After video of a dresser falling on twin toddlers went viral earlier this week, many parents are questioning whether their home is safe for their children.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says tipping furniture is the leading cause of death among kids, with one child dying every two weeks because of items such as dressers, TVs or appliances landing on them. The agency recommends parents anchor furniture to the wall to prevent injury or death.
U.S. Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania is pushing Congress to pass the STURDY Act, which he says would provide enforceable stability standards for furniture that can harm children. According to the congressman, there are voluntary standards for furniture manufactures to follow but they are interpreted differently and are voluntary, so some companies do not follow them. The STURDY Act would provide stronger, mandatory stability standards for clothing storage units.
The video, captured on home surveillance footage last week, shows a Utah couple’s twin boys climbing onto an Ikea dresser in their room. As the brothers jumped on the dresser and hang from its drawers, the furniture comes crashing down, pinning of the boys underneath.
Luckily, both boys were not seriously hurt. The Utah couple decided to share the video to hopefully prevent others from getting hurt.
Photo Credit: NBC News
