Tipping TVs, other furniture cause injuries

For most families, the home is a place of safety and security. But whether you live in a house, apartment or duplex, there are dangers in the home you may not realize.

This year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission listed tipping furniture as one of the top hidden home hazards. "Furniture, TVs and ranges can tip over and crush young children when they climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on them," said Claudia Romo, Injury Prevention Program manager at Children's. Tipping furniture can cause injuries to the arm, leg and head. In some cases, it can cause death.

As consumers continue to buy TVs with larger screens, parents should be especially aware of the risks they pose to small, curious toddlers. In a recent UT Southwestern Medical Center study, researchers looked at 26 patients who had come to the Emergency Department at Children's for injuries caused by falling TVs.

Among their findings:

• 19 out of 26 parents reported that their child was or may have been climbing on the furniture at the time of injury; the remainder said the TV was pushed off by someone else.
• Fourteen suffered head injuries, and nine injured an arm or leg.
• TVs with 20- to 30-inch screens made up two-thirds of the cases; TVs 19 inches and smaller made up less than a fifth of the cases; screens between 30 and 40 inches made up the balance.
• 85 percent of the TVs were placed between 2 feet and 5 feet off the floor.

Follow simple safety guidelines to avoid pediatric trauma

Use these tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• Ensure furniture is stable. Anchor furniture to the floor or attach it to studs in the wall.
• Free-standing ranges and stoves should be installed with anti-tip brackets.
• TVs should be placed on sturdy furniture appropriate for the size of the television or on a low-rise base. Parents can take a proactive approach by bolting their television stand and then anchoring the television to the stand for added security.
• Place the TV as far back as possible on its base.
• Ensure that cords are out of reach for children.
• Remove items that might tempt kids to climb on top of the TV, such as toys, remote controls or DVDs.
• Avoid TV stands with drawers, as these can serve as steps for the child to climb. If you do have a stand with drawers, think about using cabinet/drawer locks for added safety.

Resources

Preventing injuries
Household safety checklist
Emergency contact information
First-aid kit
Safe Kids Worldwide

Tags: home hazards, injury prevention, pediatric trauma, home safety tips, furniture safety, furniture injuries