Smart Safety: Anchor It!

The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Anchor It! campaign just released a new video that highlights the importance and simplicity of anchoring furniture and TVs to prevent tip-over injuries and deaths. 

Did you know a child dies about every 11 days when a TV, furniture, or appliance falls on them, and 14,000 children are injured ever year according to CPSC’s newest report. About 70 percent of tip-over fatalities involve children ages 1.5 to 3. These incidents are preventable.  

We had a close call with one of our own children, so I know how easily and quickly accidents can happen!

Here are six tips to make the home safer:

·         Anchor furniture, such as dressers, armoires, and bookshelves to the wall

·         Secure TVs to the wall or base/TV stand, and recycle older, unused TVs

·         Check for and act on recalls of products that present tip-over hazards

·         Watch this video demonstration to learn more about how tip-overs happen as well as how to easily install anti-tip devices (also known as anchors)

·         Review this PDF guide to see how quick and inexpensive anchoring can be

·         Watch these how to anchor videos for drywall and brick walls

I had a chance to interview John Hoellwarth, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Why do parents often overlook the recommendation to anchor furniture?

Parents often overlook the recommendation to anchor furniture because furniture and television tip-overs are a hidden hazard in the home. Children like to climb on furniture. They may use a dresser as a ladder to reach something on top such as a toy or the TV remote.  That’s why it is important to anchor furniture to the wall and mount televisions to wall as well.

What types of furniture need to be anchored?

It’s important to anchor TVs, dressers, bookshelves, and other pieces of large furniture to the wall to protect kids. We say, “take five to save lives.” Anchoring is easy, inexpensive, and only takes about five minutes.

How can parents look for furniture that is less likely to tip?

It can be difficult to judge the stability of furniture just by looking at it. However, you can prevent a tip-over and protect your child by properly attaching or anchoring TV’s, dressers, and other furniture to the wall. It’s easy to do and takes just five minutes. See our how-to videos for anchoring furniture to drywallhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZsRzvN7Pe4 or to brick https://www.youtube.com/embed/H9D6bRd5Lkg.