Product Instability or Tip-Over Injuries and Fatalities Associated with
Televisions, Furniture, and Appliances: 2020 Report
January 2021
Adam Suchy
Directorate for Epidemiology
Division of Hazard Analysis
U
.
S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814
This analysis was prepared by CPSC staff and has not been reviewed or approved by, and may
not necessarily reflect the views of, the Commission.
2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………..4
Emergency Department-Treated Injuries……………………………………………………..7
Table 1a: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs for All Ages by Year 2010–2019..…………………………………...................................8
Figure 1: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs for All Ages by Year 2010–2019…………………………………………………………..9
Table 1b: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs Among Children Under 18 Years by Year 2010–2019…………………………………...10
Table 1c: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs Among Adults Ages 18 to 59 Years by Year 2010–2019………………………………...11
Table 1d: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs Among Seniors 60 Years and Older by Year 2010–2019………………………………...12
Table 2: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries
Due to
Product Instability or Tip
Overs by Victim Age Category,
2017–2 01 9… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ......13
Table 3: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip
Overs by Victim Age Category,
2017–2 01 9… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..14
Table 4: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs
by Selected Child Victim Age Category
2017–2 01 9.… … … … … … … … … … … … … .....15
Table 5: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs
by Furniture Subcategories
2017– 20 19 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..16
Table 6: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs
by Gender
2017– 20 19.… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ............................... 17
Table 7: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs
by Diagnosis
2017–2 01 9.… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ............................... 18
Table 8: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs
by Area of Body
2017– 20 19 .… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .19
Table 9: Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to Product Instability or Tip
Overs
by Area of Body and Diagnosis
2017–2 01 9.… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..20
Reported Fatalities…………………………………………………………………………...21
Table 10: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Year 2000–
2019…........................................................................................................................................22
Figure 2: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC for Different
Age Groups by Gender and Product Category 2000–2019.……………………………………23
3
Figure 3: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Television
and Furniture Type
2000–2019…..…………………………………………………………….24
Figure 4: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC for Furniture-
Only by Furniture Type 2000–2019.…………………………………………………………...25
Figure 5: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC for Appliances
by Appliance Type 2000–2019.………………………………………………….....................26
Figure 6: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Location
2000–2019………………...…………………………………………………………………....27
Figure 7: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Room of
Incident 2000–2019.……………………………...…………………………………………….28
Figure 8: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Manner of
Death 2000–2019.………………..………………………………………………………….....29
Figure 9: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Body Area
Injured 2000–2019.……………………………………………………....................................30
Figure 10: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Victim
Age at Time of Death 2000–2019..……………………….………….......................................31
Figure 11: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC by
Product Category 2000–2019.……………………...…………………………………….…….32
Figure 12: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC by
Scenario 2000–2019.……..…………………………………………………………................33
Figure 13: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC by
Response Time After Tip-Over 2000–2019……………………………………………………34
Figure 14: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Adult and Senior Fatalities Reported to
CPSC by Victim Age at Time of Death 2000–2019.………………………………………......35
Figure 15: Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Senior Fatalities Reported to CPSC by
Product Category 2000–2019.………………………..…….……………………....................36
Appendix A: Methodology for Selecting Product Instability or Tip-Over Injuries and Fatalities
Associated with Televisions, Furniture, and Appliances…………………………..................37
Table 11: Potential Instability or Tip-Over Television, Furniture, and Appliance Product
Codes………………………………………………………………………………………….38
Appendix B: Conventions for Determining In-Scope Incidents……………………………..41
4
Executive Summary
This report contains information on injuries and fatalities associated with television,
furniture, and appliance product instability, or tip-over incidents. Tip-over incidents include
scenarios where heavy furniture falls on an individual from some type of interaction, such as
climbing or exerting a force on the product while it is in one of its positions of normal use.
Product instability that can lead to a tip-over incident can be caused or affected by an unstable
dresser design (small foot print, top heavy), use on a sloped or unstable surface (carpet), non-use
of a tip-over restraint device or use of a defective tip-over restraint device, heavy objects on top
of a dresser, or multiple dresser drawers open. A television or an appliance that falls in
combination with the furniture (that the television or appliance is resting in or on) is counted
only in the furniture category in tabulations by product types presented in this report.
This report presents a national estimate of emergency department-treated instability or
tip-over injuries, followed by the counts of reported fatalities. The death incidents are reported
to have occurred from 2000 through 2019,
1
and the injury estimates are for years 2017 through
2019.
2
Appendix A presents the methodology for data extraction and selection criteria. Appendix
B describes conventions applied for determining the products and scenarios that are included in the
various product categories in this report. The statistics presented in this report are not comparable
to statistics released previously, due to refinement of the conventions for determining in-scope
National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) injuries (see Appendix B).
Of the estimated annual average of 25,500 emergency department (ED)-treated injuries
3
(2017–2019) and the 571 reported fatalities
4
associated with tip-over incidents occurring between
2000 and 2019, staff noted the following
5
:
Victims
o Estimated annual average number of ED-treated injuries:
11,300 (44%) involved children under age 18 years;
10,000 (39%) involved adults, ages 18 to 59 years; and
4,200 (17%) involved seniors, ages 60 years and older.
o Reported fatalities:
469 (82%) involved children (under age 18 years), with victims ages ranging
from 1 month to 14 years;
20 (4%) involved adults (age 18 to 59 years), with victims ages ranging from
28 to 59 years; and
82 (14%) involved seniors, victims ages 60 years and older.
1
Fatality counts should be considered incomplete for years 2017–2019, due to a time lag in reporting to CPSC.
2
Injury estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred.
3
Between 2010 and 2019, there were 12 NEISS tip-over injuries that ultimately resulted in deaths. Of these 12
deaths, two occurred between 2017 and 2019. All of these deaths are included in both the national annual estimates
throughout the NEISS “injury” section and the fatality section of this report.
4
Between 2000 and 2019, there were 21 NEISS fatalities, and all of them appear in the fatality section of this report.
5
Percentages may not sum to 100, due to rounding.
5
Tip-over product(s)
o Estimated annual average number of ED-treated injuries:
19,900 (78%) involved furniture (furniture-only, TV and furniture, or
appliance and furniture);
4,600 (18%) involved only televisions; and
1,100 (4%) involved only appliances.
o The estimated
annual average number of
ED-treated injuries involving children
(under age 18 years) and furniture
6
was 8,800. Among them:
3,500 (40%) involved tables;
2,600 (30%) involved chests, bureaus, and dressers;
1,500 (17%) involved shelving, shelving units, and bookcases; and
1,100 (13%) involved all other furniture (including cabinets and stands).
o Reported fatalities
7
:
180 (32%) involved only televisions;
174 (30%) involved furniture and a television both tipping over;
177 (31%) involved only furniture; and
40 (7%) involved only appliances
8
.
The largest appliance category was stove/oven (27 fatalities).
Incident location
9
o Estimated annual average number of ED-treated injuries:
67% in residential settings, 9% in public settings, and 24% in locations not
specified.
o Reported fatalities:
91% in residential settings, 4% in public settings, and 5% in locations not
specified.
46% in bedrooms, 19% in living/family rooms, 11% in other locations
(kitchen, dining rooms, and miscellaneous other rooms), and 24% in
unknown room locations.
Injury characterization (primary injury type and body area affected)
o Estimated annual average number of ED-treated injuries:
31% contusions/abrasions, 14% fractures, 14% internal organ injuries, and
13% lacerations.
37% legs, feet and toes, 30% head, 17% arms, hands, and fingers, and 13%
torso.
6
Seen in Table 1b, of the estimated 8,800 furniture-related injuries to children, about 400 of these incidents also
involved a television.
7
There were 115 fatalities involving only a chest, bureau, or dresser, and there were 103 fatalities involving a
television and a chest, bureau, or dresser, so there were a total of 218 fatalities involving a chest, bureau, or dresser.
8
There were no fatalities involving an appliance and furniture both falling.
9
Public locations include nursing homes and assisted living facilities in both the NEISS injury estimates and in the
fatality section, which generally only affects the senior age group.
6
o Reported fatalities:
56% were crushed and remained under the product(s); 15% were hit/struck
by product(s) but not crushed under the product(s); and 22% were due to
positional asphyxia.
65% Head (59% head only; 6% head and torso), and 24% torso only.
It should be noted that in early 2015, the CPSC launched its “Anchor It!” Campaign,
10
a
national public education campaign to prevent furniture and television tip overs from killing and
seriously injuring children. Tip overs are a significant hidden hazard in the home, and CPSC’s
safety campaign is aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries from tipping televisions,
furniture, and appliances.
10
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Tipover-Information-Center/.
7
Emergency Department-Treated Injuries
Table 1a shows that from 2017 through 2019, U.S. hospital emergency departments
treated an estimated average of 25,500 people annually for product instability or tip-over injuries
related to televisions, furniture, and appliances.
