There has been a huge increase in people staying home with their kids and this places a greater risk for at-home incidents. But luckily there are many things you can do to prevent this from happening.
FACT CHECK : At least 14 children under nine years old died in Australia during 2000-2015 after domestic furniture fell on them. This is around one death per year.
(Source: National Coronial Information System)
“At least one child is killed in Australia every year by toppling furniture so we would like to remind parents to make sure that they are using anchoring devices and furniture straps to secure their furniture and TVs.”
Published Friday, 01 May, 2020 at 10:40 AM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
The Honourable Yvette D'Ath
Thankfully almost all furniture can be anchored!
Most fixtures can be placed and secured in your home and they go unseen fitting behind walls, or if your clever you can hide it behind other areas - this way you have the peace of mind knowing your family and visitors are safe, and you have the added benefit of it looking good as well.
The hazard lies with small children climbing on furniture (we all know how quick children are) it can happen in a few seconds, silently!
Have a look around your home and take a mental note of anything that is FREESTANDING.
Check for wardrobes, bookcases, book shelves, desks with large overhanging unsecured shelving, shelving, drawers, wardrobes, sideboards.
Unsecured furniture can topple over with a child’s weight pushing or pulling against it.
The great news is you can easily secure most household items yourself.
Safety tips below were online at the time of this blog post by ACCC (Product Safety Australia)
Buy safe
Purchase low-set furniture or furniture with sturdy, stable and broad bases.
Look for furniture that comes with safety information or equipment for anchoring it to the walls.
Test the furniture in the shop – make sure it is stable. For example, pull out top drawers of a chest of drawers and apply a little pressure to see how stable it is; make sure the drawers do not fall out easily.
Use safe
Attach, mount, bolt or otherwise secure furniture to walls and floors.
Do not put heavy items on top shelves of bookcases.
Place televisions at the back of cabinets or secure them to the wall.
Discourage small children from climbing on furniture.
Do not put tempting items such as favourite toys on top of furniture that encourage children to climb up and reach.
Do not place unstable furniture near where children play.
Put locking devices on all drawers to prevent children opening them and using them as steps.
The above was extracted from the website https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/fifty-australians-a-week-injured-by-toppling-furniture-and-televisions it was current as of the 10th November 2020. We strongly advise all consumers seek professional opinions when it comes to safety and use the government websites listed to make an informed decision.
You can visit these sites before attempting to secure your household items so that you are better informed - most fasteners or safety attachments can be purchased from a reputable hardware or safety store.