Deaths due to tip overs

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Law Office of D. Hardison Wood

According to a new report by the CPSC, a child is killed every two weeks due to an injury sustained when a heavy piece of furniture tips over onto them.

Furniture and TV tip-over incidents are one of the top hidden hazards in the home. Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to inspect and anchor furniture and TVs now, in order to protect young children from a preventable tragedy.

 

Between the years 2000 and 2010, the CPSC received more than 245 death reports as they were related to tip overs of children aged 8 and younger. Commonly, tip overs involve toddlers as they tend to be more likely to climb on furniture.  The CPSC urges parents and other caregivers to: anchor furniture to the wall or floor, place tv's on low bases or alternatively anchor those as well, and keep cords out of the reach of children. To read the posting from the CPSC click here.

The Law Office of D. Hardison Wood focuses much of its time representing children who have been injured by the negligence of another. If your child has been hurt, contact the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood today at 919.233.0520.
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Furniture Fires

Posted on February 2, 2008 by Law Office of D. Hardison Wood
Something we may not link commonly link together are upholstered furniture and home fires. However, home fires involving upholstered furniture can spread more quickly. The CPSC took action on this very fact and issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) on a new mandatory standard to address residential upholstered furniture fires.

The goal of the proposed standard is to prevent ignition or slow the spread and intensity of upholstered furniture fires. These fires cost the U.S. about $1.6 billion each year. CPSC staff estimates the proposed standard, once fully effective, would prevent an estimated 100 deaths and 130 injuries every year.

“Fires involving upholstered furniture are a leading cause of fire-related deaths in U.S. homes,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. “Stopping a furniture fire in its tracks or slowing its spread would buy consumers precious time to get out of their homes.”

Under the proposal, manufacturers could meet the performance standard by using smolder-resistant cover fabrics or interior fire resistant barriers to protect the furniture’s internal filling material which is the primary fuel in an upholstered furniture fire.

The CPSC’s objective is to reduce the fire risk in upholstered furniture without requiring the use of fire retardant chemicals. Manufacturers will not be required to use chemicals to meet the proposed standard. In its environmental assessment, CPSC staff projects most manufacturers and importers would likely choose options that do not involve fire- retardants in fabrics or filling materials.

“CPSC is now on track to develop a mandatory safety rule that will save lives and protect consumers,” added Acting Chairman Nord.

An NPR is the second step in the agency’s three step rulemaking process.

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