One of the risks to your children’s safety may be hiding in plain sight: your furniture.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the annual average of estimated emergency department-treated injuries due to product instability or tip overs among children for 2017 to 2019 was 11,300.1
So what can you do to help keep your children safe from injuries related to furniture in your home?
Keep your children out of harm’s way
According to Kids In Danger, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children by fighting for product safety, you can do the following to help prevent your children from getting injured:2
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Buy furniture with a wider base, a heavier back panel, and interlocking drawers
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Buy furniture that meets the ASTM F2057-19 standard, a safety specification “intended to reduce injuries and deaths of children from hazards associated with tip over of clothing storage units [that] covers chests, drawer chests, chests of drawers, dressers, and bureaus only.”3
Anchor your furniture. Visit anchorit.gov/materials, the CPSC’s website dedicated to educating the public about the importance of securing furniture and TVs to protect children, for instructions about how to anchor furniture.4
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Only put your TV on furniture that is intended for TVs.
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Keep cables and cords out of reach.
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Keep toys and remote controls off of furniture that will tempt children to climb.
Your home should be a safe space for you and your family. Help keep your children from getting injured by keeping these furniture safety tips in mind.
For more information on children’s safety, visit kidsindanger.org.
- https://cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/2020_Tip_Over_Report.pdf?nhwAgmMt9YXGhkqfsN75hMCNYgBTe5OJ
- https://kidsindanger.org/product-hazards/furniture-safety/
- https://www.astm.org/Standards/F2057.htm
- https://www.anchorit.gov/materials/
Categories: Home Safety/Childproofing, Infant/Toddler Safety, Safety Tips