Consumer Reports: New law to prevent furniture tip-overs

(KY3) - It’s a deadly danger inside many households: furniture that tips over. Hundreds of young children have died and thousands more injured from falling furniture or televisions. Now a new law promises important changes to the way some furniture is manufactured.

Over the past two decades, Hundreds of young children have died and thousands have been injured from falling furniture or televisions. A majority of tip-over deaths involve children under the age of six. But those grim statistics could soon be changing thanks to a new law called the STURDY Act.

It requires all dressers and similar products made or sold in the U.S., including those under 30 inches tall to meet minimum safety standards regarding sturdiness and strength testing. The STURDY Act was years in the making, with consumer groups and parents pressing hard for its passage.

“Fifteen years since I lost my son Charlie to a tip over. This problem has gone on way too long, and I think we’ve really established a law here that’s going to protect children for many, many, years going forward,” said parent, Brett Horn.

Consumer Reports advocated for the new law, and reminds parents that even with these new protections, it is still strongly recommended that ALL furniture be properly anchored to the walls -- no matter the height, weight, and manufacturing date of the product.

If you’re not sure how to anchor furniture, we’ve got a video from Consumer Reports with a step-by-guide on how to do it.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance applauded the passage of the STURDY Act, saying that it “will provide manufacturers with a clear pathway to compliance.”

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