Hedge trimmers: injury statistics
Powered and manual hedge shears. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 10,021 emergency room visits in the US.
ER visits per year
2016–2025 · 194 sampled cases in 2025Noise exposure calculator
Injury type
Share of ER visits, 2021–2025
Body part injured
Share of ER visits, 2021–2025
Age of injured people
60% male · 2021–2025
Real cases
From NEISS case narratives, 2024–2025. Abbreviations expanded.
Recalls of hedge trimmers
TTI Outdoor Power Equipment Recalls RYOBI 40-Volt 24-Inch Cordless Hedge Trimmers Due to Laceration Hazard2025-06-12 · LacerationHedge trimmersChervon North America Recalls EGO Power+ Cordless Brushless Hedge Trimmers Due to Laceration Hazard2023-06-01 · LacerationHedge trimmersMakita U.S.A. Recalls Cordless Hedge Trimmers Due to Laceration Hazard2022-08-04 · LacerationHedge trimmersSTIHL Recalls Battery-Powered Hedge Trimmers Due to Laceration Hazard2016-06-14 · LacerationHedge trimmersHusqvarna Recalls Grass and Hedge Trimmers Due to Fire Hazard2012-04-04 · FireHedge trimmersSTIHL Recalls Yard Power Products Due to Burn and Fire Hazards2011-05-25 · FireHedge trimmersQuestions
How many people are injured by hedge trimmers each year?
About 10,021 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving hedge trimmers in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 9,615 a year.
What are the most common injuries from hedge trimmers?
Laceration is the most common diagnosis (81% of cases 2021–2025), and the finger is the most often injured body part (81%).
How often do injuries from hedge trimmers need hospital admission?
1.6% 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 1427, 1449. 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
