Safety

Tip-overs: what federal injury data says about screens and consoles

What is happening

A media wall usually brings a larger screen, and often a console, cabinets or open shelving below it. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that from 2020 through 2022, an estimated 17,800 people a year were treated in emergency departments after a television, piece of furniture or appliance tipped over¹. Children under 18 suffered 44% of those injuries, which CPSC describes as a child treated every 53 minutes¹.

By the numbers

Source: U.S. CPSC news release, Feb. 8, 2024¹.

Why it matters for a media wall

A screen fastened to a wall mount in solid structure is no longer resting on furniture, so it cannot topple off a stand or come down together with one. What remains is the furniture: consoles, bookcases and cabinet runs. CPSC’s first recommendation is to anchor TVs and furniture such as bookcases and dressers securely to the wall¹.

What CPSC says to do

• Anchor TVs and furniture securely to the wall¹.
• Where anchoring is not possible, place a TV on a sturdy, low base, push it back as far as possible and keep cords out of reach¹.
• Do not keep toys, remotes or other tempting items where children may climb to reach them, and store heavier items on lower shelves¹.

The Anchor It! campaign describes installing a kit in four steps: attach a bracket to the wall, move the furniture close, attach the other bracket to the furniture or TV, and connect the strap, then tug to make sure it holds².

Planning notes

Anchoring is easiest to plan before the wall is finished: decide where consoles and shelving will sit and make sure there is solid backing behind them. On the shelves themselves, keep the heavy pieces low and leave the upper shelves for light objects that do not invite climbing.

CPSC adopted a rule under the STURDY Act for newly made clothing storage furniture from Sept. 1, 2023, but still recommends anchoring furniture regardless of when it was made¹.