Casey’s STURDY Act requires manufacturers to test for stability and safety before selling furniture, preventing furniture tip-overs resulting in injury or death
Consumer Product Safety Commission has adopted safety standards required under STURDY Act, an important step in implementation of law
Since 2000, more than 480 U.S. children have died from tip-overs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is applauding the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) adoption of furniture safety standards, a critical step towards implementation of Senator Casey’s bipartisan Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act, The STURDY Act strengthens furniture safety standards to prevent furniture tip-over accidents, which cause an average of 19,400 emergency room-treated injuries each year as children are crushed, trapped, or struck by furniture, TVs, and appliances.
“For years, I have worked alongside parents and families to ensure that no one else endures the unimaginable tragedy of losing a child to a furniture tip-over,” Senator Casey said. “Now, because of my STURDY Act, manufacturers will be required by law to ensure that their furniture meets a strong, mandatory stability standard. I am proud to see the Consumer Product Safety Commission take this important step to implement the law so that families can breathe easier, knowing they can keep their children safe from tip-overs.”
This legislation changes the stability standard for manufacturers of dressers and other clothing storage units from voluntary to mandatory—requiring companies to ensure their products are tested for safety and stability before being sold. The CPSC’s adoption of the rule means that furniture manufacturers now have 120 days to become compliant with STURDY’s mandatory standard.
The STURDY Act has the support of a robust coalition of organizations, including consumer groups and Parents Against Tip-overs, and manufacturers and retailers like IKEA, the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Room & Board, Crate & Barrel, and Williams-Sonoma.
Read more about the STURDY Act here.