11
The All Furniture category, which includes
only furniture, furniture and a television, and furniture and an appliance falling, had the largest
number of instability or tip-over-related injuries among the three product categories, with a
national annual average estimate of 19,900 injuries (78 percent). This was followed by the
national annual average instability or tip-over injury estimate of 4,600 injuries (18 percent)
associated with only televisions. Appliance-only tip overs accounted for a national annual
average of 1,100 injuries (4 percent). See Table 1a for a detailed breakdown; appliance estimates
for 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2019, are not presented because there were not enough data to support
reliable statistical estimates.
In this report, a television or an appliance falling in combination with furniture is counted
only in the furniture category; in Table 1a through Table 1d, the furniture category is subdivided into
incidents in which a television and furniture fell, and incidents in which either only furniture fell, or an
appliance and furniture fell. The terse nature of NEISS narratives, and the medical records from
which they are drawn, may fail to indicate a piece of furniture that may have been involved along
with a fallen television. Cases that definitively indicate both a television and furniture falling
were too few to produce robust estimates in the most recent years: 2017, 2018, and 2019. The
previous annual report data were re-evaluated, along with the review of newer data, to ensure that
the criteria for inclusion were applied consistently, and any changes to data from past reports have
been listed in Appendix A.
11
Based on the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is a probability survey of about 100
hospitals nationally.
8
Table 1a shows the national average annual estimates of ED-treated tip-over injuries for
2017 through 2019, as well as yearly estimates for 2010 through 2016, for comparison purposes.
The estimated annual average injuries in Table 1a pertain to all ages, broken out by product
categories: television-only, furniture (television and furniture; and furniture-only and appliance
and furniture), appliance-only, and a total over all product categories. In Tables 1a–1d, under the
column for “All Furniture” injury estimates, there are two additional, mutually exclusive
estimates in parentheses that subdivide the furniture category; these estimates are for scenarios
where a television and furniture both fell, and where only furniture or an appliance and furniture
both fell.
Table 1a
Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs for All Ages by Year 2010–2019
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
12
The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the given estimates ranged from 0.0558 to 0.3199.
13
The television counts also include flat-screen televisions and computer monitors (laptops and “computers,” with
no indication of a “computer monitor”, were considered out of scope). For 2017 through 2019, of the annual
average of 4,600 television-only tip-over injuries, just under 1 percent were computer monitors.
14
From 2017 through 2019, there were 0 cases in which an appliance and furniture both fell, accounting for 0.00%
of the 3-year annual average estimated injuries. For 2010 through 2019, scenarios in which both an appliance and
furniture fell accounted for 0.06% of all furniture and appliance and furniture estimated injuries.
Estimated ED-Treated Injuries
12
Year
Television-Only
13
Appliance-Only
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Annual Average
(2017 – 2019)
4,600
1,100
25,500
Average 95%
Confidence
Interval
(CI)
(2,800
–
6,500)
(700 – 1,400)
(21,500
–
29,600)
2019
3,700
–
22,400
2018
4,300
1,300
25,500
2017
5,900
–
27,100
2016
6,300
–
26,900
2015
9,000
1,200
30,700
2014
10,600
1,200
34,300
2013
10,500
–
33,800
2012
13,700
1,200
39,900
2011
13,900
2,100
40,100
2010
16,900
1,700
45,000
9
Figure 1 shows the yearly ED-treated tip-over injury estimates including all ages, for
2010 through 2019, for all tip overs, tip overs involving only furniture, and all tip overs
involving a television.
15
For 2010 through 2019, there is a statistically significant linear decline
in television-only, in television-related (television-Only; and television and furniture), and in
overall tip-over ED-treated tip-over injuries including all ages. The decline in the estimated
number of overall injuries in large part, is due to the decline in tip overs involving televisions
during those years. No linear trend was detected for the entire period 2010 through 2019, for
only-furniture
16
; and data were insufficient to test statistically for any trends in the appliance-
only category. Trends over the years 2010 through 2019, are only detectable when injuries
involving televisions are considered. Appliance estimates are not presented because there were
not enough data to support reliable statistical estimates for some years.
Figure 1
Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs for All Ages by Year 2010–2019
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B.
15
“Furniture-Only” estimates do not appear in Table 1a; estimates for “All Television-Related” tip overs are
summed using “Television-Only” and “TV + Furn” categories in Table 1a.
16
A trend analysis was performed for all ages’ estimated ED-treated tip-over injuries when only furniture tipped
over (e.g., no appliance and furniture or television and furniture scenarios included). No statistically significant
trend over the years 2010 through 2019 was found.
45,000
22,400
23,300
17,700
20,000
3,900
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Est. Number of ED
-Treated Injuries
Year
All Ages: Estimated Number of ED-Treated Tip-Over Injuries
All Tip Overs
Furniture-Only
All Television-Related
10
Table 1b shows the national average annual estimates of ED-treated tip-over injuries
involving children ages 0 to 17 years old. From 2010 through 2019, there is a statistically
significant linear decline in television-only and in furniture-only
17
ED-treated tip-over injuries in
children. There is also a statistically significant linear decline in overall tip-over injuries to
children from 2010 through 2019. During the most recent years, 2017 through 2019, about 24
percent of all children’s ED-treated tip-over injuries involved a television (including only a
television, or a television and furniture).
Table 1b
Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs Among Children Under 18 Years by Year 2010–2019
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
17
Although “furniture-only” estimates do not appear in Table 1b, a trend analysis was performed for children’s
estimated ED-treated tip-over injuries when only furniture tipped over (e.g., no appliance and furniture or television
and furniture scenarios included). A statistically significant decreasing trend over the years 2010 through 2019 was
found.
18
The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the given estimates ranged from 0.0695 to 0.2336.
Estimated ED-Treated Injuries
18
Year
Television-Only
Appliance-Only
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Annual Average
(2017 – 2019)
2,300
–
11,300
Average 95%
Confidence
Interval
(CI)
(1,800
–
2,900)
–
(8,600
–
14,000)
2019
1,800
–
10,500
2018
2,000
–
11,300
2017
3,300
–
12,100
2016
3,800
–
13,900
2015
5,900
–
16,000
2014
6,400
–
17,400
2013
6,200
–
18,400
2012
9,500
–
23,200
2011
9,600
–
23,400
2010
11,900
–
28,000
11
Table 1c shows the national average annual estimates of ED-treated tip-over injuries
involving adults ages 18 to 59 years old. From 2010 through 2019, there is a statistically
significant linear decline in television-only ED-treated tip-over injuries in adults. There is also a
statistically significant linear decline in overall ED-treated tip-over injuries for adults from 2010
through 2019, which, in large part, is due to the decline in tip-over incidents involving
televisions over those years. No linear trend was detected for adults for the entire 2010 through
2019 period for furniture, whether televisions were or were not involved. For the years 2017
through 2019, about 16 percent of all adult ED-treated tip-over injuries involved a television
(including only a television, or a television and furniture).
Table 1c
Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs Among Adults Ages 18 to 59 Years by Year 2010–2019
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
19
The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the given estimates ranged from 0.0822 to 0.2210.
Estimated ED-Treated Injuries
19
Year
Television-Only
Appliance-Only
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Annual Average
(2017 – 2019)
1,500
600
10,000
Average 95%
Confidence
Interval
(CI)
(1,200 – 1,800)
(400
–
900)
(8,400
–
11,600)
2019
1,400
–
8,300
2018
1,300
–
10,500
2017
1,800
–
11,200
2016
1,700
–
9,200
2015
2,800
–
11,000
2014
3,200
–
13,500
2013
3,700
–
12,900
2012
3,200
–
13,100
2011
3,500
1,700
13,400
2010
4,100
1,400
13,900
12
Table 1d shows the national average annual estimates of ED-treated tip-over injuries
involving seniors ages 60 years and older. From 2010 through 2019, no linear trend was
detected for television-only, furniture (whether televisions were or were not involved), or for
overall ED-treated tip-over injuries for seniors. For the years 2017 through 2019, only about one
in five senior ED-treated tip-over injuries involved a television (including only a television, or a
television and furniture).
Table 1d
Annual Average of Estimated ED-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs Among Seniors 60 years and Older by Year 2010–2019
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
For the remainder of the injury section, furniture category estimates also include
incidents in which both a television and furniture fell. There were no injuries of a victim of any
age involving both an appliance and furniture falling between 2017 and 2019.
20
The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the given estimates ranged from 0.1093 to 0.2650.
21
There were no senior injuries in which an appliance and furniture both fell in any year from 2010 through 2019.
