You may think of your home as the safest place for your children. However, parents have to work to make sure that expectation becomes truth. Homes with infants require special care, such as covering outlets and removing choking hazards, but even older children and toddlers need a few crucial household adjustments to stay safe.
As babies grow and become more mobile and curious, you will probably find yourself running around to remove them from a potentially dangerous situation. One of the biggest threats in your home may, in fact, be your furniture.
Furniture injury statistics
Over the past few years, recalls of dressers, shelves, and tables have made it clear that an accident involving furniture can be serious, if not deadly. Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reveals that children account for 84% of furniture-related fatalities and half of emergency room-treated injuries. Researchers also found that over one-third of these accidents occurred when the child attempted to climb the furniture.
Securing your home
There are a number of ways that you can prepare your home for a curious child, including:
- Anchor large furniture, such as dressers and televisions, to the wall
- Follow all instructions when assembling build-it-yourself furniture
- Keep candy, toys, and alluring objects out of sight or off of furniture surfaces
- Watch for recalls on the CPSC website and other trustworthy sources
Although parents can improve household safety in these ways, you do not have to bear the burden alone. Manufacturers and retailers are also responsible for making sure that their products comply with safety standards. Failure to design secure furniture can have serious consequences, which is why the law holds them liable for tipping and collapsing accidents that they could have prevented. Above all, you deserve peace of mind that your children are safe in the home.
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