Every year in Australia, emergency departments treat injuries caused by furniture tip-overs, with television-related accidents being among the most serious. Modern large-screen TVs, while lighter than older CRT models, remain heavy enough to cause significant harm if they fall. Combined with the weight of the TV unit itself and any equipment stored within, an unsecured entertainment setup poses real risks—particularly in homes with young children or pets. This guide covers essential safety measures every household should implement.
The ACCC recommends anchoring all furniture over 70cm tall to the wall. TV tip-over injuries can be severe or fatal, especially for children under 6. Take the anchoring steps in this guide seriously—they take minutes to implement and could prevent tragedy.
Understanding the Risks
Before discussing solutions, it's important to understand why TV units and televisions tip over. The primary causes include:
- Climbing: Young children are naturally curious and may climb furniture to reach objects or simply explore
- Pulling: Children may pull open drawers or hang on open cabinet doors, creating leverage that tips the unit forward
- Uneven loading: Placing heavy items on upper shelves or toward the front of the unit shifts the centre of gravity
- Unstable flooring: Uneven floors, thick carpets, or furniture placed partially on rugs can create instability
- Inadequate design: Some units, particularly tall narrow designs, are inherently less stable
Understanding these risk factors helps you address multiple vulnerabilities, not just the most obvious ones.
Anchoring Your TV Unit to the Wall
Wall anchoring is the single most important safety measure you can take. Properly anchored furniture cannot tip over, regardless of what forces are applied to it. Most quality TV units include anchoring hardware, but if yours didn't, universal furniture anchoring kits are inexpensive and widely available.
How to Anchor Furniture Safely
- Locate wall studs: Use a stud finder to locate the timber studs behind your plasterboard. Anchoring into studs provides the strongest hold—anchoring into plasterboard alone is not sufficient for heavy furniture
- Position the anchor point: The anchor should be attached high on the back of the furniture, ideally in the top quarter of the unit's height
- Install the bracket: Screw one bracket firmly into the back of the furniture and another into the wall stud, using the hardware provided or appropriate screws for your wall type
- Connect with strap: Use a fabric or metal strap to connect the two brackets, keeping it taut but allowing the furniture to sit properly against the wall
- Test the connection: Gently pull the top of the furniture forward to confirm the anchor holds firm
If you're renting and concerned about wall damage, discuss furniture anchoring with your landlord. Many are understanding about safety measures, especially for families with children. The small holes left by anchoring screws are generally considered normal wear and are easy to repair.
Special Considerations for Different Wall Types
Australian homes feature various wall constructions, each requiring appropriate anchoring methods:
- Timber-framed walls with plasterboard: Anchor into studs using wood screws. Studs are typically spaced 450mm or 600mm apart
- Brick or masonry walls: Use masonry anchors drilled into the brick or mortar joints. A hammer drill makes this easier
- Concrete walls: Require concrete anchors and a hammer drill with masonry bit
- Lightweight construction: Some modern apartments use lightweight walls that may require professional assessment for heavy furniture anchoring
Securing the Television
Beyond anchoring the unit itself, the television sitting on top presents its own tip-over risk. A bump, earthquake, or child pulling can send an unsecured TV crashing down.
Anti-Tip TV Straps
Flat-screen anti-tip straps connect your TV to the wall or the back of your TV unit. They're nearly invisible when installed and allow normal TV positioning while preventing forward falls. Look for straps rated for your TV's weight.
Wall Mounting
The safest option for families with young children is wall-mounting the TV entirely. This eliminates the risk of the TV being pulled or knocked off the unit. Ensure wall mounts are installed into studs and rated for your TV's weight and size.
Securing to the Unit
Many modern TV units include mounting points specifically for securing televisions. Use these if available, along with anti-tip straps, for maximum security. Some units also feature raised edges or ridges that help prevent the TV from being pushed off.
Key Takeaway
Both the TV unit AND the television need to be secured independently. Anchoring just one leaves the other as a hazard.
Weight Distribution and Loading
How you load your TV unit affects its stability. Following proper weight distribution principles reduces tip-over risk even before anchoring.
General Principles
- Heavy items low: Place the heaviest equipment—gaming consoles, AV receivers, speaker systems—on lower shelves or at the bottom of the unit
- Light items high: Upper shelves should hold only lightweight decorative items, remotes, or small accessories
- Centre heavy items: When possible, position heavier objects toward the centre of the shelf rather than at the edges
- Avoid overhang: Nothing should protrude past the front edge of the unit where it could be grabbed or knocked off
Respecting Weight Limits
Every TV unit has weight capacity limits—for the top surface, individual shelves, and total capacity. Check your unit's specifications and don't exceed them. Overloading stresses the structure and increases instability.
Child-Proofing Your Entertainment Area
Homes with young children require additional precautions beyond basic anchoring. The entertainment area with its buttons, lights, and cables is naturally attractive to curious toddlers.
Creating Physical Barriers
- Closed cabinet doors: Choose units with doors that conceal equipment, removing the temptation to touch and pull
- Child-proof locks: Fit cabinet doors and drawers with child-proof latches that prevent opening
- Cable concealment: Loose cables are both a strangulation hazard and something children pull. Use cable management solutions to keep all wiring out of reach
Removing Climbing Temptations
Think like a child looking at your TV unit. Is there something attractive at the top they might climb to reach? Are there surfaces that form a "ladder"—like open shelves or drawers they might step on? Remove temptations by:
- Keeping toys, remotes, and attractive items off the TV unit entirely
- Using units without features that facilitate climbing
- Teaching older children about furniture safety consistently
Children under 5 are the highest risk group for tip-over injuries because they're mobile, curious, and too young to understand consequences. However, education alone is not sufficient protection—physical safety measures are essential.
Electrical Safety
Your entertainment setup involves multiple electrical devices, and safety extends beyond furniture stability.
Power Board Safety
- Use surge-protected power boards to protect equipment from power spikes
- Never overload power boards—check the maximum wattage rating
- Position power boards where they won't be stepped on or have liquid spilled on them
- Replace damaged power boards immediately
Heat Management
Electronics generate heat, and adequate ventilation is essential for both equipment longevity and fire safety. Ensure there's airflow around gaming consoles and AV receivers—never place them in sealed compartments. If your unit has enclosed sections housing electronics, consider adding ventilation fans.
Cable Safety
Besides being a child hazard, damaged cables are a fire risk. Regularly inspect power cables for damage, replace any with exposed wiring, and never run cables under rugs where damage might go unnoticed.
Creating a Safety Checklist
Use this checklist to audit your current entertainment setup:
- Is the TV unit anchored securely to a wall stud or appropriate wall fixing?
- Is the television secured with anti-tip straps or wall-mounted?
- Are heavy items stored low in the unit?
- Is the unit on a flat, stable surface (not on thick carpet or uneven flooring)?
- Are all cables secured and out of reach of children?
- Do cabinet doors have child-proof locks if needed?
- Is there adequate ventilation around heat-producing equipment?
- Are power boards surge-protected and not overloaded?
- Are attractive items removed from the top of the unit if children are present?
- Is everyone in the household aware of furniture safety guidelines?
Address any gaps immediately. Most safety improvements take only minutes to implement but provide lasting protection for your family and equipment. Make furniture safety a priority when setting up any new entertainment unit, and revisit your safety measures periodically to ensure anchors remain secure and circumstances haven't changed.