Many cases of injuries to children from furniture tipping over are reported each year, and unfortunately, some of those are fatal. While many safety standards are put into practice by furniture companies, if not used correctly in the home, these standards will not work as well. What can parents do to ensure that the furniture in their home does not become a tipping hazard?
Although televisions aren’t as big and bulky as they once were, they could still do a lot of damage if they fall over. Keep the television on a low stand and as far back as possible.
All furniture should be attached to the wall with a L bracket or strap to help stabilize them.
When buying furniture, buy sturdy, solid items with a wide base. Always store heavier items in bottom drawers so that they are not top-heavy. Again with shelving, heavier items should always be on the lower shelves.
Children will often use opened drawers to climb, prevent this from happening by installing drawer stops so that the child cannot open them very wide.
Keep any items that children might want to reach for, such as the remote control or candy, etc. either out of sight or on a lower shelf or drawer.
Electrical cords can be particularly hazardous to a child as they may very easily pull on them. Keep these things out of their reach.
While there are many things that we can do to prevent tipping hazards, a very important thing is good supervision of our children and, when old enough, educating them on the dangers.
If you feel concerned about tipping hazards in your home, don’t hesitate to contact us for more advice.