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An often overlooked but incredibly vital piece of keeping a home safe for children is taking the steps to reduce the risk of furniture and TVs tipping over. Yesterday, The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report that revealed just how often people are injured and die from tip-overs.
They reported that from 2020-2022, an annual average of 17,800 Americans required emergency room treatment for tip-over injuries. Nearly 44 percent of those patients were under the age of 18. They also reported that, between Jan. 2013 and Jan. 2023, there were 217 fatalities from tip-overs, 155 of which were children under the age of 18. In terms of both injuries and fatalities, Black Americans were disproportionately affected.
Those are a lot of scary statistics, but the CPSC has seen a major decrease in emergency department treatments from 2013-2022 which may be due to their AnchorIt! campaign. Part of AnchorIt! is this important “Even When You’re Watching” video that includes real footage showing how quickly a tip-over can happen.
All that said, there are many ways parents can help prevent these injuries and fatalities, the biggest part being anchoring furniture and TVs in their homes. There are specific furniture anchors, TV anchors, and drawer latches that make it harder for kids to climb dressers. Families can also report tip-overs to the CPSC so the agency can consider a recall.
Dreambaby Hinged Anti-Tip Furniture Anchors
These Dreambaby anchors secure furniture (especially bookshelves and dressers) using an adjustable strap. Experts recommend using name-brand products — even if they are more expensive — like Dreambaby or Safety 1st since they are less likely to fail.
They should come with instructions, but you can watch installation tutorials HERE. Make sure you’re securing straps into the studs in the wall and not relying on drywall anchors.
Last year, SheKnows spoke to Peter Kerin, a professional childproofer and the president of the International Association for Child Safety. Kerin shared 13 ways parents can make their homes safer for kids. One of those was, unsurprisingly, to anchor furniture. He recommends straps that have nylon webbing which are easier to adjust than those with metal cables.
Kerin tells us that most childproofing efforts start to abate as kids reach 4 years old, but furniture injuries typically continue through age 7.
“And it’s rightful and appropriate [because kids] play by themselves in a different room when they’re 4 years old. That’s understandable and normal.”
“[But if] a 5-year-old sees something up on a higher shelf on a bookcase and tries to climb that bookcase that isn’t secured, that becomes a very bad day.”
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