Estimated ED-Treated Injuries
20
Year
Television-Only
Appliance-Only
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Annual Average
(2017 – 2019)
800
–
4,200
Average 95%
Confidence
Interval
(CI)
(600
–
1,000)
–
(3,300 – 5,100)
2019
–
–
3,700
2018
–
–
5,200
2017
–
–
3,800
2016
–
–
3,700
2015
–
–
3,800
2014
–
–
3,300
2013
–
–
2,400
2012
–
–
3,500
2011
–
–
3,300
2010
–
–
3,100
13
Table 2 presents the estimated annual average number of ED-treated tip-over injuries for
the various product categories by victim age category. As the table shows, children younger than
10 years of age account for the largest proportion of product instability or tip-over injuries, with
an estimated annual average of 10,000 injuries, which is 39 percent of all tip-over injuries.
Children under 10 years old also had the most furniture-related injuries (7,800 injuries; 31
percent) and the most television-only injuries (2,000 injuries; 8 percent).
Table
2
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Victim Age Category
2017–2019
Age Category
(in years)
Es timated ED -Treated Injuries
22
(Percent of Total Es timate)
Television-Only
All Furniture (TV + Furn &
Furn + Appl & Furn-Only)
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
<1 – 9
2,000 (8%)
7,800 (31%)
10,000 (39%)
10 – 19
400 (2%)
1,400 (5%)
1,800 (7%)
20 – 29
400 (2%)
1,600 (6%)
2,200 (9%)
30 – 39
–
2,100 (8%)
2,500 (10%)
40 – 49
–
2,100 (8%)
2,700 (10%)
50 – 59
400 (2%)
1,700 (7%)
2,200 (8%)
60 – 69
–
1,200 (5%)
1,600 (6%)
≥
70
500 (2%)
2,000 (8%)
2,600 (10%)
Total
4,600 (18%)
19,900 (78%)
25,500 (100% )
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Appliances, not shown as a separate
column in the table, accounts for 4% of the total estimated injuries. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
22
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.0924 to 0.2296.
14
To simplify the analysis, for the remainder of this report the age groups of children
(younger than 18 years), adults (18 years to younger than 60 years), and seniors (60 years and
older) are used when discussing product instability or tip-over-related injuries for television-
only, furniture-related, and appliance-only categories. Children account for almost half (44
percent) of all ED-treated instability or tip-over injury estimates from 2017 through 2019. Adults
and seniors account for 39 percent and 17 percent of all tip-over injuries from 2017 through
2019, respectively.
Table 3 presents national average annual estimates of ED-treated tip-over injuries by age
group and product category. The injury rates, per 100,000 people of each age group, are shown
in parentheses next to the estimates. The furniture category, which includes scenarios when both
a television and furniture fall, was associated with the majority of the estimated injuries for each
age group. Of the three age groups, children sustain the highest average annual estimated
number of ED-treated injuries (11,300 injuries), as well as the highest rate of tip-over injuries
occurring in the population (15 injuries per 100,000 population). The injury rates are similar
among the adult and senior age groups; each group incurred an estimated six injuries per 100,000
population.
Table
3
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Victim Age Category
2017–2019
Annual
Average
2017 – 2019
Es timated ED-Treated
Injuries
23
(Emergency Department Injuries Per 100,000 U.S.
Population
24
)
Children (<1 to 17 years)
Adults (18 to 59 years)
Seniors (>60 years)
Televisions, Furniture,
and
Appliances
11,300 (15)
10,000 (6)
4,200 (6)
Average
95%
Confidence Interval
(CI)
Television-Only
2,300 (3)
1,500 (1)
800
(1)
All Furniture (TV + Furn &
Furn + Appl & Furn-Only)
8,800 (12)
7,900 (4)
3,200 (5)
Appliance-Only
–
600
(<1)
–
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
23
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.0822 to 0.2210.
24
The U.S. population estimate for each age group is an average of 2017–2019 data of that age group from the “
NC-
EST2019-AGESEX” file in the U.S. Census data found at: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-
kits/2020/population-estimates-detailed.html.
(8,600, 14,000)
(8,400, 11,600)
(3,300, 5,100)
15
Children account for the largest portion of television-only and furniture-related injuries.
The estimates related to children can be further subdivided into age categories for victims less
than 1-year-old (less than 1 month to 11 months), 1-year-old (12 months to 23 months), to 6
years old (72 months to 83 months), and children 7 years and older. Table 4 presents national
average annual estimates of ED-treated tip-over injuries by age group and product category. The
injury rates, per 100,000 people of each age group, are shown in parentheses next to the
estimates.
As seen in Table 4, victims age 1 to 4 years account for a majority of the estimated child
ED-treated tip-over injuries involving tip overs of television-only, as well as for tip overs
involving furniture. For the television-only category, 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds account for
the highest number of estimated annual injuries (400 and 400 injuries, respectively). For the
furniture-related category, 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds account for the highest number of
estimated injuries (1,700 and 1,500 injuries, respectively).
Table
4
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated
Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Selected Child Victim Age Category
2017–2019
Child
Age
Category
25
(in years)
Es timated ED-Treated Injuries for Children
26
(Injury Rate Per 100,000 Persons
)
Television-Only
All Furniture (TV + Furn &
Furn + Appl & Furn-Only)
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
<1
–
500 (14)
600 (16)
1
400 (11)
1,700 (43)
2,100 (54)
2
400 (11)
1,500 (38)
2,000 (51)
3
–
1,000 (26)
1,400 (36)
4
–
1,000 (26)
1,300 (33)
5
–
700 (17)
800 (20)
6
–
400 (10)
500 (13)
7 – 17
500 (1)
1,900 (4)
2,500 (5)
Total
2,300 (3)
8,800 (12)
11,300 (15)
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Appliances, not shown as a separate
column in the table, accounts for 1% of the total estimated injuries. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
25
Of all television-only injuries to children, about 1 percent were children younger than 1 year of age.
26
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.1324 to 0.2259.
16
In Table 5, the furniture-related estimates are classified further by furniture subtypes.
Tables were involved in over one in three (38 percent) ED-treated tip-over injuries involving
furniture over all ages, and tables were also the largest furniture-related category for each age
group: children, adults, and seniors.
Children were the age group with the most furniture-related ED-treated injuries (44
percent), followed by adults (40 percent), and the senior age group (16 percent). There were an
estimated annual average of 2,600 ED-treated injuries to children involving chests, bureaus, and
dressers; of these, 9 percent are known to have involved a fallen television as well. Between
2017 and 2019, of the estimated annual average of 19,900 furniture-related injuries over all
ages, an annual average of 500 injuries indicated a television also fell.
Table
5
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated
Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Furniture Subcategories
2017–2019
Furniture Subtype
Es timated ED-Treated
Injuries
27
(Percent of Total Es timate
)
Children
(<1 to 17 y
ears)
Adults
(18 to 59
years)
Seniors
(60 years and
older
)
All Ages Total
Tables
3,500 (18%)
2,700 (14%)
1,200 (6%)
7,500 (38%)
Chests, Bureaus, and
Dressers (CBD)
2,600 (13%)
1,100 (5%)
–
4,000 (20%)
Shelving, Shelving
Units,
and
Bookcases
(Shelf)
1,500 (7%)
2,300 (12%)
800 (4%)
4,600 (23%)
Cabinets
–
1,000 (5%)
–
1,600 (8%)
Remaining
Furniture
Subtypes
900 (5%)
800 (4%)
400 (2%)
2,200 (11%)
Total
8,700 (44%)
7,900 (40%)
3,200 (16%)
19,900 (100%)
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for furniture
product codes, as described in Appendix B. It includes cases where a television or appliance also fell.
Estimates that are not statistically reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded
to the nearest hundred and may not add up to total.
27
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.1001 to 0.2052.
17
There were an estimated 12,900 females injured (50 percent) and an estimated 12,700
males injured (50 percent) annually in all product instability or tip-over incidents for all ages.
Table 6 presents the estimates for each victim age category by product category and gender.
There was no statistical difference by gender in children, adults, seniors, or all ages combined for
television-only, furniture, or the combined category estimate of all tip-over incidents.
Table
6
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated
Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Gender
2017–2019
Age Group
Gender
Estimated ED-Treated Injuries
28
(Percent of Total Estimate)
Television-Only
All Furniture (TV +
Furn & Furn + Appl
& Furn-Only)
Appliance-
Only
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Children
Female
1,000 (4%)
3,600 (14%)
–
4,700 (18%)
Male
1,300 (5%)
5,100 (20%)
–
6,600 (26%)
Adults
Female
900 (4%)
4,600 (18%)
–
5,700 (22%)
Male
600 (2%)
3,300 (13%)
500 (2%)
4,300 (17%)
Seniors
Female
500 (2%)
2,000 (8%)
–
2,500 (10%)
Male
–
1,200 (5%)
–
1,700 (7%)
All Ages
Female
2,400 (9%)
10,200 (40%)
–
12,900 (50%)
Male
2,300 (9%)
9,600 (38%)
800 (3%)
12,700 (50%)
Total
4,600 (18%)
19,900 (78%)
1,100 (4%)
25,500 (100%)
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
Considering the location of injury, 67 percent of the estimated 25,500 injuries of all ages
occurred in a residential location. Nine percent occurred in a public location, such as schools,
churches, daycare centers, offices, restaurants, stores, or parks, and 24 percent happened in an
unknown location. These percentages are somewhat similar for children (73 percent residential
and 8 percent public), adults (61 percent residential and 6 percent public) and seniors (66 percent
residential, and 14 percent public, which includes nursing homes).
