Lawn & garden · #28 of 45 by ER visits

Snow blowers: injury statistics

Gas and electric snow throwers. In 2025 they were involved in an estimated 6,577 emergency room visits in the US.

Snow blowers
Photo: nadin_nandin / Unsplash
6,577
ER visits in 2025
13%
admitted or transferred
+15%
change since 2016
40%
aged 65 or over

ER visits per year

2016–2025 · 104 sampled cases in 2025
2016: 5,73716’2017: 5,92217’2018: 5,17718’2019: 7,30419’2020: 3,65620’2021: 4,15321’2022: 5,11822’2023: 3,95923’2024: 5,11424’2025: 6,57725’
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Injury type

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Other30%
Laceration19%
Fracture17%
Strain or sprain9.8%
Internal injury6.0%
Contusion or abrasion5.8%

Body part injured

Share of ER visits, 2021–2025

Finger24%
Lower trunk13%
Upper trunk12%
Head9.7%
Hand5.5%
Knee4.8%

Age of injured people

88% male · 2021–2025

0-40.4%
5-140.8%
15-244.2%
25-4421%
45-6434%
65-7422%
75+18%

Real cases

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

37-year-old male with laceration to finger from a snow blower — diagnosis: Laceration to finger.
55-year-old male was using a snow blower and developed pain across upper back — diagnosis: Musculoskeletal strain upper back.
81-year-old female tripped on a cord and falling forward while still snow-blowing her driveway. She struck her head and experienced a headache in the area of impact. — diagnosis: Head injury, hypothermia, abrasion nose, essential tremor, traumatic hematoma of f.
81-year-old male used his snow blower on saturday & sunday. On tuesday, he developed worsening right-sided lower back pain. Today he did some shoveling & used a leaf blower. Pain has gotten progressively worse. — diagnosis: Other spondylosis lumbar region, abd.
Recalls

Recalls of snow blowers

13 since 2010
Ariens Recalls Snow Throwers Due to Laceration Hazard2025-02-06 · LacerationSnow blowersHusqvarna Recalls Residential 300 Series Snow Blowers Due to Injury Hazard2023-07-06Snow blowersToro Recalls Power Max Snowthrowers Due to Amputation Hazard2021-02-17 · AmputationSnow blowersJohn Deere Recalls Attachment Kits for Compact Utility Tractor Snow Blowers and Brooms Due to Injury Hazard (Recall Alert)2019-04-02Snow blowersAmerisun Recalls to Repair Snow Blowers Due to Injury Hazard2018-06-08Snow blowersOne World Technologies Recalls Snow Blowers Due to Fire and Burn Hazards; Sold Exclusively at Home Depot2016-04-26 · FireSnow blowersAll Power America Recalls Snow Throwers Due to Fire Hazard2014-07-02 · FireSnow blowersAriens Recalls Snow Throwers and Power Brushes Due to Amputation and Laceration Hazards2014-04-24 · Laceration, AmputationSnow blowers

Questions

How many people are injured by snow blowers each year?

About 6,577 people were treated in US emergency rooms for injuries involving snow blowers in 2025, according to CPSC's NEISS estimates. The average over 2021–2025 was 4,984 a year.

What are the most common injuries from snow blowers?

Other is the most common diagnosis (30% of cases 2021–2025), and the finger is the most often injured body part (24%).

How often do injuries from snow blowers need hospital admission?

13.1% 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 1406. 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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