By Mi-Ling Stone Poole –

If you grew up in the late ’60s, you might remember these words: “Warning, Will Robinson! — uttered by the robot in the TV series “Lost in Space” to warn the child of apparent danger.

To this day I use that phrase whenever I see something that could be dangerous to my family.

Unfortunately children have a propensity to want to climb on things. Accidents happen when a child tips a large piece of furniture onto his small body. The products most commonly associated with these deaths or injuries appear to be televisions, dressers and storage units.

This problem not only affects children. Adults, especially the elderly, have been injured when a large piece of furniture or a heavy drawer falls on them. Using provided drawer locks that prevent drawers from falling out is one way to avoid this problem. Check in the back of your drawer to see if it has a lock and use it.

To help parents avoid some of these dangers, the American Home Furnishing Association reports that ASTM International, a standard-setting organization, has released new voluntary safety standards. Products covered by these standards include warning labels on all pieces and certified tip restraints.

The warning labels read:

“Place heaviest items in the lowest drawers.

“Never allow children to climb or hang on drawers or shelves.

“Never open more than one drawer at a time.

“Do not defeat or remove the drawer interlock system.”

The purpose of a tip restraint is to attach a piece of furniture securely to a wall to keep the piece from tipping over onto a child. Of course, the best way to avoid this situation is to keep a watchful eye on your child whenever possible.

The next time you’re in the market for furniture consider these standards and take heed of the warning from the iconic robot: “Warning, Will Robinson!”

To find out which furniture lines are participating and for more information online go to www.findyourfurniture.com

Share your tips for protecting children!