The Consumer Electronics Association and Safe Kids Worldwide has declared Jan. 31 National TV Safety Day and want parents and caregivers to add one more element to their pre-Super Bowl routines: Make sure their TVs are properly secured.
As part of childproofing, they advise that old-style TVs with cathode ray tubes be placed on low, stable furniture, not up high on dressers where they could tip over, or if they are no longer being used, recycled. "If you're no longer using your CRT TV, we recommend removing it from your home entirely, finding a local recycling location and properly disposing of the TV," says CEA president Gary Shapiro, who adds that 41% of homes say they have at least one box-style CRT set— often retired to duty as game consoles or VCR/DVD monitors.
According to the groups, every 45 minutes a child is sent to the emergency room from injuries called by unsecured TVs tipping over, and every three weeks a child is actually killed in such incidents.
Even flat panel TVs can pose a problem, they say, advising that they also be secured with a safety mount.
