CPSC Campaign to Prevent Furniture & TV Tip-Over Deaths & Injuries

U.S.Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) launched Anchor It!, a national public education campaign to prevent furniture and TV tip-overs that can kill or seriously injure children. According to CPSC, unsecured TVs and large pieces of furniture kill a child every 2 weeks (on average) in tip-over incidents. In addition, 38,000 Americans go to the emergency room each year because of these tip-over incidents, and two-thirds of these injuries involve children under the age of 5. The agency says these incidents are preventable, and its new campaign hopes to reduce these numbers.

The Anchor It! campaign includes broadcast and print public service announcements that illustrate hazards in the home that might be unknown to parents. The campaign also has a website (www.AnchorIt.gov) that provides resources such as cards and posters that describe hidden dangers of tip-overs and steps to eliminate these dangers. Some of these tips include:

• Store heavier items on lower shelves or drawers.
• Buy and install low-cost anchoring devices to prevent furniture and TVs from tipping.
• Place TVs on a sturdy, low base and push them as far back as possible, if anchoring is not possible.
• Avoid leaving items such as toys or remote controls in places where kids might be tempted to climb up to reach for them.