Saturday, February 4th is National TV Safety Day, a day meant to raise awareness of the dangers of television (TV) tip-overs. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a child dies every 3 weeks in the United States due to a TV tip-over and every 45 minutes, a child is treated in the emergency room for injuries caused by a TV tipping over. Seven out of ten children injured by these TV tip-overs are under the age of five. To prevent injuries like these from continuing to occur, it is important that parents and caregivers have the information to know how to properly secure TVs and furniture to keep their children safe.
Follow these tips provided by Safe Kids Worldwide to help protect children from the risk of injury due to TV tip-overs:
Mount flat panel TVs to the wall to prevent them from tipping over off the stand. Ensure they are mounted properly by following the manufacturer’s instructions to have a secure fit
Use brackets, braces, or wall straps to secure unstable and top-heavy furniture to the wall
Heavier, box-style cathode ray tube TVs should be placed on low, stable pieces of furniture that are appropriate for the weight of the TV
If you own cathode ray tube TVs that you no longer use, consider recycling it so that it does not pose a safety hazard in your home
Avoid placing remotes, toys, food or other items children may reach for in places they may be tempted to climb or reach for them
Ensuring all televisions in the home are properly secured makes the home a safer environment for all children and will help prevent childhood injuries and deaths. For more information about television safety or other childhood safety related topics, please contact the Center for Childhood Safety at (920) 272-0110 or visit www.ccsgb.org.