Power tools · #14 of 45 by ER visits

Power drills: injury statistics

Corded and cordless drills, drivers and their bits. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 24,129 emergency room visits in the US.

Power drills
Photo: heyquilia / Unsplash
24,129
ER visits in 2025
3.4%
admitted or transferred
+28%
change since 2016
16%
aged 65 or over

ER visits per year

2016–2025 · 449 sampled cases in 2025
2016: 18,78016’2017: 19,07617’2018: 16,38318’2019: 18,06519’2020: 18,09620’2021: 18,45521’2022: 16,45222’2023: 16,94123’2024: 23,03524’2025: 24,12925’
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Injury type

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Laceration36%
Puncture17%
Fracture9.0%
Foreign body8.3%
Other8.1%
Contusion or abrasion7.9%

Body part injured

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Finger38%
Hand20%
Eye10%
Head4.8%
Wrist4.8%
Face4.8%

Age of injured people

87% male · 2021–2025

0-41.4%
5-142.6%
15-2413%
25-4436%
45-6430%
65-7411%
75+5.8%

Real cases

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

74-year-old male was using a screw gun in his left hand in an awkward position and had sudden onset of pain 5 days ago. — diagnosis: Left wrist strain, chest discomfort.
59-year-old male using a drill when something flew into his eye. — diagnosis: Left corneal abrasion.
20-year-old male using a power auger, jammed right ring finger. — diagnosis: Laceration finger.
65-year-old male reports he was at his son's house on a ladder and was drilling screws when he felt something go into his eye. — diagnosis: Ocular fb.
Recalls

Recalls of power drills

8 since 2010
DeWALT Recalls Drills Due to Shock Hazard2019-02-05 · ShockPower drillsBlack & Decker Recalls Hammer Drills Due to Injury Hazard2018-11-01Power drillsHarbor Freight Tools Recalls Cordless Drills Due to Fire and Burn Hazards2015-12-01 · FirePower drillsHarbor Freight Tools Recalls Cordless Drill Due to Fire and Burn Hazard2012-11-27 · FirePower drillsAlltrade Tools Recalls Kawasaki Cordless Drill Due to Burn Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Costco2012-06-27 · FirePower drillsRobert Bosch Tool Corp. Recalls Bosch Hammer Drills Due to Electrical Shock Hazard2010-11-23 · ShockPower drillsRyobi Recalls Cordless Drills Due to Fire Hazard2010-10-14 · FirePower drillsSouthern Technologies Recalls Drill Presses Due to Shock Hazard2010-06-30 · ShockPower drills

Questions

How many people are injured by power drills each year?

About 24,129 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving power drills in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 19,802 a year.

What are the most common injuries from power drills?

Laceration is the most common diagnosis (36% of cases 2021–2025), and the finger is the most often injured body part (38%).

How often do injuries from power drills need hospital admission?

3.4% 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 855, 871, 847. 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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