Safety Tips on Furniture and TVs
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Safety Tips on Furniture and TVs
The consequences of poorly-designed or improperly-installed furniture can be severe, especially for children. In the United States alone, over 15,800 children are treated in emergency rooms through 2014 to 2016 due to toppling furniture, televisions (TVs), and other appliances.
Staying safe
Follow these safety tips when choosing and installing furniture to keep your children safe from potential tip-over hazards:
Before purchase:
- Choose sturdy, stable and well-built furniture. Give the furniture a little nudge to check its stability.
- Shelves should be able to bear the weight of items that will be placed on them.
- Check with the retailer that the item you are purchasing is suitable for your intended use.
- Test the furniture at the shop to make sure it is stable. For example, pull out top drawers of a chest of drawers and apply a little pressure to see if there is a risk of tip-over. Make sure the drawers do not fall out easily.
- Choose dressers that come with drawer stops (or have them installed) to prevent your child from pulling the drawer all the way out.
- Look for furniture that comes with safety information or safety devices (e.g. restraint kits to anchor it to the walls).
During use:
- Look out for anchor cabinets as well as bookcases or dressers with anti-tipping restraint kits. These anti-tipping kits could come in the form of wall brackets, braces, straps or other strong attachment devices. If they are not provided, ask your furniture retailer or purchase a suitable one.
- Assess the stability of your TV or furniture. Flat-screen TVs should be mounted, strapped to the wall or placed on a suitable stand as recommended by the manufacturer. Toddlers learning to walk may be attracted to the bright lights and colours from the TV. They may lean on the TV to steady themselves and inadvertently cause it to topple over.
- Older and heavier TVs should be placed on sturdy, dedicated cabinets meant to support their weight. Avoid resting them on makeshift and unstable tables, chests or cabinets. Push the TV as far back as possible once it has been placed on an appropriate stand.
- Avoid placing objects that are attractive to children, such as toys, treats or TV remote controls, on top of TV sets and dressers so they will not climb up to reach them.
- Avoid placing heavy objects high up on shelves or in top drawers. Placing them on lower shelves and drawers will help to keep furniture more stable. Additionally, never overload bookcases and bookshelves.
- For cabinets and dressers, do not open more than one drawer at a time as this could cause them to tip over.
- Educate children to never stand inside, climb into, or hang onto drawers, shelves or cabinet doors.
- Visually inspect your furniture regularly to ensure all bolts and nuts are secured.