Startling Stats on Furniture as Killer

[Cocoa]

Startling Stats On Furniture As Killer

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/12/earlyshow/living/parenting/main2000278.shtml

CBS) The problem of kids being killed by TVs and other types of furniture falling onto them appears to be getting worse.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the number of TV tip-over deaths reported from January through July is twice the typical yearly average. There are usually five deaths reported to agency each year from TVs tipping over onto young children, but 10 deaths have been reported already this year.

For 2000 through 2005, the CPSC has reports of 36 TV tip-over-related deaths and 65 furniture tip-over deaths. More than 80 percent of all these fatalities involved young children. In addition, the CPSC estimates that in 2005, at least 3,000 children younger than 5 were treated in United States emergency rooms due to injuries associated with TV tip-overs.

On The Early Show Tuesday, CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese told co-anchor Rene Syler the CPSC "can only speculate" on why the rate seems to be rising. "People buying larger TVs, but not investing in stable furniture to put it on" could be one factor she said. "Also, we have a new generation of parents, so this is something we have to educate and re-educate (them about). Parents have so many hazards they have to think about, and this is one they just really need to be aware of."

more...

[Bonobo]

1. Flat Panel TVs have smaller footprint. Easier to pull over?

[FlaGranny]

6. Smaller footprint I guess

makes them easier to pull over, but they don't weight nearly so much either. My old 26-inch TV is so heavy I can't even pick it up. Needs 2 people. People must be putting these things on furniture that is not strong enough to hold them. No way a small child could even move a big-tube TV otherwise.

[AlCzervik]

9. i think it's probably the entertainment Armoires that might be the problem

many are tall, mine is and if a toddler climbed up on it or used the drawers as steps it would most likely crush that toddler. When my daughter was little we had the tv on a wall stand like they have at hospitals.

[Jed Dilligan]

2. IKEA crap nt

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. I KNEW it.

I can feel the malevolence radiating from that easy chair in the darkness, late at night. I don't even have to have the lights on- I sense it just sitting over there, plotting against me. And the TV set- the way it just glows- I know it's watching me, following me as I walk across the room- it's getting ready to do something... SOMETHING...

Yaaaaaaahhhh!!! STOP THE VOICES!!!

:evilgrin:

[happyslug]

10. Yes the Spirit of the trees want to do you harm.

Those Spirits want REVENGE for their death so you can have your furniture. You must have a Exorcism of those evil spirits. I do it for a fair low fee of $1 million dollars per piece of furniture. Cash only, no money back guarantee. Not responsible for any actions by the Spirits exorcised from the furniture. Not responsible for any breakage of the furniture during the exorcisms. Any magazine/book/TV/Movie rights reserved to me. Your Choice of Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Voodoo or Native Witch doctor method of Exorcism (We do them all, even a secular exorcism where we put the spirits to sleep listening to Collage professors carefully selected for their boring lectures).

[grilled onions]

4. More Distracted Parents...

Kids today are more likely to have their own tv or at least tv's in several rooms, more likely to be out of the eyes of the parents.

[longship]

5. Pshaw!! First the "killer cars", and now this!

What next? Killer cats?

[acmejack]

7. Cat maims Postman

TERRIFIED postmen are refusing to deliver mail to a house — because they are scared of a dangerous CAT.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004212459,00.html

[Karmageddon]

8. New NRA ad campaign: Guns don't kill people, Barka-loungers kill people.

[hlthe2b]

11. Vending machines...

Anyone see folks try to shake them to get a candbar to fall? I know, I have...

But put in perspective, I'm far more concernered about the distracted cell phone-using aggressive drivers who are increasingly mowing over pedestrians (especially at "right turn on red" intersections) and cyclists.

[happyslug]

12. Five Annual deaths to 10 annual deaths?

While this is a 100% increase in deaths in a six month period, it may not be statistically significant given the LOW NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED ANNUALLY AND THIS YEAR. This may just be a statistical fluke, i.e. just a bad year.

[kurth]

15. We need an anti-gravity law

to prevent such mishaps.

[Xithras]

13. The country needs to take a lesson from California

Heavy furniture and appliances should be ANCHORED. It only takes a minute to secure something to the wall, and the life that minute saves may be your own (or your childs). Anchoring is common out here because of the earthquakes, but there's no reason that more people couldn't do it. You can buy a kit, or even use the cheap/cheat method...slice up an old leather belt and secure it using self-tapping screws and washers. You can anchor furniture for less than 15 cents an item this way. If you'd rather have professional strapping, it'll cost you about a buck an item.

When my eight year old was about three, he decided to climb the 5 foot tall dresser in his room. He had just started to climb when the thing tipped. I'd hate to think about what would have happened if it hadn't been strapped, but as it is the dresser rocked 5 inches forward before the strap caught and stopped it. All the drawers then slid forward, knocking him off and onto the floor. The only thing "injured" was his ego.

[jilln]

14. So... who's up for a "War on Furniture"? (nt)

[damntexdem]

16. Break out the red code -- pieces of furniture are becoming terrorists.

An attack is obviously imminent. Who shall we invade in retaliation?

Ah, fearful life in Dubya's America!

[LynnTheDem]

17. OMG!!! WAR AGAINST FURNITURE!!!

We must not allow the terrniture to defeat us!!!

[praeclarus]

18. i'm quite startled by this...

... but, in fact, I'm in a constant state of startlement
these days so this is just a little bit of extra startling
in my own overall startlement condition.