Laws to stop toppling furniture deaths

Suppliers will need to provide safety warnings about the dangers of toppling furniture under new laws that aim to reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by falling furniture.

Since 2000, 28 people, including 17 children under the age of five, have died in Australia from toppling furniture, while more than 900 Australians suffer injuries that require medical assistance from falling furniture every year, the ACCC said.

Following a recommendation by the ACCC, the new toppling furniture information standard was made by the Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones on Friday.

It applies to certain pieces of furniture, and requires suppliers to provide safety warnings and advice about how to reduce toppling furniture incidents to consumers before, during and after purchasing furniture.

Suppliers must ensure they attach a permanent warning label to the furniture, include safety information about anchoring furniture in manuals and instructions and provide warnings about the hazards of toppling furniture in stores and online.

Suppliers have a 12-month transition period to implement the new requirements, and failure to comply may expose businesses and individuals to ACCC enforcement action and financial penalties.

ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said the mandatory information standard was a critical step towards reducing injuries and deaths involving toppling furniture.

“We know that young children and the elderly are most at risk of toppling furniture injuries, and the most common cause of death is head and crush injuries and asphyxiation,” he said.

“The new information standard will help increase awareness about toppling furniture risks, including by warning consumers to securely anchor furniture to prevent furniture tip overs.”