Power saws · #38 of 45 by ER visits

Jigsaws & sabre saws: injury statistics

Reciprocating-blade saws for curves and demolition. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 2,645 emergency room visits in the US.

Jigsaws & sabre saws
Photo: saadahmad_umn / Unsplash
2,645
ER visits in 2025
5.3%
admitted or transferred
+23%
change since 2016
23%
aged 65 or over

ER visits per year

2016–2025 · 43 sampled cases in 2025
2016: 2,15716’2017: 1,80317’2018: 1,89518’2019: 1,99619’2020: 1,45820’2021: 1,39121’2022: 90422’2023: 1,85723’2024: 1,78824’2025: 2,64525’
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Injury type

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Laceration71%
Foreign body6.9%
Fracture6.2%
Other5.3%
Contusion or abrasion4.7%
Amputation2.1%

Body part injured

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Finger53%
Hand10%
Eye10%
Lower arm7.0%
Lower leg3.4%
Wrist3.3%

Age of injured people

97% male · 2021–2025

0-40.1%
5-140.1%
15-2411%
25-4427%
45-6439%
65-7418%
75+4.9%

Real cases

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

56-year-old male was cutting a holly bush down with a [brand] and got it caught on his finger while wearing gloves. — diagnosis: Laceration of left little finger.
32-year-old female, accidentally hit her elbow on multipurpose saw that she had just put down, wasn't running, — diagnosis: Elbow laceration, left, initial encounter.
70-year-old male into er with a laceration to left index finger. This occurred at home while he was using a reciprocating saw blade. — diagnosis: Laceration of finger of left hand without complication, essential hypertension.
32-year-old male cut finger when using a saw zaw. — diagnosis: Left index finger laceration.
Recalls

Recalls of jigsaws & sabre saws

No CPSC recalls matched this tool type since 2010. Search all recalls.

Questions

How many people are injured by jigsaws & sabre saws each year?

About 2,645 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving jigsaws & sabre saws in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 1,717 a year.

What are the most common injuries from jigsaws & sabre saws?

Laceration is the most common diagnosis (71% of cases 2021–2025), and the finger is the most often injured body part (53%).

How often do injuries from jigsaws & sabre saws need hospital admission?

5.3% 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 875, 864. 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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