A 'safety alert' highlighting potential household furniture hazards for children was launched by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission at the Safe Communities Conference in Townsville today.
The guide outlines potentially dangerous situations in the home and provides simple safety precautions that parents and carers of children should follow to avoid risk of serious injury to children.
"At least 11 children under five have died during the past six years in Australia, as a result of falling domestic furniture or fittings and thousands more have been seriously injured in similar circumstances", ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said today.
"Falling televisions were responsible for the majority of these fatalities. The design of modern televisions sets and the amount of time children spend around them are two of the possible reasons why these accidents occur".
Under the product safety provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974, the ACCC is responsible for protecting Australian consumers from unsafe products.
"While some products might not be unsafe in themselves, there may be serious risks associated with their incorrect use, and the ACCC is acting to inform consumers about the dangers through targeted national education campaigns.
"The ACCC has produced the guide to alert everyone to the risks posed by children playing with and climbing on furniture, and how those risks can be eliminated.
"The campaign aims to provide simple advice to make the home environment safer for children and to prevent serious injuries to children caused by furniture related accidents".
Many of these precautions, such as teaching children not to climb on furniture and not placing tempting items such as favourite toys on top of furniture or televisions, are common sense. Other recommendations include securing all tall furniture to the wall and putting locking devices on drawers to prevent children using them as steps.
Copies of Safety Alert: Household furniture hazards for kids are available from all ACCC offices in capital cities and Townsville; from the link below, or by calling the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502.