Office of Information and Public Affairs | Washington, DC 20207 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2006 Release #06-254 |
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 |
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning parents and caregivers about the dangers of televisions and heavy furniture tipping over and killing young children. The number of TV tip-over deaths reported to CPSC during the first seven months of 2006 is twice the typical yearly average.
"There are usually five deaths reported to CPSC each year caused by televisions tipping over onto young children, but we are aware of 10 deaths already in 2006," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "We are issuing this warning so parents will take the necessary steps to prevent any more of these tragedies."
These deaths and injuries frequently occur when children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on television stands, shelves, bookcases, dressers, desks and chests. In some cases, televisions placed on top of furniture tip over and cause a child to suffer traumatic and sometimes fatal injuries.
From 2000 through 2005, CPSC has reports of 36 TV tip-over-related deaths and 65 furniture tip-over deaths. More than 80 percent of all these deaths involved young children. Additionally, CPSC estimates that in 2005 at least 3,000 children younger than 5 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms because of injuries associated with TV tip-overs.
Industry standards require that TV stands, chests, bureaus and dressers pass a stability test. If a piece of furniture violates these standards, the product can be subject to a safety recall.
To help prevent tip-over hazards, CPSC offers the following safety tips:
To download CPSC's new safety alert "Preventing TV and Furniture Tip-Over Deaths," visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5004.pdf