Youth vendors comply with tip standards

Kids Today Industry News

By Thomas Russell -- Kids Today, 6/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

A number of case goods sources say they intend to comply with a new safety standard aimed at preventing the tipping of large case pieces, which has been a safety hazard, especially for children.

The voluntary rules were issued in May by standards development firm ASTM International, which has studied furniture safety issues for years.

While the standard is voluntary, companies that decide to comply will be required to include tip restraints in the packaging of bedroom dressers, chests and door chests more than 30 inches tall.

They also will have to put labeling in the drawers or inside the doors that warn users not to put heavy objects such as televisions on chests or dressers. The labels also will warn users to put the heaviest objects in the lower drawers, not to open more than one drawer at a time and not to let children climb on the piece.

The standard aims to address the safety of children ages 5 and under in response to growing concerns about accidents involving large case pieces.

According to a study released in May by Nationwide Children's Hospital, there are on average 14,700 injuries of children in the United States each year involving tipping furniture. That added up to more than 264,000 injuries between 1990 and 2007. During the same period, the study revealed that there were 300 deaths, nearly all of which were from falling dressers and TVs.

Several furniture sources interviewed by Kids Today said they plan to meet or exceed the standard by applying it to all case pieces at least 30 inches in height.

Lea Inds., a youth furniture specialist, has included anchoring devices and installation instructions for case pieces in its line since at least 2002. It is now adding that device to the adult line at sister company American Drew, said Earl Wang, senior vice president of sales and merchandising. The company also is putting warning labels on case pieces.

Hooker Furniture plans to include tip restraints with all case pieces that have either a drawer or a door — whether it be a chest, dresser, or bookcase with a door at the base. Pieces also will have safety warnings labels.

"We are trying to put together a company policy that would be very easy to follow," said David Davis, director of engineering at Hooker. "We will be more stringent than the (standard) requires."

While the standard is voluntary, industry executives say they want to make sure they are doing what's best for the consumer.

"In keeping with our history of proactive compliance with safety standards, Hooker will be in the forefront of meeting these new anti-tipping guidelines," Davis said. "We want to be an industry leader in making sure our products are safe for the consumers' use."

"I think when you deal with children's products specifically, when you are not compliant with the voluntary standard, you are doing yourself, your customer and everybody a disservice," Wang said. "You don't want to knowingly put something out there that is harmful."

Lee Boone, president of case goods source Legacy Classic, said his company already includes tip restraints for case pieces 30 inches or taller in its Legacy Kids division. It will now include them for nightstands as well. It also offers warning statements similar to those required by the new standard.

The ASTM standard also requires product testing to make sure pieces don't fall over when drawers or doors are open and a 50-pound weight is applied.

Boone said Legacy has a third-party testing agency handle this work to ensure the stability and safety of its products.

American Woodcrafters President Lao Labra said his company will include restraints and warning labels on all case pieces more than 30 inches tall. The process is expected to be complete by September, which will allow it to explain the safety features to sales reps and customers attending the fall markets.

Bill Kemp, president of B K Home Furniture said his company plans to apply the standard to any case piece in its adult and youth lines that it believes presents a tipping hazard.

"It's not a complicated thing to do," he said. "I think not following the guidelines would not be a good way to go."

The American Home Furnishings Alliance has echoed that sentiment, saying that noncompliance could present liability issues for the industry. The trade group also plans to educate the public about the issue on its consumer Web site, www.findyourfurniture.com.