TV & Furniture Tip overs

Small kids are curious about TV’s.  They want to get them to turn on. They can grab or bump or climb up to reach the TV.   The TV wobbles, and then comes crashing down, which can injure or even kill a small child.

Many TV tip-overs are the result of televisions that aren’t properly secured or placed in safe locations. Flat panel TVs can be easily pulled off an entertainment center or table by a child. Heavier, box-style cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs placed on dressers or high furniture can tip over and cause serious injuries, even death, if children climb onto the furniture. There has been a 31 percent increase in TV tip-over-related injuries in the U.S. over the last ten years.

The Facts

Every 3 weeks a child dies from a television tipping over.  Each day, ten kids go to the ER because of TV tip-over.

Top Tips

• Secure flat screen TVs to the wall. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, properly securing with a wall mount that has a safety certification by an independent laboratory to ensure a secure fit.

• Place older, box-style TVs on low, stable furniture, appropriate for the TV’s size and weight.
• Attach furniture, such as dressers and bookshelves or anything holding a TV, to the wall. Use anti-tip brackets, braces, or wall straps to secure furniture to the wall.
• Install stops on dresser drawers to keep them from being pulled all the way out.
• Store heavy objects on lower shelves or in lower drawers.
• Avoid placing remote controls, toys, or other items in places where kids might be tempted to climb up or reach for them.