Furniture anchoring

Furniture anchoring has been a big topic in the news lately, specifically with a recent recall of IKEA furniture. It is vitally important to secure furniture to the wall studs to prohibit tip-over accidents. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Anchor It! campaign, Every 24 minutes a child in the U.S. is injured as a result of a TV or furniture tip-over incident. The Anchor It! campaign is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) call to action to educate parents and caregivers about these dangers in the home and to urge simple, low-cost action to prevent these tragedies.

The basic rule of thumb is to secure any piece of furniture taller than it is wide. Even wide furniture can tip over if the center of gravity is shifted, usually due to a child pulling out drawers to use them as steps. This action by the child can definitely end in tragedy if furniture is not secured.

Other items at risk for tip-over accidents are televisions, bookshelves, and large mirrors.