- SANUS and Safe Kids Worldwide have created a new multi-faceted partnership with the goal of educating consumers about the risk of unsecured flat-panel TVs tipping in the home, as well as available TV safety solutions.
- Unsecured flat-panel TVs can pose a great risk to consumers, and more specifically to young children. Due to increasing size and new ultra-thin designs, today's flat panel TVs can easily tip when bumped or pulled, causing them to topple off furniture, potentially causing injury or even death.
- A 2011 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report revealed that a child dies every three weeks from unsecured TVs tipping. In addition, an estimated 20,000 people were treated in emergency rooms in 2010 due to injuries caused by tipping TVs. Alarmingly, the issue is growing; this same report indicated that injuries from TV tip-overs have increased almost 25 percent from 2006-2010.
- Safe Kids Worldwide will be engaging local coalitions for a grass-roots educational movement while SANUS has recently launched an educational site, www.tvsafety.org as well as a national safety awareness consumer ad campaign.
- "With the holidays approaching, we are thrilled to have the partnership of an industry leader such as SANUS supporting us in our efforts to create awareness of the hidden danger of TV tip-overs," said Kate Carr, president and CEO, Safe Kids Worldwide. "This is a serious concern, and we plan to hit the ground running with a goal of protecting as many families as possible."
- TV tip-over deaths are needless and can easily be prevented, SANUS says. Use of a flat panel TV wall mount is a safe and secure way to avoid injury. Other options include furniture attachment systems and TV safety straps.
- "The growing rate of injuries associated with TV tip-overs is sobering," said Steve Decker, president - Consumer Products, SANUS. "We believe wall mounting provides a safer alternative to an unsecured TV. It is our goal that through this partnership and safety initiative we can reduce TV tip-over related injuries and help create a safer environment in the home."
For more information, visit www.tvsafety.org.
