Children have been seriously injured or killed from furniture falling on them. Furniture and televisions can fall if a child climbs or pulls on it. This includes:

• bookcases
• chests of drawers and wardrobes
• cabinets
• entertainment units
• televisions
• hall tables, buffets and sideboards.

How to prevent furniture from tipping over

The best way to stop furniture from tipping is by anchoring it to the wall.

Watch this video to learn more

Tips to prevent accidents

• Choose furniture with broad, stable bases instead of legs. They are less likely to tip if a child climbs onto them.
• Test the furniture while you’re in the shop. Pull out draws and push down to check its stability, especially chest of drawers.
• Use child-resistant locks on drawers. This stops children from opening them and climbing.
• Secure unstable furniture to the wall with angle braces or anchors.
• Choose tables that won’t tip over if a child climbs on them.
• Choose thick toughened glass for glass tables.
• Do not place remote controls, toys, food or other tempting items on top of the furniture. Children might climb to reach for them.

Rental homes

If you are renting, ask your landlord's permission to secure furniture. Use form 24 Request to lessor to affix furniture. 

Report

If you think furniture or a product is unsafe, report it. 

Businesses safety responsibility

Businesses can help to prevent injuries and deaths from toppling furniture by:

• Providing products with anchors.
• Giving consumers information about risks and ways to anchor furniture and televisions: 
• Sharing the video Toppling furniture: Anchor it and protect a child with staff and customers.
• Displaying warnings near tall furniture and televisions advising consumers to use anchors.
• Training staff about furniture safety to help customers make safe choices.

Guide for businesses

Best practice guide for furniture and television tip-over prevention 
The National Retail Association produced this guide to help businesses understand the dangers and how they can help. It covers design, anchoring, customer service and other handy tips.

Mandatory standard - May 2025

By May 2025 the following types of furniture must have warnings and safety information:

• Category 1: Clothing storage units or bookcases with a height of 686 mm or more.
• Category 2: Entertainment units for housing televisions, home theatre systems or gaming consoles.
• Category 3: Hall tables, display cabinets, buffets, and sideboards with a height 686 mm or more.

The suppliers must:

• attach permanent warning labels to furniture covered in the standard
• display point-of-sale warnings in-store and online
• include information about the risk of toppling furniture in instruction manuals.

Image: Samples of warning labels from Product Safety Australia

More information

More information is available from Product Safety Australia Toppling Furniture.