The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is warning consumers about the risk of accidents in the home over the festive period through flat-screen televisions toppling over.

Safety experts are concerned that increased TV viewing over Christmas and New Year and a rise in flat-screen sales in the pre-Christmas period could lead to more youngsters being injured.

The society’s Errol Taylor said that ‘from time to time’ it was important for the RoSPA to raise awareness of the potential for accidents to occur ‘before an injury trend emerges in the UK’.

‘In this instance, we have taken note of the findings of US research which studied a huge number of furniture tip-over cases from an 18-year period,’ said Mr Taylor.

‘Not only did the research find that the number of such injuries had increased, but that televisions were the most commonly-involved item of furniture.’

US researchers have found that as many as 7,500 youngsters in the US are hospitalised every year after being injured when a flat-screen TV falls on them.

Mr Taylor warned:

‘With flat-screen televisions becoming increasingly popular and many families likely to have a new set for Christmas, now is a crucial time to talk about safety.‘

The RoSPA recommends that flat-screen TVs are placed on a wide and stable base obtained from the manufacturer. An additional wall bracket with straps running from the top of the set can also be used as an extra safety precaution.

‘We urge people to ensure that free-standing television sets cannot be easily pulled over by children and that wall-mounted sets are securely fixed to walls which are strong enough to hold them,’ Mr Taylor added.

The RoSPA said that a spike in flat-screen TV purchases in the run up to Christmas – and again at the digital switchover and World Cup – might fuel more reported injuries among children.

A total of four children have died in accidents in the UK that involved flat-screen TVs to date – the children who died were aged between 13 months and four years.

© 5r1 Limited 2009