New data released shows how many people, mostly children, are injured or killed by furniture that tips over on them.
The latest report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission shows each year between 2019 to 2021, emergency rooms treated more than 19,000 people for falling furniture. Between 2000 to 2021, nearly 600 deaths were reported.
"Kids are going to be kids,” said Alex Hoehn-Saric, the chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “They're going to be running around. They may be climbing on things, they may trip over a cord and pull down a television."
Here are ways to protect your home:
- Store heavy items at the bottom of the furniture
- Don’t put anything children might want to grab on top
- If there are cords, tuck them away
- Use an anchor to secure the furniture or TV to the wall
You can visit www.anchorit.gov to find exactly what you need to buy and step-by-step instructions on how to anchor everything. You can secure your home for less than $20.