Have you ever watched the video from a few years back on YouTube of the toddler twins caught on camera escaping their beds, climbing on a dresser, resulting in the dresser falling over on to one of them? Thankfully the other twin was able to help to slide the dresser off his brother. As a parent watching that video seems like the longest 2 minutes ever. This happens more often than not, and it’s scary to think your kids are safe in bed napping or sleeping for the night, only to find out they are not. Imagine thinking that your home is supposed to be the biggest safety net you own but then it suddenly it’s not. Thankfully manufacturing companies have now been providing wall brackets to secure bookshelves, dressers, and large entertainment pieces, ect. to the wall to prevent incidents like this from occurring again. Below we have provided a few other safety tips to help prevent falling electronics or furniture to help protect your children.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a child is rushed to the emergency room approximately every 30 minutes due to furniture or electronics falling or tipping over. Taking a few extra minutes to anchor your furniture could protect a child from a fatal injury.
Use these tips to prevent furniture tip-overs:
- Make sure all TVs and large furniture such as dressers, bookcases and nightstands are properly anchored. Although you should always follow the anchoring kit’s instructions for proper installation, here are some basic guidelines to follow:
1. Install the brackets as high as possible to the back of your furniture.
2. Secure your wall anchor into a wall stud or sturdy base.
3. Tighten the restraints between the wall anchor and the furniture bracket to make sure the connection is secure. - Follow design and weight restrictions on all furniture. Avoid exceeding any furniture weight limits. If these restrictions aren’t followed, you could increase the chances for injury.
- Reduce the temptation to climb. Don’t place any toys, snacks or other tempting items on the tops of large furniture. Instead, place items in a safe space, like a childproofed cabinet or drawer.
- Keep heavier items on lower shelves. Place TVs and other large appliances on lower shelves of furniture to reduce the risk of tip-overs.
Safety First
As an added safety precaution, check to see if your furniture’s manufacturer complies with the tip-over safety standards set by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) International. Although furniture manufacturers are not required to meet these safety guidelines, you can rest easy knowing your furniture meets some of the highest furniture stability standards.