Simenc notes, "A coffee table with curved edges and no glass might be perfectly fine for a family room or primary hangout area for the child. On the flip side is a coffee table with very sharp edges extending beyond the legs, wrought iron components, or glass components. It might be best to just remove those types of tables from the area." If you have young infants or children in the home you should be aware of potential hazards and safety concerns when purchasing furniture. Simenc advises, "It's very important to check the stability of all furniture in the home from the perspective of a toddler learning to pull themselves up on every piece of furniture. They can and often do shake things, so shake every piece of furniture to make sure nothing on top of it can topple onto the child."
For large or heavy pieces of furniture in your home such as bookshelves, dressers, and entertainment centers, Simenc recommends "bracing pieces of the furniture that can easily topple or be climbed on by the child." Many hardware stores offer an array of items that can secure furniture and other items in your home to help you make them safer in the presence of children. Brackets, angle braces, and other hardware devices can be installed to protect your children from becoming trapped under them if they should turn them over accidentally. Basically these braces will anchor the furniture item to the wall, but they are not always foolproof methods or protection. Adult supervision is the best prevention of accidents, but these items will assist in creating a safer home environment. Parents should also discourage climbing on, jumping off, and crawling behind furniture as these activities may result in injury or entrapment of a child.
There is a variety of safety items on the market that can assist in shielding children from injuries as well as preventing damage to your furniture. Some of these include corner protectors for tables and other sharp corners, table pads, finger pinch protectors, computer and electronics protectors, wire guards, kitchen and other appliance safety latches, stove and door knob locks, fireplace hearth gates, banister guards, and electrical outlet covers, to name a few.
The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns about the risks involved with the use of accordion style baby gates, toy chests with hinged lids that can fall freely, and tubular metal bunk beds. The CPSC also warns parents that entrapment and/or strangulation risks may occur with use of accordion-style baby gates manufactured before February 1985. Use of any old gates with large V- or diamond- shaped openings should be discontinued immediately.
Parents of young children should avoid using any toy chest or other container that has a hinged lid. According to the CPSC, "Open chests or bins which have no lids; chests with lightweight, removable lids; or chests with sliding doors or panels will not present the risk of a falling lid." Many newer toy chests are made in this way, but older style toy chests may still have a hinged lid that could fall and hit or trap a child inside the box.
The CPSC advises owners of tubular metal bunk beds to inspect the beds carefully. Cracks in the metal or weld areas may lead to collapse and serious injury if the beds have not been properly welded. Another risk may occur if there is not adequate thickness in the material around the mattress support area connecting to the side rails. If you have bunk beds similar to those described here including import products made prior to 1994 the CPSC has the following recommendations:
* Inspect all eight mattress support corners for cracks in the paint or metal. If cracks are found, discontinue use immediately. Do not wait for the bed to break.
* Whether or not cracks are present, call the retailer where the bed was bought to see if it is under recall. Get the telephone number of the importer and call for repair instructions. Consumers will receive a repair kit consisting of reinforcement brackets. In cases where the bed has cracks in the corner supports, consumers should receive a new bed.
Crib safety is another big concern for parents. Basically the most important factors to look at when purchasing and/or using an infant crib are:
* The mattress should be tight fitting and firm.
* The hardware should not be broken or loose, and there should be no missing slats.
* Distance between slats should not be more than 2-3/8 inches.
* Corners should not protrude more than 1/16 of an inch above the crib's end panels.
* There should be no cutout or lattice areas in which the child may become trapped.
* Used or antique cribs and bassinets are generally not recommended for use as they often do not meet current safety standards.
