Updated UL Safety Standard to Prevent TV and Furniture Tip-Over-Related Deaths

April 30, 2014 - PRLog -- UL 1678 Safety Standard

The Fifth Edition of UL 1678 (http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/solutions/standards/accessstandards/catalogofstandards/standard/?id=1678_5) was approved by ANSI as an American National Standard (ANSI) on 10 August 2012 and all the requirements in this Standard have been in effect since 31 January 2014.

UL 1678 specifies requirements for the stability, strength and marking of furniture intended for use with audio and/or video equipment, such as household, commercial, and institutional-use carts, stands and entertainment centers intended to provide a surface for the support or attachment of audio and/or video equipment. These requirements also apply to tall institutional-use carts and stands intended to provide a surface for the support of audio and/or video equipment that have a support bracket or shelf that is more than 39.4 inches (1 m) above the floor and are intended for use in schools, institutions, hospitals or similar locations where children or persons with diminished capacity are likely to move them or may be asked to move them.

TV and Furniture Tip-Over-Related Accidents

TV and Furniture tip-over-related deaths and injuries continue to be a serious issue. According to a notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) (http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Tipover-Information-Center/), a child is killed once every two weeks, with thousands injured every year.

The CPSC reported 245 tip-over-related deaths involving children 8 years old and younger between the years of 2000-2012. More than 90 percent of the incidents involved children 5 years old and younger. In more than half of the 245 fatalities, the child was crushed by the weight of the television, furniture, or appliance. It was also reported that more than 22,000 children were treated in hospital emergency for injuries

Furniture and TV tip-over incidents are one of the top hidden hazards in the home. The CPSC is urging parents and caregivers to inspect and anchor furniture and TVs, in order to protect young children from a preventable tragedy.

How to ensure TVs and Furniture Are Safe?

1. Meeting the safety requirements entailed ANSI/UL 1678-2012

2. It is recommended to anchor TV stands or similar furniture to the wall or the floor by means of wall fixings, e.g. a cable or strap type restraint, to help prevent tip over.

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