It happens in seconds, in silence, and almost always when a parent is nearby. A child climbs a dresser, a bookcase, or pulls open a drawer — and the furniture tips forward, crushing them. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is aware of 234 fatalities resulting from clothing storage unit tip-overs from January 2000 through April 2022, including 199 child fatalities. CPSC estimates that there were 84,100 tip-over-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments from 2006 through 2021. Among all tip-over fatalities involving furniture, TVs, and appliances since 2000, 81 percent of victims were children — and 93 percent of child fatalities involved children five years old and younger.
Why Children Are at Greatest Risk
Tip-over incidents typically occur when children climb onto, fall against, or pull themselves up on furniture. In many cases, televisions placed on top of furniture tip over along with the piece, compounding the injury. Head injuries account for 66 percent of fatalities. The majority of these deaths occur at home — in living rooms, bedrooms, and playrooms — the very spaces where parents feel most comfortable letting their guard down.
The Anchor It! Solution
CPSC’s Anchor It! campaign has shown that anchoring furniture to the wall is simple, low-cost, and highly effective. Campaign efforts have contributed to a nearly 50-percent decline in tip-over-related injuries and deaths in the U.S. since 2015. Every dresser, bookcase, wardrobe, and armoire in your home should be anchored — not just the ones in children’s rooms.
How to Anchor Your Furniture
- Purchase inexpensive anti-tip brackets or furniture anchoring kits at most hardware stores. New furniture such as dressers is often sold with anti-tip devices included — install them immediately.
- Attach the anchor strap or bracket to a wall stud for maximum security.
- Check that the anchoring device is installed correctly and is not loose or damaged.
- Visit AnchorIt.gov for step-by-step instructions on how to anchor different types of furniture and TVs.
Additional Safety Tips
- Always place TVs on a sturdy, low base and push the TV back as far as possible.
- Keep cable cords and power cords out of reach of children.
- Remove items that might tempt children to climb — such as toys and remote controls — from the tops of TVs and furniture.
- Keep heavier items on lower shelves to reduce the risk of tipping.
- Even when TVs and furniture are anchored, adult supervision is still recommended.
Check for Recalls
CPSC continues to issue recalls for dressers and clothing storage units that fail to meet mandatory safety standards under the STURDY Act. Check SaferProducts.gov regularly to verify that the furniture in your home has not been recalled.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/AnchorItgov
