February 7, 2021: TV, Furniture, and Appliance Tip-Over Awareness Day

WHEREAS, it is estimated that over 12 percent of Michigan citizens, over 1.2 million people, are under ten years of age; and,

 

WHEREAS, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, children under the age of ten accounted for 41 percent of all emergency department-treated instability or tip-over injuries from 2016 through 2018 in the U.S.; and,

 

WHEREAS, 82.5 percent of tip-over related fatalities in the U.S. from 2000 through 2018 were children under the age of ten years old; and,

 

WHEREAS, an estimated average of nearly 25 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments every day from 2016 through 2018 for product instability of tip-over injuries related to televisions, furniture, and appliances; and,

 

WHEREAS, 16 percent of tip-over injuries treated in emergency departments in the U.S. between 2016 and 2018 involved adults who were age 60 or older; and,

 

WHEREAS, nationally between 2016 and 2018, an estimated average of 27,100 tip-over injuries were seen in emergency departments each year for all ages; and,

 

WHEREAS, these incidents are silent because the child bears the impact of the falling object and crash noises are often minimized, and children do not have the strength, agility, or speed to avoid harm when a heavier object tips toward them; and,

 

WHEREAS, injuries from furniture, appliance, and TV tip-overs are a preventable community health problem; and,

 

WHEREAS, families can eliminate the danger of furniture, TV, and appliance tip-overs by re-arranging furniture, installing simple safety devices such as brackets and wall-mounting straps to secure heavy furniture and TVs, and recycling old and unused TVs and appliances right away; and,

 

WHEREAS, the Injury and Violence Prevention Section of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services can direct parents and caregivers to more information to help them make their homes safe; and,

 

WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will continue its efforts with community-based Safe Kids Coalitions to raise awareness of preventing furniture, appliance, and TV tip-overs;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim February 7, 2021, as TV, Furniture, and Appliance Tip-Over Awareness Day in Michigan.