One of the most horrible things for parents to imagine is the death of their young child.
Unfortunately, this nightmare is a reality that many parents face every year as a result of accidents that could have been prevented. Tip-over deaths are becoming more and more common in houses with young children, especially when heavy appliances and furniture in those households, like dressers and televisions, are not properly secured.
According to recent reports from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 25,400 children sustained injuries from tip-over accidents between 2009 and 2011. More than 70% of these accidents involved televisions, while an additional 26% were caused by furniture like tables and dressers. The remaining 4% of accidents were caused by other major appliances, like refrigerators.
The CPSC estimates that one American child dies every two weeks from falling televisions alone.
Take Appliance Safety Seriously
To take care of the children you love and make certain that they are not injured in tip-over accidents, you have to put rules in place for your household. (And those of your children’s caretakers, too.) Here are some of the most important safety regulations you can put into place to protect your children from becoming victims of tip-over accidents:
Make sure that all major appliances and furniture are properly secured. For heavy, wobbly furniture and appliances, this means using anchors to attach your appliances and furniture to the walls, preferably to studs so that you are guaranteed they cannot rip away from the wall if a child tries to climb like a superhero.
Watch your children closely at all times, including the children you are providing care for. As a caretaker or parent, it’s up to you to make certain that the children in your house are not climbing on furniture or on appliances.
Talk to your children about safety and make sure that they have plenty of toys and opportunities to play safely, so that they are less tempted to climb on furniture and appliances.
Remember, even heavy and seemingly stable furniture can tip over when a child tries to climb on it. The heavier the furniture or appliance, the more likely your child is to sustain severe or life-threatening injuries should a tip over occur.
If your child is ever injured by a preventable tip-over accident, the caregiver or homeowner may be held accountable. Speak to the child injury attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., to find out more about what can be done to make you, your child, and your family whole again.