The disposition of the ED-treated tip-over injuries show that the majority of victims (95
percent of children, 94 percent of adults, and 78 percent of seniors) were treated and released;
however, 16 percent of the seniors were hospitalized.
28
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.0758 to 0.2185.
18
The primary diagnoses,
29
which are independent of the disposition, were examined for
children, adults, and seniors. Table 7 presents the breakdown of the diagnoses (where available)
for the different product categories and age groups. The majority of the diagnoses for all age
groups combined, and also for each age group alone, was contusions/abrasions (8,000; 31
percent). Contusions and abrasions was also the most frequent diagnosis for both the television-
only category and the furniture-related category. The next most prevalent diagnoses of all age
groups combined were fractures (3,700; 14 percent), internal organ injuries (3,500; 14 percent),
and lacerations (3,400; 13 percent). Children were diagnosed with internal organ injuries at a
higher rate than any other diagnosis, compared to adults and seniors, primarily because of the
many head injuries to children in tip-over incidents.
Table
7
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated
Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Diagnosis
2017–2019
Primary
Diagnosis
Age Group
Estimated ED -Treated Injuries
30
(Percent of Total Estimate)
Television-Only
All Furniture (TV +
Furn & Furn + Appl
& Furn-Only)
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Contusions,
Abrasions
Children
800 (3%)
2,800 (11%)
3,700 (14%)
Adults
–
2,600 (10%)
3,100 (12%)
Seniors
–
900 (3%)
1,200 (5%)
Fractures
Children
–
1,300 (5%)
1,600 (6%)
Adults
–
1,000 (4%)
1,500 (6%)
Seniors
–
400 (2%)
600 (2%)
Internal Organ
Injury
Children
500 (2%)
1,500 (6%)
2,000 (8%)
Adults
–
700 (3%)
900 (4%)
Seniors
–
400 (2%)
500 (2%)
Lacerations
Children
–
1,400 (6%)
1,700 (7%)
Adults
–
900 (4%)
1,200 (5%)
Seniors
–
500 (2%)
500 (2%)
Strains or
Sprains
Children
–
–
–
Adults
–
800 (3%)
1,000 (4%)
Seniors
–
–
–
All Other
Diagnoses
Children
500 (2%)
1,600 (6%)
2,200 (8%)
Adults
–
1,900 (7%)
2,400 (9%)
Seniors
–
800 (3%)
1,100 (4%)
Total
4,600 (18%)
19,900 (78%)
25,500 (100%)
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Appliances, not shown as a separate
column in the table, accounts for 4% of the total estimated injuries. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
29
Beginning in 2018 NEISS incidents, there are up to 2 diagnoses coded for each patient visit. For this report, only
the first diagnosis coded is used for estimates in Tables 7 and 9, because the first diagnosis listed refers to the most
severe diagnosis resulting from the tip-over incident.
30
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.1191 to 0.2701.
19
Table 8 presents the primary body parts injured in the ED-treated tip-over injuries.
31
Nearly 1 in 5 (19 percent) of all estimated ED-treated tip-over injuries of all ages were head
injuries to children. Most injuries for all age groups combined were to the legs, feet and toes
(9,400 injuries; 37 percent). This is followed by the head (7,800; 30 percent), arms, hands, and
fingers (4,400 injuries; 17 percent), and torso (3,400 injuries; 13 percent). Most injuries to
children were to the head (4,900 injuries), and legs, feet, and toes (3,600 injuries). Most injuries
to adults were to the legs, feet, and toes (4,300 injuries), and arms, hands, and fingers (2,200
injuries). Most injuries to seniors were to the legs, feet, and toes (1,500 injuries), and the head
(1,100 injuries).
Table
8
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated
Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Area of Body
2017–2019
Primary Area of
Body Affected
Age Group
Es timated ED -Treated Injuries
32
(Percent of Total Estimate)
Television-Only
All Furniture (TV +
Furn & Furn + Appl
& Furn-Only)
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Head
Children
1,100 (4%)
3,800 (15%)
4,900 (19%)
Adults
400 (1%)
1,400 (5%)
1,800 (7%)
Seniors
–
800 (3%)
1,100 (4%)
Legs, Feet, and
Toes
(Legs)
Children
900 (3%)
2,700 (11%)
3,600 (14%)
Adults
500 (2%)
3,600 (14%)
4,300 (17%)
Seniors
–
1,200 (5%)
1,500 (6%)
Arms, Hands ,
and
Fingers
(Arms)
Children
–
1,500 (6%)
1,700 (7%)
Adults
–
1,700 (7%)
2,200 (8%)
Seniors
–
4
00 (2%)
600 (2%)
Torso
Children
–
600 (2%)
900 (3%)
Adults
–
1,200 (5%)
1,600 (6%)
Seniors
–
700 (3%)
900 (4%)
All Other
Body Parts
Children
–
–
–
Adults
–
–
–
Seniors
–
–
–
Total
4,600 (18%)
19,900 (78%)
25,500 (100%)
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture, and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B. Appliances, not shown as a separate
column in the table, accounts for 4% of the total estimated injuries. Estimates that are not statistically
reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not
add up to total.
31
Beginning in 2018 NEISS incidents, there are up to two body parts coded for each patient visit. For this report,
only the first body part coded is used for estimates in Tables 8 and 9, because the first body part coded corresponds
to the more severe and first coded diagnosis resulting from the tip-over incident.
32
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.1042 to 0.2438.
20
By evaluating the primary body part affected, as well as the diagnosis, it is possible to
estimate the injuries by selected area of body and diagnosis, as seen in Table 9. Of the head
injuries that occurred to children, the most frequent diagnosis was an internal organ injury (2,000
injuries), followed by lacerations (1,000 injuries). Many of the leg injuries to children were
diagnosed as contusions/abrasions (1,600 injuries), and fractures (900 injuries). For many of the
adult and senior head injuries, the diagnosis was an internal organ injury (900 and 500 injuries,
respectively). For many of the adult and senior leg injuries, the diagnosis was
contusions/abrasions (1,700 and 500 injuries, respectively).
Table
9
Annual Average of Estimated E
D-Treated
Injuries Due to
Product Instability or Tip Overs by Area of Body and Diagnosis
2017–2019
Primary Area of Body
Affected/ Diagnosis
Age Group
Estimated ED -Treated Injuries
33
(Percent of Total Estimate)
Television-Only
All Furniture (TV +
Furn & Furn + Appl
& Furn-Only)
Television,
Furniture,
and
Appliance T
otal
Head/
Internal Organ Injury
Children
500 (2%)
1,500 (6%)
2,000 (8%)
Adults
–
700 (3%)
900 (4%)
Seniors
–
4
00 (2%)
500 (2%)
Head/ Lacerations
Children
–
900 (3%)
1,000 (4%)
Adults
–
–
–
Seniors
–
–
–
Legs/
Contusions, Abrasions
Children
400 (2%)
1,200 (5%)
1,600 (6%)
Adults
–
1,500 (6%)
1,700 (6%)
Seniors
–
400 (2%)
500 (2%)
Legs/ Fractures
Children
–
600 (3%)
900 (3%)
Adults
–
500 (2%)
800 (3%)
Seniors
–
–
–
Torso/ Contusions,
Abrasions
Children
–
400 (2%)
500 (2%)
Adults
–
500 (2%)
600 (2%)
Seniors
–
–
–
Arms/
Contusions, Abrasions
Children
–
500 (2%)
500 (2%)
Adults
–
500 (2%)
600 (3%)
Seniors
–
–
–
Arms/ Fractures
Children
–
400 (2%)
500 (2%)
Adults
–
400 (2%)
500 (2%)
Seniors
–
–
–
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: NEISS. The estimates include cases for television,
furniture,
and appliance product codes, as described in Appendix B.
Appliances, not shown as a separate
column in the table, accounts for 4 percent of the total estimated injuries. Estimates that are not
statistically reliable are presented as “
–
” (see Appendix A). Estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred
and may not add up to total.
33
The CVs for the given estimates (2017–2019) ranged from 0.1469 to 0.2445.
