How to protect kids by securing furniture and TVs

Parents go to great lengths to protect their children. Much of those efforts may be directed at potential threats outside the home, but it’s equally important that parents prioritize safety in­side their homes as well.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a child in the United States is injured in a television or furni­ture tip-over incident about 43 minutes. Tip-over incidents are preventable, and the CPSC of­fers the following tips to protect children.

• Use sturdy furniture. When choosing furniture to hold a television, be sure to read prod­uct descriptions to ensure you’re only buying furniture designed to hold a television. Items de­scribed as “television stands” or “media centers” are designed to hold televisions, but size and weight restrictions also must be considered when buying such products. TV stands and media centers are only safe if they are designed to hold televisions that are the size of your TV.
• Secure the television. The CPSC recommends that all tele­visions be secured by mounting or anchoring them to the wall. Properly mounted televisions likely won’t come off the wall no matter how curious kids are, but no item should be lower than 27 inches from the ground. Parents who can’t or don’t want to mount their televisions can purchases anchoring kits, which the CP­SC notes cost as little as $5 and take as few as five minutes to in­stall. Parents hesitant to do the job themselves can have tele­visions mounted or anchored by professional installers for a nominal fee. Many electronics retailers offer installation ser­vices as well.

• Secure top-heavy furniture. Top-heavy furniture also should be secured to prevent tip-overs. Anti-tip brackets are inexpen­sive and can be used to secure dressers, bookshelves and other pieces that pose a threat to cu­rious youngsters. Anchoring furniture secures items to the wall, and the CPSC notes that a lot of newly built furniture is sold with anti-tip devices. These devices should be installed im­mediately so children are safe from the moment a new piece is brought into the home.