Grinders, buffers & polishers: injury statistics
Angle grinders, bench grinders and polishers. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 40,246 emergency room visits in the US.
ER visits per year
2016–2025 · 633 sampled cases in 2025Saw blade rim speed calculator
Injury type
Share of ER visits, 2021–2025
Body part injured
Share of ER visits, 2021–2025
Age of injured people
98% male · 2021–2025
Real cases
From NEISS case narratives, 2024–2025. Abbreviations expanded.
Recalls of grinders, buffers & polishers
Metabo Recalls Rat Tail Angle Grinders Due to Laceration Hazard2017-12-05 · LacerationGrinders, buffers & polishersDirect Distributors Recalls Angle Grinders Due to Risk of Laceration2016-06-14 · LacerationGrinders, buffers & polishersRobert Bosch Tool Recalls Grinders Due to Risk of Burns2016-05-11 · FireGrinders, buffers & polishersMetabo Recalls Electric Angle Grinders Due to Laceration Hazard2014-07-24 · LacerationGrinders, buffers & polishersQuestions
How many people are injured by grinders, buffers & polishers each year?
About 40,246 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving grinders, buffers & polishers in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 32,712 a year.
What are the most common injuries from grinders, buffers & polishers?
Laceration is the most common diagnosis (45% of cases 2021–2025), and the eye is the most often injured body part (46%).
How often do injuries from grinders, buffers & polishers need hospital admission?
3.3% 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 codes 897, 899. 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
