Powerful Video Warns Parents About The Hidden Dangers That Pose A Risk To Children In Their Homes

Powerful Video Warns Of Hidden Dangers To Children In Homes
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A video has been released to warn parents how dangerous everyday furniture items can be for their children.

Released by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, the video, which has been viewed more than 1.8 million times, highlights furniture "tip over" dangers using a child-sized dummy.

The commission states that in the US, on average one child dies every two weeks from furniture falling on them.

They write: "Too frequently the results of children climbing unanchored furniture have been tragic when they trapped under the weight of products that toppled over."

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The video shows a demonstration of a child-sized dummy climbing on a chest of drawers with a TV on the top of it. The furniture slowly topples over causing the dummy to fall backwards and the TV to smash into pieces on the floor.

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In the video, a caption states: "The centre of gravity can become shifted when a TV is placed on top of a dresser, making the items unstable.

"Any additional weight can cause items to topple forward."

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The advice then states that anti-tip devices are easy to install and can stop this from happening, with examples of how to install a metal wire between the furniture and the wall.

They also recommend anchoring the television to a "low sturdy base".

Ashley Martin, public health project manager at The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents told HuffPost UK Parents: "Sadly, we are aware of incidents in recent years where children have been killed and seriously injured when televisions have accidentally fallen on top of them.

"This is why RoSPA urges all stockists of safety equipment to make anti-tip straps easily available, so that parents can fit them to televisions and other bulky furniture in order to secure the items in an upright position.

"Safety straps can also be bought to secure televisions that are on bookshelves and on top of cupboards.

“As well as having a television set professionally installed, RoSPA also advises that free-standing, flat-screen televisions are placed on wide, stable manufacturers’ bases, which reduce the risk of the screen toppling forwards.

"Children and toddlers should be discouraged from pulling themselves up by holding on to a television set or furniture on which a television sits.

"They should also be kept out of the way of bulky, heavy goods as they are being moved.”

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