It’s a deadly danger inside many homes: furniture that tips over.
Hundreds of young children have died and thousands more have been hurt from falling furniture or TVs.
Now a new law promises important changes to the way some furniture is manufactured.
Here’s a look at what’s new, and the essential safety steps for parents.
On the morning of December 30, Washington D.C. Firefighter Daniel Brong and his 2-year-old daughter Zoey were tidying up her room when the unthinkable happened.
“Zoey started opening up the drawers. When she had opened two of those little drawers on the top, the dresser came down right on her foot, and I was like ‘oh no,’” Brong said.
The dresser crushed two of Zoey’s toes, nearly severing them.
Doctors were able to reattach her toes, and within a few weeks, she healed in a cast.
The best news – Zoey is now on her way to a full recovery.
The danger isn’t new.
Consumer Reports said over the past two decades, falling furniture or TVs have killed hundreds of young children have died and hurt thousands more.
A majority of tip-over deaths involve children younger than six. But those grim statistics could soon change thanks to a new law called the “Sturdy Act.”
It requires all dressers and similar products made or sold in the U.S., including those under 30 inches tall to meet minimum safety standards regarding sturdiness and strength testing.
The Sturdy Act was years in the making, with consumer groups and parents pressing hard for its passage.
“15 years since I lost my son charlie to a tip over and this problem has gone on way too long, and I think we’ve really established a law here that’s going to protect children for many, many, years going forward,” Brett Horn, the Board Chair with Parents Against Tip-Overs said.
Consumer Reports advocated for the new law and reminds parents that even with these new protections, it is still strongly recommended that all furniture be properly anchored to the walls – no matter the height, weight, and manufacturing date of the product.
“To say that I’m thankful that it tipped over, I’m not, but I learned a lot from it. I’ve secured four other dressers in our house to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Brong said.