As a parent, your number one priority is keeping your child safe. You may be thinking, “Furniture tip-overs? This doesn’t apply to me. My child will not climb.”
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the sad truth is that “children under the age of 6 accounted for 82% of all reported tip-over deaths involving clothing storage units between 2000 and 2016.”
Industry Safety Regulations
The tip-over testing standard is a dresser taller than 30 inches should not fall over with 50 pounds of weight hanging from an open drawer. However, these tests are voluntary. Meaning, manufacturers do not have to undergo product testing if they choose not to.
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With this being said, we’ve provided a list of ways to prevent furniture tip-overs.
• Mount TVs to the wall or place it on a low, stable piece of furniture for the TVs height and weight.
• Secure dressers and other furniture to walls by using brackets or wall straps
• Put childproof drawer locks on drawers of dressers, entertainment centers, etc.
• Move heavy items to the bottom drawers and shelves
• Refrain from placing toys, food, snacks, or anything your child may be interested in on places that your child can climb up
• Read manufacturer’s instructions and safety guidelines on how to properly secure your TV and furniture to the wall
Remember, it only takes one time for a fatal accident to happen. Use the thinking of ‘just in case’ rather than ‘that will never happen’.
Photo by James Lindsay on Unsplash