Product Safety
Prevent a Tip-Over Accident
Unfortunately, serious or fatal injuries occur all too often from what's known as a "tip-over" - when an appliance or piece of furniture is knocked over and transformed into a threat of serious injury or even death in some cases. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a child dies on average every two weeks from a furniture tip-over incident. So while the furniture in your home, such as a dresser, a bookcase or an armoire, may feel stable and heavy, it could still be a hazard for a young child.
We want you to be able to create as safe a home as possible for your family, which is why we strongly recommend securely anchoring all top-heavy furniture (or any other furniture or items you feel might pose this risk) to the wall using anti-tip hardware for extra stability. To make it even easier for you, we include anti-tip hardware with your applicable furniture, so you can install it right away. If you have any questions, please email cs@porterdesignsusa.com
- Walk around your home and make a list of existing top-heavy furniture that should be securely anchored to the wall. You can find an anti-tip kit at your local home improvement store.
- Follow instructions carefully for safe wall mounting. It's essential that you use wall anchors appropriate to your wall type (i.e. plaster, drywall, concrete) and mount to wood studs whenever possible for the best protection.
- Consider mounting or anchoring your TV to the wall or furniture to prevent it from toppling over. In some cases, using media furniture that's designed to hold TVs could be an even better option.
- Remove items that might tempt children to climb on your furniture, such as toys and remote controls, and place them in locations that they can reach safely.
Safety Tips for Moving Furniture
Check For Danger Zones - Before moving any piece of furniture, make sure the path is completely clear. For example, toys, shoes, boxes, clutter or any item that could cause a safety hazard. If there are any other pieces of furniture in the way, make sure to move it before attempting to haul it out of the room. Make sure children and pets are in the safe distance away from you.
Check For Outside Debris - Moving furniture from out of the house, apartment or office, onto the moving truck, can be a very tedious process. To prevent accidents, make sure the outdoor path is are free of debris, ice, snow or mud. Moving day can be a magnet for accidents.
Use a Furniture Dolly - A furniture dolly (or utility dolly) is a lifesaver, even for professional movers. A furniture dolly is a two-wheeled, L-shaped handcart that helps transport heavy items. You can either buy or rent one from a moving company.
Use Moving Straps - Professional movers use moving straps to help move heavy furniture more efficiently.
Use A Furniture Slider - It takes a lot of muscle to move heavy furniture. A slider is basically a piece of rubber on one side and plastic on the opposite side that helps to slide furniture with ease. Using a slider will help make moving furniture from one section of a room to the other side of the room a lot easier.
Use Furniture Felts - Furniture felts are an absolute must when placing your furniture in a room with hardwood floors. You’re basically saving yourself from a serious damage to your floors. In many cases deep scratches may require a complete refinishing which can easily cost thousands of dollars.
Lastly, consider buying a pair of durable work gloves to help protect your hands and improve your grip.
Product Safety Recalls