Install Latches on Drawers and Cabinet Doors
PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY FROM EARTHQUAKES
FEMA
April 2008


During an earthquake, drawers and cabinet doors can open and the 
stored materials can spill out and damage floors and floor 
coverings. Objects that fall from overhead cabinets can injure you 
or others. 

One way to prevent the accidental opening of drawers and cabinet 
doors is to install latches such as barrel bolts, safety hasps, and 
child-proof locks. Most hardware and home supply stores stock a 
variety of latches. The figure shows three types of child-proof 
locks, one for drawers and two for cabinet doors. Examples of 
mechanical drawer closures include child-proof or drawer latches. 
The strong mechanical cabinet catches can include safety clasps, 
touch-door cabinet catches, slide bolts, clip-rollers, or snap-
action cabinet catches, etc.

Most types of permanent latches can be installed easily and will not 
interfere with opening and closing of drawers and doors. The slide 
bolt can be used on cabinets that do not need to be opened 
frequently; it is easily installed and removed. 

BENEFITS OF UTILIZING THIS MITIGATION STRATEGY

* Helps to prevent damage to floors and floor coverings, as well as 
to the contents of the drawers and cabinets

* Helps to prevent injuries to occupants

TIPS 

Keep these points in mind when you install latches on drawers and 
cabinet doors: 

* When possible, do not store heavy, breakable, or dangerous items 
(such as insecticides, solvents, and bleach) in overhead cabinets. 

* Do not rely on magnetic or pinch-grip catches to hold cabinet 
doors closed, especially on overhead cabinets and any cabinets that 
contain heavy, breakable, or dangerous items. 

* Install latches according to the manufacturer's directions. For 
example, use all of the hardware provided with the latch and do not 
substitute undersized screws or bolts for those provided.

ESTIMATED COST 

The cost of adding latches will depend on the type you decide to buy 
and the number of drawers and cabinet doors you want to secure. If 
you do the work yourself, the cost of adding latches to one cabinet 
could cost approximately $50. If you hire a contractor or handyman 
to install latches, you will have to pay for time as well as 
materials. 

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

FEMA 74, Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage: A 
Practical 
Guide, Third Edition, September 1994, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1574. 

FEMA 232, Homebuilders’ Guide to Earthquake-Resistant Design and 
Construction, June 2006, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2103.

To obtain copies of FEMA documents, call the FEMA Publications 
Warehouse at 
1-800-480-2520 or visit FEMA’s Library online at 
http//:www.fema.gov/library.