21
Reported Fatalities
34
Between 2000 and 2019, CPSC staff has received 571 reports of product instability or
tip-over-related fatalities that were related to televisions, furniture, or appliances. The criteria for
determining the in-scope cases are presented in Appendix B. Of these 571 reported fatalities,
180 deaths (32 percent) involved only a television falling, 174 deaths (30 percent) involved
both a television falling and the furniture in/on which the television was resting also falling,
177 deaths (31 percent) involved only furniture falling, and 40 deaths (7 percent) involved
only an appliance falling. If considering televisions falling (television-only + television and
furniture), there were 354 deaths (62 percent). If considering furniture falling (furniture-only
+ television and furniture), there were 351 deaths (61 percent). There were no deaths in which
both furniture and an appliance fell.
Some differences are apparent between the numbers and classifications of fatalities in this
report when compared with fatalities reported in past annual reports. The reason is two-fold;
since the earlier publications, CPSC has received new reports of tip-over fatalities that occurred
between 2000 and 2018, and CPSC has received additional information on some of the tip-over
fatalities that appeared in past reports. This has necessitated re-evaluation of previous fatality
categorizations for better consistency of the data. The details of these changes are provided in
Appendix A.
34
Fatality counts should be considered incomplete for years 2017
–
2019, due to a time lag in reporting to CPSC.
22
Table 10 presents the instability or tip-over-related fatality data for televisions, furniture,
and appliances by year of death. While data reporting is ongoing, especially for 2017 through
2019, it appears that the number of fatalities reported involving the furniture-only and appliance-
only categories have not decreased in the most recent years, when compared to years dating back
to 2000; meanwhile it appears that the television-related categories are showing lower numbers
in the more recent years 2015 and 2016, when compared to the previous decade of reporting.
Table 10
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Year 2000–2019
35
Year
Television-Only
36
TV +
Furniture
Furniture-Only
Appliance-Only
Television,
Furniture, and
Appliance Total
Percent of Total
(n = 571)
2019*
2
0
5
1
8
1%
2018*
4
2
4
3
13
2%
2017*
3
8
8
2
21
4%
2016
4
9
15
1
29
5%
2015
7
7
10
2
26
5%
2014
13
12
17
1
43
8%
2013
11
12
10
2
35
6%
2012
17
20
7
2
46
8%
2011
20
19
12
1
52
9%
2010
16
6
7
4
33
6%
2009
8
13
7
1
29
5%
2008
17
12
8
0
37
6%
2007
9
16
10
0
35
6%
2006
12
8
5
3
28
5%
2005
7
11
9
1
28
5%
2004
9
2
12
1
24
4%
2003
8
2
5
5
20
4%
2002
4
6
8
3
21
4%
2001
6
5
16
5
32
6%
2000
3
4
2
2
11
2%
Product
Category Total
180
174
177
40
571
100%
Percent of Total
(n = 571)
32%
30%
31%
7%
100%
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS. Asterisks (*) indicate ongoing reporting.
Similar to the NEISS injuries, the fatalities were separated into three distinct age
categories: children (younger than 18 years of age); adults (ages 18 to 59 years); and seniors (60
years of age and older).
35
There are 0 deaths involving both furniture and an appliance tipping over.
36
There are no computer monitor-related fatalities among the television fatality counts.
23
Figure 2 presents the reported fatalities by gender and product categories among the
different age groups. Of the 571 fatalities, 469 (82 percent) were among children, 82 (14 percent)
among seniors, and the remaining 20 (4 percent) among adults.
Of the 469 child fatalities, 165 (35 percent) involved only a television falling, 170 (36
percent) involved both a television falling and the furniture in/on which the television was
resting also falling, 116 (25 percent) involved only furniture falling, and 18 (4 percent)
involved only an appliance falling.
Of the 165 child fatalities involving only a television falling, there does not appear to be a
stark difference when comparing genders, with 89 female fatalities (54 percent) versus 76 male
fatalities (46 percent). The 286 fatalities involving children and furniture (with or without a
television also falling) suggest differences based on gender. Of the 116 children fatalities
involving only furniture, 71 were male (61 percent) and 45 were female (39 percent), and of the
170 children fatalities involving both a television and furniture falling, 99 were male (58 percent)
and 71 were female (42 percent). It is harder to examine differences based on gender for the
adult and senior groups, due to small counts.
Figure 2
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
for Different Age Groups by Gender and Product Category 2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
76
99
71
14
89
71
45
4
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Children (n = 469)
Male Female
Reported Fatalities
Product Category
5
1
6
3
0 0
3
2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Adults (n = 20)
Male Female
4
1
31
12
6
2
21
5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Seniors (n = 82)
Male Female
Product Category
Product Category
24
Of the 571 fatalities, 354 deaths (62 percent) involved televisions. Of the 354 television-
related tip-over deaths of all ages, 335 fatalities (95 percent) were children; 13 fatalities (4
percent) were seniors; and 6 fatalities (2 percent) were adults. Figure 3 presents the frequencies
of fatalities by television and furniture type.
Figure 3
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Television and Furniture Type
37
2000–2019
38
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
37
Fatalities where it could not be determined if the furniture also tipped or fell are counted as only the television
falling.
38
The miscellaneous furniture is an antique phonograph cabinet.
165
102
42
11
5
3 3
1 1 1 1
5
1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10
0 0
3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
50
100
150
200
Reported Fatalities
Television + Furniture Type
All Ages: TV-Related (n = 354)
Children Adults Seniors
25
Of the 571 fatalities, 177 deaths (31 percent) involved only furniture falling. Of these
177 deaths, 116 fatalities (66 percent) were children; 52 fatalities (29 percent) were seniors; and
9 fatalities (5 percent) were adults. Figure 4 presents the frequencies for instability or tip-over
deaths by furniture type and victim age group involving only furniture falling.
39
Figure 4
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
for Furniture-Only by Furniture Type 2000–2019
40
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
If we combine all chest, bureau, and dresser-related tip-over fatalities of all ages, with
and without a television also falling, there are 218 fatalities, which make up 38 percent of all tip-
over fatalities. Of the 218 chest, bureau, and dresser-related tip-over fatalities, 189 (87%)
involved children.
39
The fatality where the furniture is unknown was described as either an armoire or a bookcase.
40
Miscellaneous furniture include: two coat racks, a portable storage closet, and a room divider.
87
8
7
4
0
2
1
2 2
0 0
1
2
0
5
2
0
1
0
1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23
7
4
3
6
1
3
0 0
1 1
0
2
1
0
20
40
60
80
100
Reported Fatalities
Furniture Type
All Ages: Furniture-Only (n = 177)
Children Adults Seniors
26
The remaining 40 deaths (7 percent) of the 571 fatalities involved only an appliance
falling. Of these 40 deaths, 18 fatalities were children; 17 were seniors; and 5 were adults.
Figure 5 presents the frequencies of fatalities by appliance type.
Figure 5
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
for Appliances by Appliance Type 2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
17
0
1
3
2
0
7
10
0
0
5
10
15
20
Stove/Oven
(68%)
Refrigerator
(30%)
Microwave
(3%)
Reported Fatalities
Appliance Type
All Ages: Appliance-Only (n = 40)
Children Adults Seniors
27
Residential locations account for 521 (91 percent) of the fatalities. Twenty-four deaths (4
percent) occurred in public locations; and 26 deaths (5 percent) did not provide enough
information to determine the location. Fatalities to children had a similar distribution by location
(94 percent residential, 3 percent public, and 3 percent unknown). Figure 6 presents the tip-over
fatalities by location.
Figure 6
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Location 2000–2019
41
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
41
Public locations include nursing homes and assisted living facilities in both the NEISS injury estimates and in the
fatality section, which generally only affects the senior age group. Other public locations besides nursing homes
include: churches, daycare centers, hotels, schools, and stores.
441
14 14
17
0
3
63
10
9
0
100
200
300
400
500
Residential
(91%)
Public
(4%)
Unknown
(5%)
Reported Fatalities
Injury Location
All Ages: All Tip Overs (n = 571)
Children Adults Seniors
28
For the room where the incident occurred, the bedroom had the largest number of
fatalities, with 260 deaths (46 percent). This is followed by the living/family room, with 110
deaths (19 percent). There is also a large portion of unknown locations (136 deaths; 24 percent)
for the room-of-incident. Of the 469 fatalities involving children, 237 deaths (50 percent)
occurred in bedrooms, and 105 deaths (22 percent) happened in living/family rooms. For adults
and seniors, there were many unknown room locations (11 fatalities, or 55 percent of adults, and
39 fatalities, or 48 percent of seniors). Figure 7 presents the tip-over fatalities by room of
incident.
Figure 7
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Room of Incident 2000–2019
42
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
42
Some of the miscellaneous rooms include: hallways, playrooms, garages, home offices, spare/storage rooms,
daycare centers, and most public locations. Nursing home bedrooms, living/family rooms, kitchens, and dining
rooms are not in the miscellaneous category.
