What Everyone Should Know About the IKEA Furniture Recall

(even if you don’t own any IKEA furniture)

“Every two weeks a child in the U.S. is killed in a tip-over related incident involving furniture or TVs,” states the June 28, 2016 Press Statement from Chairman Elliot F. Kaye of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “Think about that. Every two weeks. And in that time hundreds more are injured, often seriously. These are tragic numbers.”

Six children have lost their lives after an IKEA chest or dresser tipped over and on to them. “To protect young children in millions of American homes, CPSC and IKEA are announcing today a joint recall of 29 million of these IKEA chests and dressers. If you have, or think you have, one of these products, act immediately. It is simply too dangerous to have the recalled furniture in your home unsecured, especially if you have young children.”

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The CPSC adds that this furniture is safe, however, when securely anchored to a wall. Owners of the recalled furniture can either:

  • return it for a refund
  • request a free Secure It Safety Kit from IKEA, or
  • call IKEA to arrange for a free in-home installation of the anchor.

But just because you may not have any IKEA furniture doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. This hazard is much more widespread than the IKEA furniture recall. Regardless of whether you own IKEA furniture or have young kids, securely fastening heavy objects to the walls in your home is something everyone should do and as soon as possible!

Look around and evaluate the potential hazards in your home. What else could tip over if a child climbs on it or in the event of an earthquake or hurricane? Is your flat screen TV mounting bracket properly fastened to the wall? What about the entertainment center? Do you have tall bookshelves? Are your mirrors and artwork hanging from a flimsy wire or are they safely fastened to the wall? Is your hot water heater securely fastened to a stud?

Adults and pets are also prone to injury when heavy objects tip over or fall. The CPSC is looking into potential hazards related to other furniture brands as well.

Now that we’ve covered the reasons why you need to fasten your furniture and heavy objects to the wall, make sure to visit the blog, “The IKEA Furniture Recall – What’s Next?” to learn the next steps.

Take Chairman Kaye’s advice, please act immediately!  If you have stud finding questions, please call our Zircon Tool Pro experts at 1-800-245-9265, Mon – Fri, 8AM – 5PM PST.

References:

http://www.cpsc.gov/en/About-CPSC/Chairman/Kaye-Biography/Chairman-Kayes-Statements/Statements/Press-Statement-from-US-Consumer-Product-Safety-Commission-Chairman-Elliot-F-Kaye-Regarding-the-Recall-of-29-Million-Chests-and-Dressers-Sold-By-IKEA/

One of Zircon’s long-time consultants, Kurt Stauss works with the pros who need and use Zircon tools on the job. A seasoned tool and industry expert, Kurt travels across the globe to demonstrate how Zircon tools is the solution to everyday problems.