Tip-over Prevention Information *

Anchor furniture to prevent tip-over accidents. The threat is serious, but the solution is simple!

  • Every year, about 9 children under age 6 die when a chest or dresser falls over on them, usually in their own bedroom. In more than half of these accidents, a TV also falls and is the primary cause of the fatality. These statistics come from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which has been tracking tip-over incidents since 2000.
  • Preventing these accidents begins with anchoring furniture and televisions throughout homes where young children reside or visit. Tip restraints are easy to install and require only basic tools. Click here to learn how to secure your furniture in four easy steps! Call 336/884-5000 to request your FREE furniture tip restraint.

MORE FACTS:

  • 82% of all children killed by falling bedroom chests or dressers are toddlers (12 to 48 months). Therefore, parents should anchor furniture and televisions at the same time they install electrical outlet covers, secure cabinets and take other “baby-proofing” steps.
  • Furniture and televisions aren’t the only household items that tip over when children climb or play on them … don’t forget to anchor appliances, as well. In 37% of all types of tip-over fatalities – furniture, TVs and appliances – the child was climbing when the accident occurred.
  • Every two hours, a child under age nine in the United States goes to the emergency room with an injury received when a dresser or chest toppled over on them.
  • 66% of injured children are toddlers (12 to 48 months) and 85% are under 60 months.
How to Anchor
A variety of tip restraints are available to help secure items in your home. They range from plastic brackets to nylon straps to galvanized steel cables. All typically include one bracket for the wall and one for the furniture, appliance or television. Look for these anti-tip products online or in the child-proofing section of home improvement stores.
Most manufacturers recommend installing the wall anchor in a wall stud. An inexpensive (starting at around $8.99) battery-operated “stud finder” is a useful tool to have on hand. Click here for additional resources on how to anchor.
What Else Can You Do?
When shopping for new bedroom furniture, only purchase storage pieces that comply with the voluntary furniture stability standard, ASTM F2057.
This standard applies to ALL bedroom furniture, not just furniture for children’s rooms. Compliant products have been engineered to remain stable under the weight of an average five-year-old child (50 pounds) climbing the drawers. Compliant products are easy to identify! Simply look for this permanent WARNING label inside a top drawer:
ASTM Tip Over Warning Label
Companies that have their product stability testing certified by a third-party lab will also carry this label:
Product Stability Verified Final
Follow these additional measures to help prevent tip-over accidents in your home:
  • Always place the heaviest items in the lowest drawers of storage units such as dressers or chests.
  • Do not place a TV on any furniture that is not specifically designed to hold electronics. Chests and bookcases pose significant hazards when misused in this way.
  • Never allow children to climb or hang on drawers, doors or shelves of furniture.
  • Never open more than one drawer at a time. Install stops on drawers (if they don’t already have them) to prevent them from being pulled out all the way.
  • Don’t create a temptation to climb! Keep remote controls, toys and other enticing items off the tops of TVs and other furniture where children can see but not reach them.
  • Always place TVs on sturdy, low bases. Always anchor the furniture and the TV.
* - Source: American Home Furnishings Alliance ( www.ahfa.us )