BILL NUMBER:S4543

TITLE OF BILL:

An act requiring the consumer protection division to develop an
unsecured furniture, television, and appliance public awareness
campaign

PURPOSE:

To increase consumer awareness of the hazards of unsecured furniture,
related tip-over incidents, and the dangers unsecured furniture pose
to young children

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 requires the consumer protection division to develop,
establish, and implement a public awareness campaign related to the
dangers of unsecured furniture, televisions, and other appliances.
The division must prepare an annual report to the governor and
legislature disclosing the actions taken by the division in carrying
out the campaign and an assessment of the necessary appropriations for
the division to meet the needs of the campaign in the next fiscal
year.

Section 2 provides the effective date.
              

JUSTIFICATION:

Every two weeks a child dies when a television, piece of furniture, or
an appliance falls on top of them. In an effort to prevent tip-over
related incidents, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has
urged parents and caregivers of young children to anchor and stabilize
televisions, furniture, and appliances. Young children are using
dressers and tables as climbing devices to reach a toy, TV or game
remote, or other desired item, and the results are tragic. New
Commission data shows that 349 consumers were killed between 2000 and
2011, when TVs, furniture or appliances toppled over onto them. 84% of
these fatalities are attributable to children less than 9 years of
age.

The Commission estimates that more than 43,000 consumers are injured
each year in tip-over incidents. More than 25,000 or 59% of those
injuries are suffered by children under the age of 18. Falling
furniture accounts for more than half of the reported injuries.
However, falling televisions are more deadly, as they are associated
with 62% of reported fatalities.

Small children simply cannot escape a falling dresser, wall unit, or
50- to 100-pound television. Children involved in these tip-over
incidents often sustain severe head and bodily injuries as a result of
being crushed by the product or trapped under its weight. In 57% of
the reported fatalities and 39% of injuries, the victim was struck in
the head by the falling item.

Unanchored televisions placed on dressers, bureaus and tables not
intended to be used as a TV stand have been associated with many


tip-over incidents involving both the TV and the furniture. Some
reports indicate that as families purchase or transition to flat
screen televisions, older and often heavier televisions are moved into
bedrooms and other rooms in the house. Over half of the reported
fatalities occurred in bedrooms, living rooms and family rooms.

To help prevent tip-over tragedies, this bill requires the NYS
Consumer Protection Division to conduct a public awareness campaign
through the Internet, radio, and print advertising, notifying parents
and consumers of the dangers of furniture tip-over incidents. By
making parents and caregivers of young children aware of the risks
associated with unanchored furniture and the propensity of these
incidents to result in severe injury and death, New York State protect
the lives of so many children. For all of the forgoing reasons, it is
imperative that this bill is enacted.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.