Change sought in furniture tip-over safety label
Would note that media chests are designed to hold TVs
Tom Russell -- Furniture Today, July 14, 2009
HIGH POINT — ASTM International is considering a change in the language of a safety label aimed at preventing furniture from accidentally tipping over on children.
The possible change is in response to concerns voiced by the American Home Furnishings Alliance that part of the label - regarding the placement of TVs on dressers - could cause confusion.
While the ASTM tip-over standard is voluntary, most manufacturers are complying with it. Part of the standard includes a warning label for chests, door chests and dressers over 30 inches tall, a portion of which now reads, "Do not set TVs or other heavy objects on top of the product."
But many media dressers, an increasingly popular bedroom piece, are specifically designed to hold TVs. Several bedroom manufacturers contacted the AHFA with concerns over the label, said Bill Perdue, the association's vice president for environmental affairs.
"Since a media chest is designed to accommodate a television, this warning label would confuse consumers. Based on input from our member companies, we proposed a revision to the new warning label," Perdue said.
The proposed revision would read, "Unless designed to accommodate, do not set a TV or other heavy object on the top of this product."
ASTM would have to approve the new language. A decision is expected by early August, the AHFA said.
Other parts of the warning label tell consumers to place the heaviest objects in the lowest drawers, never to open more than one drawer at a time, not to remove the drawer interlock system, and never to allow children to climb or hang on doors, drawers or shelves.
The standard also requires manufacturers to include tip restraints with the furniture. The piece also must not tip when all the drawers are open two-thirds of the way, and must not tip when one drawer is open and a 50-pound weight is placed in it.
A number of case goods suppliers have told Furniture/Today that they intend to apply the ASTM standard all their bedroom lines, whether youth or master. Some also are performing third party testing to make sure the case pieces meet the open-drawer safety requirement.
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Change sought in furniture tip-over safety label
Jul 20, 2009
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