers on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Vaporizers: cross-group products nearest on danger score (27/100), estimated annual ER visits (219/yr), and hospitalization share (5.8%). 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.
- Unicycles, Unpowered Or Unspecified Sports & Recreation Equipment 5.8%admitted
- Chains, Not Elsewhere Classified Home Communication & Entertainment 5.9%admitted
- Power Jointers Home Communication & Entertainment 5.9%admitted
- Bars And Bar Accessories, Not Elsewhere Classified Floors, Walls & Ceilings 5.9%admitted
Related Products in Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares
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, Vaporizers ranks #735 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #686 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does vaporizers rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, vaporizers ranks #735 by PlainSafety danger score (27/100) and #686 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (219/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from vaporizers?
The most common injury is burn, scald to the hand, accounting for approximately 489 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from vaporizers increasing or decreasing?
Down 34% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for vaporizers injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 2,428 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by vaporizers?
Of all ER visits involving vaporizers, approximately 5.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (94.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with vaporizers?
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.