The Tipping Point That Almost Killed Our Son

A loud bang followed by a whimper brought us immediately into Matthew’s room as we all had just come upstairs to change for bedtime. Amy drew Matthew from under the tall dresser as I lifted it back up in place. The dresser/armoire had pitched forward when he opened two drawers at the same time. If not for the low bookcase near the armoire, he would have been crushed. The bookcase stopped the fall, resulting in scratches and bruises. Our Near Miss Tragedy was produced by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in a public service announcement available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY2oJ82-j1A.

Massachusetts Tip Over Awareness Day

Today, June 2, 2021, is Tip Over Awareness Day in Massachusetts as proclaimed by Governor Charles Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Secretary William Galvin of the Commonwealth. We celebrate the insight of our leaders to recognize the dangers presented by furniture and TV tip-overs. According to the CPSC 2020 Tip-Over Report, from 2000-2019:

• Every year, an estimated 25,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for injuries caused by a furniture, TV, or appliance tip-over. That is 68 people, most of whom are children, every day.

• There have been 571 reported fatalities from tip-overs related to furniture, TV’s and appliances, at least 469 of which were children.

• 82% of fatalities from furniture tip-overs involve children under 14.

• 14% of fatalities from tip-overs involve adults over 60.

• About every 46 minutes, a child is taken to the E.R. with injuries sustained from a tip-over.

• About every two weeks, a child dies from those injuries.

Tip-Over Prevention – You Can Do It in 5/5!

Furniture, TV and appliance tip-over accidents can be prevented. Kitchen appliances such as stove top ovens have to be installed with a wall or floor bracket to prevent tip-overs when the oven door is opened and racks are pulled forward. However, there are no such requirements for furniture and TVs. Furniture can be designed to meet with safety specifications to prevent tip-overs and there is Federal legislation filed to mandate CPSC in setting safety criteria. Today, tip-over prevention is easily accomplished with the “$5/5 minute method” for furniture and TVs. It takes a $5 wall strap and 5 minutes to install and provide peace of mind for parents and adult caregivers. A demonstration video is available through Consumer Reports at https://www.consumerreports.org/furniture/how-to-anchor-furniture-to-help-prevent-tip-overs/.

For additional information, visit CPSC Anchor It! at https://www.anchorit.gov/.