Keeping Safety in Mind during Holiday Shopping

With Black Friday coming up, the holiday shopping season is upon us and with all the accompanying hustle and bustle it is especially important to keep safety in mind with your purchases.

When thinking about safety, most people consider the potential for choking hazards in the toys and products they buy for their young ones. However, it is also extremely important to make some of those bigger purchases, like TVs or furniture, as safe as possible for your family.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), parents should be thinking safety this holiday season with wall anchors and anti-tipping kits. In a 2021 CPSC report on tip-over incidents in the U.S., the Commission estimated that 10,000 children under 18 years old suffered from emergency-room treated injuries resulting from television, furniture, and appliance tip-over incidents. That number represents 44% of the estimated injuries between 2000 and 2020, even though children only represent 22% of the population.

Thankfully, there is action that you can take to protect your family from tip-over incidents:

• Use wall anchors and anti tip-over kits for your TVs, furniture, and appliances whenever possible

• Keep your TVs on low, sturdy bases and as far back from the front edge as possible

• Try not to store anything like toys or remotes that might tempt your children to climb to reach the item

Beyond actions that you can take to keep safety a priority in your home, the CPSC has also approved a new standard for “dressers, chests, and other clothing storage units” to incorporate designs that help prevent tip-over incidents.

As this holiday season rushes in, be sure to keep safety and preparedness in mind during the shopping craze!