SAFETY ISSUE – CA – OCT 2014
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in monthly
Furniture can tip over and injure kids
A parent lets a toddler out of sight for a minute…and, to his horror, the child gets critically injured because the TV falls on him. This is not uncommon. One of the top hidden hazards in homes where young children live or visit is unsecured and unstable TVs, furniture and appliances.Typically, injuries and deaths occur when children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on television stands, shelves, bookcases, dressers, desks, chests and appliances. Every parent of a young child should look around their home and imagine what could tip over, fall off walls and injure a child.
Parents can take these simple, low-cost steps to prevent tip-over hazards:
• Furniture should be stable on its own. For added security, anchor chests, dressers, TV stands, bookcases and entertainment units to the floor or attach them to a wall.
• Replace any top-heavy furniture that can’t be secured especially furniture with shelves, drawers (children can use the drawers to climb) and doors.
• Make sure that all computer monitors are safely secured.
• Store televisions, computer equipment and other heavy and commonly used objects close to the ground.
• Place the TV on a sturdy, low-rise base. Avoid flimsy shelves. Push the TV as far back on its stand as possible. Mounted TVs should be well out of reach of young children.
• Don’t put objects on top of TVs. Keep remote controls and other attractive items off the TV stand so kids won’t be tempted to grab them and risk knocking the TV over.
• Place electrical cords out of a child’s reach and teach kids not to play with them.
• Large wall art or sculptures that could fall and hurt a child should be secured or removed.
• Make sure free-standing ranges and stoves are installed with anti-tip brackets. Appliances, such as refrigerators, ovens and microwaves, should also be firmly in place.
• Supervise children in rooms where these safety tips have not been followed. Put up safety gates to keep young children from rooms that may have greater risks.
