Furniture Safety Tips

If you have kids or live in a house where kids often visit, then you're probably familiar with putting your breakables away so that they don't get broken and the kids don't get hurt.

But, one safety hazard that you may be overlooking is your furniture. And included in that furniture is your television set which could easily fall over and hurt a child.

To minimize risks, place televisions on units that are specifically designed to hold them, not unstable cabinets or tables. Make sure they're low to the ground and pushed back as far to the back of the stand as possible.

Install straps that anchor the unit on the stand or attach them to the wall to keep them stable. And keep things that attract kids--like toys or the TV remote--out of sight.

Other furniture can also tip-over. A table or cabinet can tip over easily especially if it's already going in the wrong direction. Or say they wanted to know what would happen if you just tug on Daddy's shirt on a coat rack ... bad news.

Look for furniture with a solid base and wide-legs to keep them well balanced. Even toddlers have managed to pull over heavy objects. If you have any doubt whether an object is stable enough, just go ahead and anchor it to the wall.

A bureau is a great piece of furniture. We all have them but it can be very dangerous because when it's open it becomes front heavy and can topple over. One good solution is to put drawer locks in place.

But also teach your kids never to climb on drawers, never to hang on drawers and also never open two drawers at one time. It just doubles the chances that it's going to go forward.

Glass tables are another hidden danger. Injuries usually occur when kids sit or fall on glass tables. Shattered glass and jagged pieces can cause serious injuries. You may want to reconsider that glass table, at least until the kids are bigger.

Computer injuries are on the rise as well, and why wouldn't they be? We're all surrounded by cords. Imagine a 5-year old being turned loose with an area with lots of cables. What if he was able to get ahold of this computer monitor cord? He could pull it right over on him.

To help prevent computer-related injuries:

• Place the computer desk away from walkways and against a wall; • Secure cords, so that they're of the way of your feet; • Move the computer away from the edges of desks and out of the reach of young children.

Make sure young children use computers only with adult supervision. And keep the children's play area separate from the computer workstation to remove temptation.

At Wearhouse and More we can about the safety of you and your family! Come see us for all of your furniture needs!