SAN ANTONIO — Anchoring TVs and dressers will help parents avoid any Monday morning quarterbacking when it comes to injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found 70% of child fatalities in the past 21 years involved TV tip-overs. So, make anchoring your TV and dressers part of your preps for Sunday’s big game. It's easy and cheap to do.
Run interference on tip-overs.
“It only takes a second for a toddler to run off, try and get something off a television, and have a television or bookshelf or some kind of piece of furniture fall on them,” said Pamela Springs with Consumer Product Safety Commission.
It can be a game changer. There were almost 20,000 emergency room visits from tip-over accidents in two years, according to the CPSC. The consumer safety group also found 93% of TV tip-overs involved head injuries.
“These can range from lacerations, from glass, you know, televisions have glass, broken bones because of heavy furniture, bruises,” Springs said.
Use the 20-20 game plan to sideline tip-overs.
“Go to the hardware store, get that anchoring kit that costs about $20,” Springs said. “It takes 20 minutes to put in. We think of it as a safety belt for your furniture. It is worth the peace of mind that it gives any caregiver, any parents, from knowing that if they take their eyes off their loved one just for a second, you know that the furniture is stable and won’t fall over on them.”
Anchoring kits also come free with new TVs.
See how to anchor furniture.
Be on the ball, even if you cannot anchor a TV or dresser.
“You can make sure that your television is pushed as far back as possible, whether it’s on a table or bookshelf. Store heave pieces of art or books or whatever, store them on the lower shelves for that extra bit of stability,” Springs said.
Plus, do not store items like toys where children might be tempted to climb to reach them.
The CPSC approved new safety standards in 2022 for clothing storage units that require they be tested for stability.
“We’re working with the furniture industry to implement that rule, which will give parents an extra modicum of peace of mind to make sure that new furniture is extra stable,” Springs said.
Plus, a safety warning for people of all ages: make sure electric and cable cords are out of the way as you watch the big game. They can cause a tripping hazard. You want it to be a day of fun, not falls of any kind.