TV and Furniture Tip-Overs

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Every three weeks, a child dies from a TV tipping over. Nearly 13,000 more children are injured each year in the U.S.

Top-heavy furniture, TVs and appliances can be unsteady, and if pulled or climbed on, they can tip over and seriously injure young children. These injuries can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions. Much like childproofing with a toddler gate or electrical socket cover, TV mounts and furniture straps are important steps to keeping your family safe.

Tip sheet: TV and furniture tip-overs Hoja informativa: TV y muebles de desplomes

TV safety check

Assess the stability of the TV's in your home.
Secure TVs
Mount flat screen TVs to the wall to reduce the risk of TVs toppling off stands. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure you protect your wall and have a secure fit.
If you have a large, heavy cathode ray tube (CRT) TV, place it on a low, stable piece of furniture

Secure furniture

Use brackets, braces or wall straps to secure unstable or top-heavy furniture to the wall.
Install stops on dresser drawers to prevent them from being pulled all the way out. Multiple open drawers can cause the weight to shift, making it easier for a dresser to fall.

Rearrange household items

Keep heavier items on lower shelves or in lower drawers.
Avoid placing remote controls, food, toys or other items in places where kids might be tempted to climb up or reach for them.