After watching a story on the Today Show yesterday morning about televisions falling on children, I felt compelled to write a blog to reach and educate our own customers. Especially since we sell televisions, we want our customers to be aware of the danger and take the proper precautions. With the holidays coming up and many people having more kids running around the house, now is a good time to be alert and make sure your TV is secure.
Photo courtesy of the Baby Proofing Blog https://blog.safestartbaby.com/
As reported on the Today Show, 37 kids were killed from TV, furniture and appliance tipovers last year, a 37% increase, and another 23,400 were injured. A flat screen TV may not look that heavy, but in reality they are, and can be deadly with the force when they fall. Flat screens usually have a narrow base and all the weight is on the top in the TV portion, so they are easier to tip over when children climb on them or grab them.
Source: https://todaynews.today.com/_news/2012/12/13/15845376-rossen-reports-tv-and-furniture-tipovers-threaten-kids?lite
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There are some steps you can take to make sure that this doesn’t happen. I personally recommend mounting your flat screen TV on the wall. This is the safest and most secure solution as your child will not be able to tip it over. It is also a good idea to use professional installer to install your TV and make sure it is securely mounted. Televisions mounted on the wall look very nice and give you more space. If a customer has no major reason not to, we like to recommend that they mount their TV to their wall and set up installation with an TV installer.
The safest solution is to mount your flatscreen TV to a wall
If your television is on a stand or dresser, one precaution that should at least be taken is keeping remotes, toys, or anything else off the dresser or stand. Children often see things on the surface and will climb or reach to grab them which can lead to the TV tipping over. Also make sure you do not allow kids to climb or play on the furniture where the TV is placed and don’t place it anywhere children may be tempted to climb. And make sure any cables that are connected to the TV are hidden or out of reach so they are not tripped over or pulled, which could cause the TV to tip over. If you are keeping a TV on a stand, you should purchase anti-tip safety straps that anchor the flat screen TV to the stand or the wall. These can easily be found online and are very inexpensive.
Anti-Tip Straps for a Flat Screen TV
This statement has been issued by the Consumer Electronics Association:
“As the national trade association representing almost all television set manufacturers, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and its members are concerned about the safe placement of televisions. Manufacturers have shown strong commitment to the issue over the years by consulting with recognized testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL) on safety certifications; and participating in the safety standards development process through UL standards technical panels, the International Electrotechnical Commission and CEA.”
Manufacturers are doing their part to make sure flat screen televisions are as safe as possible and including warnings, instructions, and recommendations for safe installation. The important thing to remember is to take the proper steps yourself to make sure you are safely securing and installing your television. If you have small children it may just be best to take away any worry and have your television professionally installed and mounted on the wall. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Mrs. G’s at 609-882-1444.
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