[Kristin]

By: Abe Abbas

Source: www.idc.uk.com

While "Drop, Cover and Hold On" is usually the advice you get in how to deal with an earthquake, it is not enough. It is really advisable to take some preventive earthquake safety measures before you feel the earth move. This way you can hopefully avoid furniture related injuries.

Let me explain. We tend to think of extreme earthquake scenarios like toppling chimneys, crumbling walls and collapsing ceilings, but if you live in an earthquake zone there are greater chances that you may experience smaller disasters that involve toppling bookcases, and mirrors or pictures that fall to the ground. Valuable collectibles may shatter or break.

But don't just shrug it off, as even these small disasters often carry the risk of injury to you, other family members, or pets. Toppling furniture and broken shards of glass all pose injury risks. What is more, they are unnecessary risks, and quite often avoidable.

Even if your area has not experienced an earthquake for a long time it still makes sense to take these safety measures, especially if there are children or seniors living in the home.

Placing Furniture

Placing furniture with an eye to earthquake safety helps. Common sense can also help you determine potential dangers. For instance, breaking glass whether it is from windows, mirrors or picture frames can pose a hazard. So can falling objects. How you place and arrange your furniture can minimize the risk of injuries.

- When you live in an earthquake zone, try to place beds as far away from windows as possible. Shattering glass can cause injuries. If it is not possible to place the bed too far from the window owing to room size, have a window covering in place to catch the glass. Blinds, curtains, window films all work.
- Do not position heavy wall art on the wall behind a bed.
- Avoid shelves with objects directly above the bed.

Securing Furniture

As the earth moves, it can cause furniture to move as well, and sometimes tall pieces can topple over depending on how strong the earthquake is. It is best to secure tall, heavy pieces of furniture and kitchen cabinets so that you take care of that risk.

- Secure tall and heavy pieces such as book shelves, armoires, and chests to the wall. Flexible nylon straps are widely available, and they can help you secure these furniture pieces to the wall.
- Your heavy electronic equipment should also be secured. Televisions should be on stands meant to hold them securely and fastened with the help of brackets or nylon straps specifically meant for the job.
- Hanging objects such as mirrors and heavy picture frames should also be secured with the help of special hanging hooks, screws and adhesive strips.
- Valuable collectibles and breakable decorative objects can be secured to a surface with the help of earthquake putty or special gels.
- Place floor lamps so they do not topple over. Choose heavy bases and place behind sofas, chairs or tables.

Furniture, Shelter and Safety

It is best to understand the safe spots and danger zones in your home before an earthquake happens. This becomes, or should become second nature when you live in an earthquake zone.

- Should an earthquake happen at night, stay in bed till the shaking stops. It is best to keep a flashlight next to the bed. Carry it with you when you get up to inspect, as power outages may occur. You don't want to step on broken glass by accident.
- You often hear the advice to take shelter under a table. It is not always the best advice because a flimsy table is no help, especially if it is placed next to a tall, heavy armoire or shelf. You may be better off standing against a weight bearing wall, or in a doorway that is in a weight bearing wall. Never rush outdoors.
- Stay away from windows, mirrors, chandeliers and other hanging objects. Also stay away from the fireplace area especially if it is in use. Do so even if it isn't being used as a safeguard in case a chimney collapses.


Article Source: http://furniture.about.com/

[Kristin]

How to Prevent Furniture Tip-Over Injuries

By: Abe Abbas

Source: www.guiainfantil.com

The increase in furniture tip-over injuries over a period of time has made this a leading child safety issue. There have been a number of studies that delved into these injuries and their causes. A study at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio which took into account data from 1990 to 2007 found a 41% increase in such incidents. Later studies have found that the numbers have not gone down.

A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) data report (PDF) issued in 2012 showed that 2011 had the highest number of fatalities reported in a year. There were 41 fatalities recorded, which was an increase from 31 in 2010 and 27 in 2009.

Besides these deaths, CPSC says about 43,000 consumers including adults and children are injured every year. About 59% of these injuries are to children under 18 years of age, and most of these injuries are to the head.

As flat screen televisions are introduced into the household, older and often heavier televisions are moved into bedrooms or other areas of the home. Very often they are placed upon inappropriate furniture which was not meant to hold them. Unsurprisingly, the largest number of fatalities and accidents happened in bedrooms, followed by living rooms and family rooms.

Parents of young children are urged to anchor and stabilize their televisions, appliances, and furniture to prevent these tip-over injuries. Even if there are no young children in the home, it is safer to anchor all heavy furniture

What Causes Furniture Tip-Over Injuries

- Heavy objects, mostly TVs, are placed on tables, cabinets, chests or other furniture that is not strong enough to support them.
- While TVs were involved in accidents with younger children, older children aged 10-17 were injured by desks, cabinets and bookshelves tipping over.
- However, according to the study, most of these injuries involved children younger than 7 years of age and resulted from televisions tipping over. Over one quarter of the injuries occurred when children pulled over or climbed on furniture.

And How to Prevent Them

- Follow manufacturer guidelines for how much weight a unit can safely hold. Place TV sets on entertainment furniture specifically designed to hold them. Do not use unstable tables, cabinets or chests. Even flat screen TVs can topple over if they are not placed on a piece of furniture that is designed to hold them.
- Once placed on appropriate stands, push the TV as far back on the furniture as possible.
- Strap TV sets to a stable stand or wall.
- Attach large furniture, such as dressers or bookshelves to the wall with safety straps, L-brackets or other strong attachment devices. This will create a safer home even when small children are not present.
- Do not store objects attractive to children, such as toys or remote controls, on top of a TV set, bookshelf or any other high furniture surface. A child might try to climb to the top to get them.
- Prevent children from pulling drawers more than two-thirds of the way out by installing stops. Pulled-out drawers can shift the weight of a large dresser and cause it to fall over.
- Never open more than one drawer at a time.
- Children should be instructed to never climb into, stand inside or hang on drawers, doors or shelves.
- When buying furniture look for cabinets or chests that are well made. Drawers should open and close smoothly without sticking. Yanking on a stuck drawer can also cause chests, dressers or cabinets to topple over.
- Do not defeat or remove the drawer interlock system.
- Do not overload book shelves and book cases. Strap tall book cases to the wall to prevent tip-over accidents.
- Always supervise young children in a room where these safety tips have not been followed. This can be often be the case when they are visiting a friend's or relative's home.


Article Source: http://furniture.about.com/