Lawn & garden · #10 of 45 by ER visits

Chain saws: injury statistics

Gas and battery chain saws. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 29,535 emergency room visits in the US.

Chain saws
Photo: pattib / Unsplash
29,535
ER visits in 2025
7.7%
admitted or transferred
+7%
change since 2016
22%
aged 65 or over

ER visits per year

2016–2025 · 518 sampled cases in 2025
2016: 27,61016’2017: 30,87217’2018: 26,87618’2019: 24,71519’2020: 29,41620’2021: 21,16221’2022: 25,85322’2023: 23,15923’2024: 33,55724’2025: 29,53525’
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Injury type

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Laceration76%
Fracture6.1%
Other5.0%
Contusion or abrasion3.9%
Strain or sprain2.5%
Foreign body1.5%

Body part injured

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Finger23%
Knee13%
Lower leg12%
Hand10%
Upper leg7.9%
Lower arm5.8%

Age of injured people

92% male · 2021–2025

0-40.1%
5-141.2%
15-249.7%
25-4430%
45-6437%
65-7416%
75+6.4%

Real cases

From NEISS case narratives, 2024–2025. Abbreviations expanded.

41-year-old male with foreign object (wood) in eye from using a chain saw — diagnosis: Foreign object in eye.
58-year-old male, coming in after he was attempting to use a chain saw earlier today when his hand slipped and he accidentally cut his left hand, no thinners, — diagnosis: Partial amputation of left hand.
85-year-old male complains of hand laceration from chainsaw — diagnosis: Laceration hand.
17-year-old male complains of hand pain after using chain saw — diagnosis: Contusion hand, sprain finger.
Recalls

Recalls of chain saws

13 since 2010
Milwaukee Tool Recalls M18 FUEL 14" and 12" Top Handle Chainsaws Due to Laceration Hazard2025-10-30 · LacerationChain sawsDR Power Equipment Recalls Battery-Powered Chainsaws Due to Fire and Burn Hazards2025-06-05 · FireChain sawsSTIHL Recalls MSA 300 Chain Saws Due to Laceration Hazard2023-09-14 · LacerationChain sawsDeWALT Recalls 18-inch Corded Chain Saws Due to Injury Hazard2022-01-26Chain sawsBlack & Decker Recalls CRAFTSMAN 10-Inch Corded Chain Saws Due to Laceration Hazard2020-12-09 · LacerationChain sawsKobalt Cordless Electric Chainsaws Sold Exclusively at Lowe's Stores Recalled Due to Laceration Hazard; Distributed by Hongkong Sun Rise Trading2020-09-23 · LacerationChain sawsHarbor Freight Tools Recalls Chainsaws Due to Serious Injury Hazard2018-05-14Chain sawsCordless Electric Chainsaws Recalled Due to Injury Hazard; Distributed by Hongkong Sun Rise Trading2018-02-01Chain saws

Questions

How many people are injured by chain saws each year?

About 29,535 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving chain saws in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 26,653 a year.

What are the most common injuries from chain saws?

Laceration is the most common diagnosis (76% of cases 2021–2025), and the finger is the most often injured body part (23%).

How often do injuries from chain saws need hospital admission?

7.7% of ER visits ended with the patient admitted or transferred to another hospital in 2021–2025.

About these numbers

National estimates from the CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), product code 1411. A case is counted if the tool appears in any of its three product fields. Estimates under 1,200 or based on fewer than 20 cases are flagged. Methodology · CSV

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