Just how safe is your home for your little toddler? You’ve purchased cabinet locks, door handle protectors, socket covers, and you’ve put soft pads on the corners of the coffee table. So you’re all set, right? Maybe, maybe not. Unfortunately, there are hidden dangers with certain pieces of furniture that you may have missed.
Furniture and Television Tip-Overs
We hear on the news all too many times about a young toddler being seriously injured by a falling television, bookcase, or dresser. Thousands of children are injured and killed every year in the United States by furniture tip-overs. Children often use the drawers or the shelves of a dresser or bookcase for climbing, not realizing that their weight can topple the furniture. Following are some tips on how to protect your child, and visiting children, from the dangers of tip-over furniture.
Anchoring Furniture is Best
Take the following steps to anchor properly your furniture to avoid tip-over accidents:
- Purchase anti-tip brackets for top-heavy furniture. Anchor all large and tall furniture with drawers and shelves to the studs in the wall.
- Be sure to set furniture firmly on a hard surface floor so it is not wobbly or that it shifts due to cushioning in a carpet or rug.
- Only purchase and use sturdy furniture that is made specifically to hold televisions.
- Mount flat-screen televisions to furniture or the wall.
- Secure TVs that cannot be mounted to the wall by anchoring them to the wall.
- Remove toys and other objects that may tempt a child to climb the furniture.
Even if you don’t have children, aren’t expecting children or don’t anticipate any children visiting, these tips still ensure the safety of everyone in the home, including your pets.