237
105
15
4
23
85
4
1
3
0
1
11
20
4
10
1
8
39
0
50
100
150
200
250
Bedroom
(46%)
Living/Family
Room
(19%)
Kitchen
(5%)
Dining Room
(1%)
Miscellaneous
(6%)
Unknown
(24%)
Reported Fatalities
Room of Incident
All Ages: All Tip Overs (n = 571)
Children Adults Seniors
29
Figure 8 presents the frequencies of fatalities by manner of death. The majority of the
fatalities were due to the victim being crushed
43
by the television, furniture, or appliance (317
deaths; 56 percent). This is followed by fatalities that were the result of positional asphyxia
44
(117
deaths; 20 percent), and fatalities due to being hit/struck
45
(87 deaths; 15 percent) by product(s).
Crushing incidents accounted for the largest number of fatalities in children (276 fatalities, or 59
percent of children), and seniors (36 fatalities, or 44 percent of seniors). Positional asphyxia
incidents accounted for the most adult deaths (9 fatalities, or 45 percent of adults).
Figure 8
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Manner of Death
2000–2019
46
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
43
“Crushing” incidents are events in which it was clear that the product(s) fell on the victim and the victim remained
under the product(s).
44
“Positional Asphyxia” is a form of asphyxia that occurs when the body position prevents adequate oxygen supply
to the lungs, such as an upper airway obstruction or a limitation in chest wall expansion.
45
“Hit/Struck” injuries are events in which it was clear the product(s) fell on the victim but did not land or remain on
the victim.
46
Some of the miscellaneous injuries include: lacerations from broken glass tables, health complications resulting
from a tip over (heart attack or stroke, or broken bones from falls), burn injuries from tipped ovens, deaths caused by
items that were in/on the tipped over furniture, and competing risks of more than one of the other categories equally
contributing to the death.
276
88
75
4
26
5
10
1 1
3
36
29
11
4
2
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Crush
(56%)
Positional Asphyxia
(22%)
Hit/Struck
(15%)
Miscellaneous
(2%)
Unknown
(5%)
Reported Fatalities
Injury Type
All Ages: All Tip Overs (n = 571)
Children Adults Seniors
30
The head was the area of the body impacted most frequently in fatality incidents with 335
deaths caused by injuries to the head-only (59 percent), and 35 fatalities to the head and torso (6
percent). This is followed by the torso-only, with 139 deaths (24 percent). Damage to the head
was the predominant injury leading to death for children, compared to adults and seniors, who
had more torso injuries leading to death.
Of the 354 television-related tip-over deaths of all ages, including with and without
furniture also falling, 298 (84 percent) were due to only head injuries. Figure 9 presents
frequencies of fatalities by victim age and body area injured.
Figure 9
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Body Area Injured
2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
315
26
0
5
92
0 0
31
3
1
0 0
10
0
1
5
17
9
2 2
37
2
8
5
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Reported Fatalities
Primary Body Area Injured
All Ages: All Tip Overs (n = 571)
Children Adults Seniors
31
Frequencies and percentages by victim age category for the 469 fatalities involving
children are presented in Figure 10. While most decedents were between 1 month and 8 years of
age, there was one 14-year old decedent who died of complications arising from a tip-over
incident that happened when he was 2 years old. Of the 469 fatalities involving children, a
majority (314 deaths; 67 percent) were at least 1 year of age and less than 3½ years of age. The
age used is the age at the time of death,
47
which may differ somewhat from the age at the time of
the incident.
Figure 10
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Victim Age at Time of Death 2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
47
In most cases, the age at the time of death is the same as the age at the time of incident. In a few cases, the ages
differed. In some cases, the age at the time of incident was not reported.
5
26
58
72
67
52
65
30
29
14
20
2
7
5 5
3
4 4
1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Reported Fatalities
Victim Age (in years)
Children: All Tip Overs (n = 469)
32
Shown in Figure 11 are the 469 tip-over fatalities involving children divided into
furniture categories for years 2000 through 2019. It does not appear that the number of reported
children tip-over deaths involving furniture has declined in recent years. In the most recent 5
years of complete reporting, from 2012 through 2016, there have been between 13 and 23
furniture-related tip-over fatalities to children each year, of which there have been between 4 and
12 furniture-only tip-over deaths to children in each of those years. Notice that there has been at
least 1 child tip-over death involving an appliance reported to CPSC in each year from 2009
through 2018, except the year 2012.
Figure 11
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Product Category 2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS. Asterisks (*) indicate ongoing reporting
.
2
6
4
7
8
6
11
9
15
8
16
19
16
11
10
7
2 2
4
2
4
5
6
2
2
11
8
16
11
13
6
19
19
12
11
7
9
7
2
0
1
14
6
4
5
7
5
7 5
5 3
9
4
5
12
6
10
3
2
3
1
3
1
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
Reported Fatalities
Year
Children: All Tip Overs (n = 469)
Appliance
Furniture-Only
(TV + Furniture)-Only
Television-Only
33
For children, the hazard scenario of how the child or other children were interacting with
the tip-over product immediately before the tip-over incident were classified, where possible.
48
The scenarios for the 102 deaths involving adults and seniors did not have enough details, in
most cases, to be classified. Accordingly, Figure 12 presents frequencies of deaths for children.
Of the 469 deaths involving children, 126 (27 percent) had unknown scenarios, which
commonly happened when the child was alone in a room at the moment the incident took place,
leaving no eyewitness to observe the tip-over incident. In many of the unknown incident
scenarios, the victim could have been climbing on or applying force to the television, furniture,
or appliance that tipped over. Among the 117 known scenarios involving children and only
televisions, in 37 percent (43 out of 117 fatalities) of deaths the victim or another child was
climbing on the television, furniture, or appliance, and in 63 percent (74 out of 117 fatalities) of
deaths the victim or another child was applying force in some manner other than climbing, such
as hitting, pulling, or kicking the tipped over product, or adjusting controls on a television or
electronic device connected to the television. Among the 212 known child furniture-related
scenarios, in 77 percent (164 out of 212 fatalities) of deaths the victim or another child was
climbing on the television or furniture, and in 22 percent (46 out of 212 fatalities) of deaths the
victim or another child was applying force in some manner other than climbing. The 2 other
known scenarios involved furniture with a television resting on top, and the furniture
spontaneously fell with no force exerted on the furniture or television prior to the tip-over
occurrence. Figure 12 presents the frequencies of children fatalities by hazard scenario.
Figure 12
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC by Scenario 2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
48
Incident scenarios were re-evaluated for the 2020 report. Updated scenario categories reflect the tip-over
scenarios as precisely as possible with the available information.
43
74
0
48
94
32
2
42
70
14
0
32
12
2
0
4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Climb
(47%)
Force
(26%)
Other
(<1%)
Unknown
(27%)
Reported Fatalities
Hazard Scenario
Children: All Tip Overs (n = 469)
Television-Only
(TV + Furniture)-Only
Furniture-Only
Appliance
34
The response time for a child’s death is defined as: from when a tip-over incident
occurred to the time that a caregiver found the child, began administering aid, and alerted
emergency personnel were classified, where possible. In the incidents where a caregiver
responded within 10 minutes, a caregiver found the victim and the tipped over television,
furniture, or appliance within 10 minutes of the tip over occurring. Some examples include: a
caregiver witnessed or was in the room when the incident happened, a sibling or other child
witnessed the tip over and immediately alerted a caregiver, a caregiver heard the tip-over
incident and immediately investigated where the loud ‘bang’ was coming from and found the
victim, or a caregiver left the child alone for 10 minutes or less before finding the tip-over
incident. For incidents with a delayed response of more than 10 minutes, the child was left
unsupervised for at least 10 minutes before being found along with the tipped over television,
furniture, or appliance. Among these incidents, there was no indication that the tip-over incident
was heard, or a crash may have been heard but the loud ‘bang’ was not investigated immediately.
In some cases, the victim was left unsupervised for many hours, such as overnight, before being
found. For incidents with an unknown response time, incident scenarios were described by
mostly vague details. It is possible that incidents in the unknown category could have been
responded to immediately or any other lapse of time after a tip over occurred.
Accordingly, Figure 13 presents the frequencies of child fatalities by response time after a
tip over occurred. Among the known response times involving television-related child fatalities
(including only a television, or a television and furniture), a caregiver responded within 10
minutes in 98 percent (280 out of 287 fatalities) of the fatalities, as compared to 53 percent (49
out of 93 fatalities) involving furniture-only tip-overs. There was an unknown response time
after a tip over in 14 percent (48 out of 335 fatalities) of television-related fatalities and 20
percent (23 out of 116 fatalities) of furniture-only deaths.
