Should Dressers and Wardrobes Meet Tip-Over Safety Standards?
Official title: Consultation on proposed updates to the danger to human health or safety assessment for free-standing clothing storage units
Health Canada asked whether free-standing dressers, wardrobes, and similar furniture should meet safety standards to prevent tip-overs. These accidents can injure or kill children who climb on unstable furniture. Many products already meet the proposed standards—only unsafe ones would be banned.
Why This Matters
Got a dresser in your kid's room? Furniture tip-overs kill children every year—often when they climb on drawers. This decision affects what furniture stores can sell in Canada. Parents shopping for bedroom furniture should care about whether safety standards are enforced.
What Could Change
Dressers and wardrobes that don't meet tip-over safety criteria could be banned from sale in Canada. Manufacturers and importers would need to ensure their products pass stability tests. Non-compliant furniture already on store shelves could be pulled from the market.
Key Issues
- Should furniture that fails tip-over safety tests be banned from sale in Canada?
- Are the proposed safety criteria appropriate for protecting consumers?
How to Participate
- Review the danger to human health or safety assessment to understand the proposed safety criteria.
- Submit comments by email to ccpsa-lcspc@hc-sc.gc.ca.