Childproofing a Home by Improving Furniture Safety - Hangman Products Anti-tip Kit

I am publishing an open letter from Judy Lambert from the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation asking you to contact your congressperson to support HR 4266.

As Judy states in her letter, "On April 27th, 2005, Congresswoman, Allyson Schwartz, of PA, introduced a bill, The Katie Elise and Meghan Agnes Act, which would require furniture manufacturers to include tethering devices and warning labels with certain pieces of furniture. The bill died sitting in committee and had virtually little political support."

HR 4266 is a re-introduction of that bill. Understand that this bill is not a partisan issue, it is a save human lives issue and needs to be passed.

Please click to access a list of congress members by state so you can contact your representative: Congress members by state

The Hangman Store supports HR 4266, we ask you to support it also. Please read Judy Lambert's letter then e-mail your representative in congress.

"As you will all remember, on January 21, 2005, we lost our precious, 3 year old daughter, Katie, after a large unsecured wardrobe cabinet tipped and fell on top of her, crushing her little body. On April 27th, 2005, Congresswoman, Allyson Schwartz, of PA, introduced a bill, The Katie Elise and Meghan Agnes Act, which would require furniture manufacturers to include tethering devices and warning labels with certain pieces of furniture. The bill died sitting in committee and had virtually little political support. Everyone seems to agree that this type of bill is necessary as more and more children are being killed, but little is being done to support it.

On December 4th, 2007, Congresswoman Schwartz, reintroduced the bill, H.R. 4266. As the holidays and the 3 year anniversary of my daughter's death rapidly approach, I ask that you take a moment to contact your local Congressperson and ask them to support this necessary bill to help protect our children. In 2006, the Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that 31 children were killed as the result of furniture tip-over. In 2005, the statistics stated 6 children died. This huge increase may have been prevented if this bill had been signed into law. Please help us in our endeavor to prevent this type of tragedy from occurring again. No one should have to endure the pain that we have experienced and continue to experience each and everyday.

Katie would have been 6 years old now and in the first grade and I never got the chance to kiss her goodbye on her first day of school. I will never again have the chance to see her amazing smile or hear her joyous belly laugh when playing with her siblings. I will never again have the chance to watch her slide down a sliding board, catch a snowflake or play trains with her. I will never have the chance to take her to her first movie nor will I ever have the chance again to kiss my Katie goodnight and tell her how much her mommy loves her.

The pain is excruciating and it is a pain that no human being should ever have to endure.

Please help us and all of the families who have lost precious children to furniture tip-over.

I am enclosing a list of members of the 110th congress by state. Congress members by state

Please send your member a quick email or phone their office and ask them to support H.R. 4266. Tell them to please help keep our children safe. If it helps to save one little life, then it is worth it."

As parents, we put our all into making our homes safe for our children. We keep chemicals and medicines out of reach, place locks and covers on cabinets, toilet lids, and electrical outlets. We are careful about everything, and every one, that comes into our home. Yet despite our best efforts, some dangers remain.

Recent tragedies and the resulting recalls of products manufactured for children have made us look hard at everything our children touch. In an effort to protect my own child, I have been scouring recall lists and other safety information. Along the way, I made a shocking discovery. One of the top hidden dangers for children is something we all have in our homes: furniture. In fact, furniture tipovers are #3 on the list of hidden dangers for children according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, right behind magnets and recalled toys.

While numbers vary according to the reporting agency, each year thousands of people are injured from falling furniture. Many of these injuries are sustained by children; some of them fatal. For a truly heartbreaking story, visit the Lambert family's website. The Lamberts lost their beautiful daughter when a wardrobe fell on her in her bedroom. In her memory the family has launched a website and a campaign to educate the public about the dangers of furniture tipovers.

As the mother of an active 2-year-old, I know how fast things can go wrong. The doorbell rings, the pot boils over, the buzzer on the dryer beckons, and the child who was playing quietly when I left the room might be climbing the bookshelf when I return. Most tipover accidents occur, in fact, when a child is alone. But we know it is impossible to watch a child every second of the day, and children need places in the home where they are completely safe, even alone, for a few moments. Home is their haven, the place to explore and experience their first taste of independence.

The Lamberts have lobbied congress to put warnings on furniture that could easily tip over on a child. But warnings notwithstanding, only parents can make sure our children are safe from harm. While there is no way to eliminate every danger a child faces, below are a few tips to help make your home and furnishings as safe as possible.

TVs: TVs are interesting, awkward, and heavy, perfect candidates for little climbers. Make sure you place them low to the ground on a stable piece of furniture. And never put remote controls, favorite DVDs, or anything else that might tempt a child on top of the TV.

Placement of Toys: This "temptation factor" applies to the whole home. Never put toys, pictures, or any coveted items in a position that will encourage a child to climb on a bookshelf, a dresser, or any unstable surface.

Heavy Objects: Never place heavy objects like books or speakers on top shelves. Put them low on the shelves, or secured in cabinets.

Discourage Children from Climbing on Furniture: It is easier for a child to understand "never" than to discern which piece of furniture might be dangerous.

Purchasing New Furniture: When possible, choose furniture that is set on a wide, sturdy base, rather than legs. Test it to see if it will tip over by pushing on edges.

Pack Dressers from Bottom Up: This way it will be bottom-heavy instead of top-heavy.

Secure Furniture with an Anti-Tip Device: Some items, like dressers, wardrobes, bookshelves and hutches, cannot be secure on their own. For such furniture, purchase an anti-tip device. Examples of anti-tip devices include safety straps, furniture brackets or "L" brackets. Hangman Products makes an excellent, easy-to-install product called the Anti-Tip Kit. The Lamberts list it on their site, and you can find it at the Hangman Store.

This is a link to a story from the CBS Morning Show on the danger of falling furniture.

Click to read or watch a compelling news story about the dangers of falling furniture

CPSC Releases the "Top Five Hidden Home Hazards"

Click to read about the Top Five Hidden Home Dangers

After you read this press release, e-mail it to a friend or relative. This is something they need to read. The Consumer Products Safety Commission does a great job of educating the public on safety hazards of all types.

Many thanks to Bob Lambert of the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation for passing this on to me. Click to learn more about the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation.

Click to read, print or download a terrific, child safety checklist developed in Australia

Many thanks to Bob Lambert of the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation for passing this on to me. Click to learn more about the Katie Elise Lambert Foundation.

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