Figure 13
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Child Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Response Time After Tip-Over 2000–2019
49
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
49
Precise time measurements are typically unavailable within the incident description (i.e., "I left for a few
minutes", or "He was gone for five to ten minutes"); data are categorized based on narrative response time estimates.
129
3
33
151
4
15
49
44
23
11
3
4
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Responded Within 10
Minutes (72%)
Responded in More Than
10 Minutes (12%)
Unknown (16%)
Reported Fatalities
Response Time After Tip-Over
Children: All Tip Overs (n = 469)
Television-Only
(TV + Furniture)-Only
Furniture-Only
Appliance
35
Figure 14 presents the distribution of the tip-over fatalities for adults (18 to 59 years of
age) and seniors (60 years and older) by age ranges. Of the senior deaths, 52 fatalities (63
percent) happened to seniors who were 75 years of age or older, and 31 senior fatalities (38
percent) happened to seniors who were 85 years old or older. Of the adults, 18 out of the 20 tip-
over fatalities occurred to adults ages 42 to 59 years old. Not shown in Figure 14, there were
either 1 or 2 adult fatalities in each year between 2010 and 2018, except for 2013 and 2015
where there were 0 adult deaths.
Figure 14
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Adult and Senior Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Victim Age at Time of Death 2000–2019
50
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS.
50
One decedent, described as an “elderly” woman, has been classified as a senior with an unknown age.
0
1
0
1
4 4
5 5
0
5
10
15
20
Reported Fatalities
Victim Age (in years)
Adults (n = 20)
13
10
6
11
10
19
9
3
1
0
5
10
15
20
Reported Fatalities
Victim Age (in years)
Seniors (n = 82)
36
Figure 15 presents the 82 senior tip-over fatalities by furniture categories for years 2000
through 2019. There were between 2 and 7 senior fatalities in each of these 20 years. In each
year from 2012 to 2017, there were between 5 and 7 senior deaths reported, mostly due to
furniture-only fatalities.
Figure 15
Product Instability or Tip-Over-Related Senior Fatalities Reported to CPSC
by Product Category 2000–2019
Source: CPSC databases, including NEISS and CPSRMS. Asterisks (*) indicate ongoing reporting.
1
2
1
0
6
2
0
2
3
2 2 2 2
5
4 4
5 5
2 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0 0 0
1
0
1
0
0 0
0 0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1 1
0
0
1
1
2
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
2 0
2
1
0
1
0
1
1 1
0
2
4
6
8
Reported Fatalities
Year
Seniors: All Tip Overs (n = 82)
Appliance
Television-Only
(TV + Furniture)-Only
Furniture-Only
37
Appendix A
Methodology for Selecting Product Instability or Tip-Over Injuries and Fatalities
Associated with Televisions, Furniture, and Appliances
A multidisciplinary team of CPSC staff met to discuss terminology, the types of products
of interest, and types of product-associated instability or tip-over incidents that are to be
considered in-scope. For this report, the focus is on heavy objects that tip over and fall on an
individual usually due to some type of interaction, such as climbing or exerting a force, on the
object while it is in one of its positions of normal use. This interaction with the product results in
the center of gravity of the product changing. When the product falls on an individual, the
injuries are typically crushing or compressing in nature. Instability is defined differently from
tip-over incidents for this report. For instability, the product falls due to some issue with the
product’s center of gravity changing (i.e., with or without the interaction associated with tip-
overs). Product instability can be triggered by other causes, including simply having multiple
drawers open in a dresser or cabinet. The instability and tip-over definitions helped to set the
criteria for the types of scenarios and products that have been included in the analysis.
Staff determined that televisions, furniture, and appliances listed in Appendix B have the
greatest risk of tipping over and potentially causing serious or fatal injuries. In examining the types
of products to include, staff considered the product’s potential to fall, and the product’s purpose,
size, location, and weight. The additional criterion of the potential interaction of the individual
with the product was also important. Generally, the focus is on furniture that: is larger or heavier
and has the potential to cause great injury or death; stands more upright in nature; has a normal
resting location; is rarely moved from that normal resting location during day to day activity and;
is not usually meant to be interacted with too much excessive force. Products intended to be sat
on or laid upon, such as chairs, couches, and beds, were excluded, due to the emphasis on
products that are not intended to be frequently moved or interacted with excessive force.
A television or an appliance falling in combination with the furniture (that it is resting in
or on) falling is counted only in the furniture category, when incidents are divided into
television, furniture, or appliance categories in this annual report. Generally, if furniture falls
while either a television or an appliance is resting in or on top of the furniture, then the television
or appliance is also going to fall. Using this logic, it makes sense to categorize these incidents by
putting them all into the furniture category, even though many times the injury or death scenario
is caused by a person, usually a child, being drawn to interact with or actually interacting with a
television or appliance that is sitting atop free-standing furniture. In many instances, the
television or appliance that falls along with furniture is likely the primary cause of more severe
injuries or fatalities, rather than the furniture that fell as well.
The potential product codes were determined from furniture products associated with
televisions, furniture, and appliances that meet the criteria described above and in Appendix B.
Table 11 identifies the product codes used to extract the instability or tip-over data for
televisions, furniture, and appliances.
38
Table 11
Potential Instability or Tip-Over Television, Furniture, and Appliance Product Codes
51
Product
Category
NEISS
Product Code
Description
Television
557
Computers (equipment and electronic games)
Television
572
Televisions
Furniture
519
Television tables or stands
Furniture
604
Desks, chests, bureaus, or buffets
Furniture
693
Footlockers
Furniture
709
Safes
Furniture
1260
Billiards or pool (activity, apparel or equipment)
Furniture
1269
Table Tennis (activity, apparel or equipment)
Furniture
1684
Carts, other, or not specified
Furniture
1726
Lockers
Furniture
4013
Other furniture
Furniture
4014
Furniture, not specified
Furniture
4056
Cabinets, racks, room dividers, and shelves
Furniture
4057
Tables (excl. baby changing tables, billiard tables, or pool tables)
Furniture
4065
Clocks, electric or battery operated
Furniture
4067
Clocks, not electric or battery operated or not specified
Appliance
101
Washing machines without wringers or other dryers
Appliance
102
Wringer washing machines
Appliance
106
Electric clothes dryers without washers
Appliance
107
Gas clothes dryers without washers
Appliance
126
Washing machines, not specified
Appliance
127
Clothes dryers, not specified
Appliance
135
Washer-Dryer combinations (within one frame)
Appliance
140
Washing machines, other or not specified
Appliance
259
Electric ranges (with ovens)
Appliance
260
Gas ranges (with ovens)
Appliance
263
Freezers (separate from refrigerators)
Appliance
264
Microwave ovens
Appliance
266
Ovens, not specified
Appliance
267
Other ranges (with ovens)
Appliance
273
Ranges, not specified
Appliance
276
Refrigerators
Appliance
278
Electric ranges or ovens (excl. counter-top ovens)
Appliance
279
Gas ranges or ovens
Appliance
280
Other ranges or ovens
Appliance
281
Ranges or ovens, not specified
Appliance
482
Appliances, other and not specified
Appliance
1821
Clotheslines or clothes drying racks (excluding poles)
Appliance
3233
Other grills or stoves
51
The source for product codes and descriptions is the NEISS Coding Manual (updated January 2020).
39
After staff established the set of product codes, the next step was to determine the types
of scenarios to look for in the incident narratives. Narrative key word searches were not used
when extracting a potential set of data, because the narrative field descriptions have many
possible word choices, misspellings, and sentence structures. Additionally, narratives from
NEISS, medical examiner reports, and death certificates are often very terse and provide only
basic information. Consequently, the NEISS product codes listed in Table 11 and the incident
date range were the criteria used to extract the data sets; then, the narratives were examined,
using very detailed heuristics, to determine if an incident met the instability or tip-over
definition(s). In Appendix B, additional details describe the products and conventions that are
used to determine in-scope cases, and some examples are also given to explain what products
and which instability or tip-over scenarios are considered in-scope.
NEISS data are based on a nationally representative probability sample consisting of
patient visits to about 100 hospitals in the United States and its territories.
52
The total number of
hospital emergency department visits nationwide in the United States are estimated from the
probability sample, as well as derivation of estimates for age groups, products, injury types,
disposition, and body parts for particular years, or combinations of these criteria, among others.
CPSC reports publish NEISS estimates provided the sample count is greater than 20, the national
estimate is greater than 1,200, and the coefficient of variation (CV) is less than 0.33. However,
as long as a 3-year total estimate meets the above criteria, even if the annual average estimate
fails, then those estimates are presented in the NEISS section of this report. This means an
estimated annual average of less than 400 injuries is not presented in this report. Because the
hospital reports in NEISS are unique, there are no duplicates.
