Kidsafe Red Alert for Parents on Deadly Unstable Furniture

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Kidsafe

In the wake of the tragic death of a three year old Victorian boy after a bookshelf fell on top of him, Kidsafe Victoria has issued a red alert for parents to conduct a safety audit throughout their homes for unstable furniture.

General Manager of Kidsafe Victoria, Jason Chambers said incidents commonly occur when children climb or pull on furniture.

'Children are naturally inquisitive and will not always use furniture as it is intended - for example, they may use bookcases and shelves as a ladder to gain access to reach an item that is stored up high', said Mr Chambers.

Household items commonly involved in tip over injuries include TV's, bookcases and drawers.

Every year many children are injured after furniture items fall on them. Between 2006 - 2010, 297 Victorian children aged 0-14 years presented to emergency departments with an injury resulting from a TV tip over. The majority of incidents involved children under 4 years of age, with the peak of incidents occurring in children aged 2 years.

Kidsafe Link for Online Tips http://www.kidsafevic.com.au/home-safety/tv-and-furniture-tip-overs

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