Is your Wooden Furniture Safe?
When purchasing furniture, one should always consider safety. Many types of furniture can cause injury or even death, so it is critical to make sure that the furniture you choose is appropriate. In this article, we discuss whether wooden furniture is safe for your home.
Some types of wooden furniture can be unsafe and cause injury. For example, furniture that is made of flimsy wood, such as thin particle-board or thin boards, can be dangerous because it can break and be unstable. Children are particularly at risk, because they may attempt to jump on, climb, or lean on furniture that is not sufficiently sturdy.
When selecting furniture, look at the thickness of the wood. Also evaluate how solidly each piece is bolted to each other piece (bolts or other metal hardware are better than glue), as well as the type of wood. Avoid any wood that is uneven, unfinished, or that looks like it could splinter, since getting slivers of wood embedded in the skin is another major cause of furniture-related injury.
One good way of evaluating the sturdiness of wooden furniture is to push on it and jiggle it while at the store. You are going to want a furniture item that remains rock solid even when firmly jostled. Also look at the individual components of the furniture item to see if any pieces could become detached or broken.
Finally, even if your furniture it seems quite safe and sturdy, make sure to bolt it securely to the wall. This is especially important for people with small children, who can tip larger furniture items such as bookshelves and entertainment units onto themselves and cause injury. Use sturdy metal hardware to bolt furniture to the wall, making sure to anchor it to wooden studs in your wall.