A study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH, reports a 40 percent increase in injuries caused by furniture tip-overs since 1990.

And sleek, thin plasma and LCD televisions, which are much lighter and easier to pull over than heavy old-school TVs, are being eyed as a particular hazard for children in the under-seven age group.

The study found that an average of nearly 15,000 US children visit hospital emergency departments following furniture tip-over incidents each year. Most injuries are to younger children who try to pull over or climb furniture such as bookshelves, cabinets, dressers or TVs.

“There was a more than 40 percent increase in the number of injuries during the study period (1990 through 2007) and the injury rate also significantly increased during these years,” says senior study author Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “This trend demonstrates the inadequacy of current prevention strategies and underscores the need for increased prevention efforts.”

He recommends placing televisions low to the ground and near the back of their stands, and strapping televisions and furniture such as dressers to walls using safety straps or L-brackets securely screwed into wall studs.

In the case of newer TVs, safety straps can be threaded through ventilation slots and pulled tight. Purchasing furniture with wide legs or solid bases, installing drawer stops on chests of drawers and placing heavy items close to the floor on shelves, will also help prevent tip-overs.

Parents are also advised not to place child-attracting items such as toys or remote control devices high on top of furniture or TVs.

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