Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2022, Wallpaper Steamers ranks #684 of 838 by danger score (29/100) at ER-volume #817 of 838 (60/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #684
- danger rank of 838
- #817
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 29/100
- danger score
- 60/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 (29/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
29 Among the lowest lower than 82% 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 · 2022
Composite verdict
Composite Safety Score: 42/100
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) | 13 | 82nd | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 60 | 5th | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | +13% | 78th | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 0 | 0th | 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 478 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 971. Segments sum to 478 - 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 Home Workshop Tools & Equipment 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.
Home Workshop Tools & Equipment danger scores
How this 29/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for wallpaper steamers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 60 ER visits/yr Low volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 12.5% High admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.00% No recorded fatalities
- 5-year trend+13%
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 18-year NEISS window from 2005 to 2022, injury counts for wallpaper steamers are rising by about 13% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2007 (141 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2016 (15 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is burn, scald to the face, accounting for approximately 135 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by burn, scald to the finger (85 cases). The 25-34 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 152 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 12.5% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 0 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 12 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how wallpaper steamers 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 2022-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2022)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 0 | 40 | |
| 5-14 | 0 | 64 | |
| 15-24 | 15 | 0 | |
| 25-34 | 16 | 136 | |
| 35-44 | 70 | 15 | |
| 45-54 | 0 | 15 | |
| 55-64 | 0 | 75 | |
| 65-74 | 15 | 0 | |
| 75+ | 17 | 0 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Burn, Scald | |
| Finger | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Arm | Burn, Scald | |
| Foot | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Foot | Burn, Scald | |
| Hand | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Leg | Burn, Scald | |
| Wrist | Hematoma |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
84YOM, WAS USING STEAMER TO STRIP A WALL OFF WALLPAPER AND DEVELOPED, DX: BACK PAIN UNSPECIFIED
68YR OLD MALE USING WALLPAPER STEAMER WHEN IT BLEW UP AND BURNED SHINS
27YM WAS REMOVING WALLPAPER WITH A STEAMER WHICH ACC BURNT TOP OF HIS FOOT>>BURN
5YOF RAN INTO WALL PAPER STEAMERDX: BURN TO FOOT
FACIAL INJURY FROM WALL PAPER STEAMER. DX- SECOND DEGREE BURNTO FACE
LEFT WRIST HEMATOMA.PT WAS REMOVING WALLPAPER WITH A WALLPAPER STEAMERAND INJURED WRIST.
PT BURNED ARM ON WALLPAPER STEAMERDX// BURN RIGHT FOREARM
20 YOM WAS TRYING TO REMOVE WALLPAPER WITH STEAMER AND OPENED IT UP ANDSUSTAINED A BURN TO RIGHT PALM AND RIGHT THIGH
PT WAS AT HOME, GRABBED A STEAMER CAUSING A BURNT TO RT THUMB.
MOM USING HEAT JIM TO REMOVE WALLPAPER, HAD ON FLOOR, CHILD TANGLED INCORD, FELL ON IT. D.X BURN TO ABDM.
FOREARM BURN . PT BURNED ARM FROM STEAM FROM A WALLPAPER STEAMER
BURNED FACE ON A WALL PAPER STEAMERFACIAL BURNS 1ST AND 2ND DGREE
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to wallpaper steamers on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Home Workshop Tools & Equipment
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Wallpaper Steamers: cross-group products nearest on danger score (29/100), estimated annual ER visits (60/yr), and hospitalization share (12.5%). 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.
- Electric Holiday Decorations (excl. Christmas Tree Lights) Home Medical & Assistance Devices 12.5%admitted
- Rotary Power Lawn Mowers Lawn & Garden Equipment 12.4%admitted
- Day Wear Personal Care & Safety Products 12.6%admitted
- Elevators Or Other Lifts (excl. Escalators, Hoists, Jacks, Building Materials & Home Structures 12.6%admitted
Related Products in Home Workshop Tools & Equipment
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, Wallpaper Steamers ranks #684 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #817 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does wallpaper steamers rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, wallpaper steamers ranks #684 by PlainSafety danger score (29/100) and #817 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (60/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from wallpaper steamers?
The most common injury is burn, scald to the face, accounting for approximately 135 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from wallpaper steamers increasing or decreasing?
Up 13% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for wallpaper steamers injuries?
The 25-34 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 152 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by wallpaper steamers?
Of all ER visits involving wallpaper steamers, approximately 12.5% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (87.5%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with wallpaper steamers?
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.