The most recent injury estimates were based on 2019 NEISS data extracted on May 6,
2020; this was merged with data from last year's report for the years 2010 through 2018, to cover
the 2010 through 2019 reporting period. After careful consideration of scope criteria (described
in Appendix B), some incidents in the previous annual report were re-evaluated to ensure that the
criteria for inclusion were applied consistently. The changes that followed are listed below:
Fourteen incidents from the years 2010 through 2018 were omitted and one incident was
added.
Eighteen incidents were moved from the “television-only” category to the “television and
furniture” category.
Five incidents were moved from the “furniture-only” category to the “television and
furniture” category.
Two incidents were moved from the “television and furniture” category to the
“television-only” category.
One incident was moved from the “television and chest, bureau, and dresser” category to
the “television and table” category.
Some product instability or tip-over-related injury victims survive the initial impact, but
succumb to their injuries while being treated in an emergency room. In the NEISS data from
52
NEISS data can be accessed from the CPSC webpage under the “Access NEISS” link at:
https://www.cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/NEISS-Injury-Data.
40
2010 through 2019, there are 12 such injuries which resulted in death after the victim was sent to
and treated in the emergency room. These 12 deaths have been included in the calculation of the
national injury estimates for 2010 through 2019, and also in the fatality analysis presented in this
report. There are another 9 NEISS deaths that occurred between 2000 and 2009, which appear in
the fatality section.
Fatality data were extracted on July 1, 2020, from NEISS and CPSRMS (Consumer
Product Safety Risk Management System) for instability or tip-over fatalities involving the
television, furniture, and appliance codes mentioned above in Table 11, covering deaths occurring
in the years 2000 through 2019. Data collected in 2020 were merged with the data used in the
last annual report (extracted June 1, 2019). It should be noted that, for a given year, incidents are
received on an ongoing basis, and there is commonly a lag of about 2 years between when many
fatalities occur and when they are first reported to CPSC. Additionally, it is not uncommon that
multiple reports about a single fatality are received, therefore source documents are carefully
checked to eliminate duplicate incident reports. As fatal incidents are notable events in the
community where they occur, often there are multiple news reports, a medical examiner’s report,
a death certificate, an in-depth investigation initiated by CPSC staff, and less frequently, a
NEISS report. Reports come from various types of sources, including newspaper clippings,
consumer complaints, and reports from other government agencies, such as medical
examiners/coroners. Accordingly, CPSRMS data is anecdotal and represents at least a minimum
for all fatalities that have occurred nationwide. Once the fatality set is established, the incidents
are examined to code additional scenario characteristics, such as victim age, furniture type,
incident location, injury type, and response time. Public locations include nursing homes and
assisted living facilities in both the NEISS injury estimates and in the fatality section, which
generally only affects the senior age group.
CPSC has received new reports of tip-over fatalities that occurred between 2000 and
2018, and has received additional information on some of the tip-over fatalities that appeared in
past reports. This has necessitated re-evaluation of previous fatality categorizations for better
consistency of the data. Following the re-evaluation, some changes were made to the fatality
statistics presented in the 2019 report. These changes are listed below:
One death was omitted and one death was added.
Eleven children deaths were moved from the “television-only” category to the “television
and furniture” category.
Ten deaths were moved from the “miscellaneous” injury type category to the “positional
asphyxia” category.
Two children deaths had the age at the time of death changed by 6 months and 1 year,
respectively.
One death changed which primary body part was injured, and one report changed the
room location of the incident.
Fatalities in this report are reported as counts from CPSC data, and injury estimates are
rounded to the nearest hundred. Injury estimate category percentages were based on the
category-weighted estimates before rounding; fatality category percentages were based on the
category counts observed.
41
Appendix B
Conventions for Determining In-Scope Incidents
NEISS incidents often have a terse narrative; accordingly, staff used a more stringent set
of rules when examining this NEISS set of potential instability or tip-over incidents compared to
fatalities extracted from the other CPSC epidemiological database (CPSRMS). This appendix
lists the types of products and incident scenarios included in the NEISS and fatality instability or
tip-over incidents associated with televisions, furniture, and appliances. In an effort to improve
the identification of in-scope incidents, some of the coding determinations were revised from the
last data extraction, and a handful of incidents from past annual tip-over reports were omitted.
During the preparation of the briefing package for the proposed rulemaking on chests, bureaus,
and dressers (CBDs) in FY2020, a comprehensive review of NEISS and fatality incidents from
past reports involving only televisions and incidents involving CBDs was done. It necessitated
the reclassifications of some incidents from the 2019 annual report. This report is using the same
reclassifications to continue to maintain the consistency of data, however some reclassifications
of injuries may not be apparent due to rounding.
Unstable items included in the counts:
1. Furniture:
a. Armoire
b. Bookcase
c. Bureau
d. Cabinet (Exclude: kitchen and medicine)
e. Cart (Include only: microwave and TV)
f. Chest (Exclude: jewelry and falling off shelf)
g. Cupboard
h. Desk (Exclude: at schools)
i. Display case (Include only: in-home locations)
j. Dresser
k. Clocks, long case (Exclude: all other clocks)
l. Game Tables (Include only: “game table”, ping pong, and pool)
m. Locker (Include only: in-home locations)
n. Pedestal
o. Plant stand
p. Rack (Include only: coat rack)
q. Room divider
r. Safe (Exclude: falling off shelf)
s. Safety strap (Include: tethering in-scope items to a wall)
(Exclude: mounting items on a wall)
t. Shelf (Exclude: in closets and in stores)
u. Stand (Include only: microwave, night, and TV)
v. Table (Include: picnic and folding tables)
(Exclude: TV tray tables)
w. Vanity
x. Wall unit
y. Wardrobe
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2. Appliances:
a. Dryer
b. Freezer
c. Microwave
d. Refrigerator (Include: mini fridge)
e. Stove/Oven
f. Washing machine
Note: If the type of furniture or appliance is not specified in the narrative, then the incident is not
included. Examples include the item that caused the injury being described by only the terms
“furniture” or “appliance” in the narrative.
3. Electronics:
a. Computer screen/monitor (Exclude: “computer” and laptop)
b. Television
Note: All other electronics are not included in the count.
4. Locations:
a. Store (Exclude: cart, display case, rack, and shelf)
b. School (Exclude: desk and locker)
c. Other public locations (Exclude: locker)
5. Sample scenarios that involved an injury:
a. “tried to catch”
Ex: The patient tried to catch a falling TV and injured his/her foot.
Ex: While at school, the patient tried to stop a room divider from falling over and
injured his/her head.
b. “found under” (Exclude: desk and table)
Ex: Mom heard a loud crash, and she found her son lying under a dresser.
c. “pulled on self”
Ex: The infant pulled a TV down onto herself.
Ex: Grandma started to fall when she pulled a dresser onto herself in order to try
to keep her balance.
Note: These incident types are counted when a narrative implies an instability or tip-over
incident occurred and is the reason for the hospital visit.
Unstable items not included in the counts:
1. Falls of wall-mounted televisions/appliances are excluded. Furniture that is tethered or
secured to the wall for the purpose of preventing a tip-over incident is included.
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2. Ambiguity in the narrative:
a. What is the item that fell?
Ex: The patient was sitting next to an unstable table while leaning back in her
chair when it fell over and landed on her.
(It is unclear if ‘it’ refers to the table or the chair.)
b. Which event caused the patient to seek treatment at the hospital?
Ex: The patient has a skull fracture. Either the patient bumped his head on a
cabinet today, or yesterday a TV fell off a dresser onto his head.
(It is unclear for which incident the patient is being treated at the hospital.)
3. Action verbs alone that do not describe instability, such as assemble, brake, collapse,
drop, fix, hit, struck, and move.
Note: The incident is included if a child 9 years old or younger “dropped” or attempted to
“move” an in-scope television, furniture, or appliance item and it tipped over, causing the child
to seek hospital treatment.
4. Components of furniture such as a door, drawer, handle, knob, panel, table leaf, and table
top.
5. Furniture intended to be sat upon or laid on, such as a bed, bench, bleacher, chair, couch,
futon, glider, love seat, recliner, and seat.
6. Appliance (examples): air conditioner, blender, boiler, broiler, crock pot, fan, food
processor, fryer, heater (electric or gas), rice cooker, stove hood/fan, toaster, toaster oven,
trash compactor, and vacuum.
7. Electronics (examples): cable box, DVD/VCR player, video game system, radio, and
speaker.
8. Storage furniture (examples): barrel, box, cage, cans, case, container, crate, hutch, tank,
and trunk.
9. Other furniture (examples): all baby furniture, all power tools, aquarium, book, candle,
candleholder, figurine, fireplace, mantel, mirror, newspaper box, pan, podium, pot,
railing, skillet, slot machine, statue, toolbox, TV tray table, vase, and yard compactor.