Furniture Safety Rules for a Safer Home

So many furniture related accidents happen inside the home, that it makes sense to take a look at these indoor safety tips. A lot of indoor accidents involve children, so make sure to go over your safety rules with them as well.

Furniture Tip-over:

By far the greatest danger from furniture inside a home is from furniture tip-overs. Close to 8,000-10,000 people are injured by falling furniture each year according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and most of them are children.

Familiarize yourself with tip-over standard for chests, armoires and TV stands. Look for products that meet the voluntary tip-over standards and anchor any existing unstable furniture to the wall. Follow manufacturers' guidelines for selecting TV furniture.

How to Prevent Furniture Tip-Over Injuries

Bunk Beds:

Bunk beds should never be used for children under six years of age. Even when your child is older than six, make sure to follow these guidelines for greater safety:

The top bunk should have guardrails on each side, with openings of no more than 15" at each end. The rails should should extend at least 5" above the top surface of the mattress, and be sturdy. Use a proper size mattress, and a sturdy ladder to climb to the top bunk. Absolutely no horseplay and don't attach any items to any part of the bunk bed, including hooks, belts and jump ropes.

Lower the Risk of Bunk Bed Injuries

Dressers and Chests:

Look for pieces that meet the voluntary ASTM tip-over standard. Buy dressers and chests with automatic drawer stops, and drawers that open and close smoothly especially for homes with children. Tugging at drawers could cause tip-overs. Never open more than one drawer at a time, and children should be taught not to sit or stand in open drawers.

Recliners:

While today's voluntary industry guidelines have made recliners safe for adult use, children should never be allowed to play climb, or jump on them. Only one person should be allowed on a recliner at one time. It also helps to make sure the mechanism is safe to operate and still works properly from time to time.

More safety tips on the next page:

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