Posted on 02/27/2017
In addition to tipping accidents involving furniture alone, there is a significant culprit in tipping-related injuries and deaths: television sets. In fact, a whopping 70% of tipping incidents involve both TVs and furniture. Let’s take a look at why this issue is so significant and what you can do about it.
How Significant Are TV-related Tipping Injuries?
Compared to fatal tip-over injuries resulting from furniture alone, those involving furniture and TVs are quite significant: 70% involved TVs compared to 26% which involved just furniture. Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that the prominence of TV-related tipping injuries has actually been on the rise in recent years. We may want to attribute the increased rate of such injuries to the purchase of larger TVs; however, the majority of cases relate to TVs with screens smaller than 26 inches. The larger TVs might be indirectly causing the injuries though, since when a family purchases a larger TV, they typically move the older, smaller TV to a bedroom or other space where it is unstably mounted on a dresser or on another piece of furniture that isn’t designed to safely support a television.
Who Is Particularly at Risk for TV-related Injuries?
Dressers with TVs on top of them are particularly significant culprits, accounting for 46% of injuries, since children can pull out drawers to use to climb them in order to reach the TV. Kids under age 5 accounted for 64% of injuries, and of those injured, 61% were boys. The majority of injuries (63%) affect the head and neck areas, making them especially dangerous. (Lacerations and soft-tissue injuries are nearly tied as runners-up, at 37% and 35%, respectively.)
Why Are TVs So Problematic?
Both CRT and flat-screen televisions can be problematic. Of course, the older style CRT TVs are quite heavy. They should be placed only on furniture pieces designed to hold such TVs and should also be affixed to the TV stand or a nearby wall. Flat-screens can be safely mounted directly to the wall or placed on appropriate furniture as far back as possible and anchored to the wall. The reason it’s important to place TVs only on furniture designed for their placement is that putting a TV on a piece not designed for it can change that piece’s center of gravity, creating an unstable situation.
Like furniture pieces without TVs on top, you can avoid problems resulting from TV-related tipping incidents easily and inexpensively. In addition to the steps mentioned above, tipping-related concerns are only some among plenty of other reasons to simply ditch that old TV when you get a new one, and make certain to keep TVs and other electronics out of your children’s rooms: mental health is a biggie. But that’s a post for another day.
The Bedroom Source
Located near the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, The Bedroom Source is your source for the best collection of children's and teen bedroom furniture. From flexibly configurable Maxtrix furniture to fashionable Smartstuff collections, The Bedroom Source offers high end furniture and professional design assistance to create the bedroom of your child's dreams.
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