Kidsafe

Have you ever considered that your television may pose an injury hazard for your child?

Ms Melanie Courtney, Manager of Kidsafe Victoria said "When childproofing your home, the safety of televisions can often be overlooked. Every year, a number of children are injured by a television falling on to them; the size and weight of many televisions on the market today increases the risk of injury."

Statistics from the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU) show that from 2006-2010, there were 389 emergency department presentations due to an injury form a television tip over.

Ms Courtney said incidents commonly occur when children climb or pull on furniture, such as cabinets, that the television is placed on.

There are some simple measures that you can take to ensure that your television is safe and to protect your child from injury:

 Use a stand specifically designed for your TV as recommended by the manufacturer, or place your TV on sturdy furniture (e.g. TV cabinet) appropriate for its size.

 Place your television as far back on the stand as possible.

 Secure your television to the wall or television cabinet with a bracket or safety strap.

 Don't keep remote controls, lollies, toys or other items that attract children on top of furniture, as they may entice your child to reach for these items.

 Tie up loose cords and cables; a child pulling or tripping on a cord could pull the television down. Other household furniture items such as drawers and bookshelves can also pose tip over risks.

For tips on how to make your household furniture safe please visit the ACCC's 'Household Furniture Hazards for Kids' fact sheet via www.accc.gov.au/household

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, Kidsafe Victoria - Mobile: 0417 329 201