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by S.A. Smith
Every year thousands of children are
admitted to hospital emergency rooms due to incidents involving bunk
beds involving improper use, manufacturing, or set up. If your
follow our 10 point safety checklist, bunk beds can still be a great
bedding solution for your children:
Reputable manufacturer
Look for manufacturers that are
established, and have a long history of manufacturing bunk
beds. A good manufacturer will also stand behind their
product by providing a lifetime warranty.
ASTM and CPSC guidelines
Ask the retailer if it meets the
voluntary safety guidelines of the American Standards of
Testing and Materials and the minimum safety standards of
the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If it does,
you'll know that the bed meets all current and reasonable
safety standards.
Strong frame construction
Examine and test the durability
and strength of the bunk bed frame. It should easily
hold a parents weight - climb on it and wiggle the frame a
bit. A good bunk bed with remain firmly grounded
without movement or noise.
Only rounded edges
Check the entire bed construction
for smoothness of materials and fasteners. There
should be no sharp edges or protruding points anywhere in
the construction.
Measure the safety rails
Safety rails should run on both
sides of the top bunk, and the lower rail should be no
higher than 3 1/2 inches above the top of the mattress
height - any higher and your children could slip
underneath it. Also make sure the top rail is at least
5 inches above the mattress top to prevent your child from
rolling over the safety rails.
Ensure proper mattress fit
Strangulation deaths have
occurred in the US when children fall through openings
between the mattress and the frame during the night.
Make sure the mattress opening snugly fits the mattress
without a lot adjustment room. If the mattress has a
gap greater than 3 inches from any side of the mattress to
the bed frame, headboard or footboard - it does not fit
properly.
Sturdy ladder construction
Make sure the ladder in well
constructed and is firmly attached and bolted to the bed
frame. Test it out with your own weight - if it moves
around it is not safe.
Sturdy mattress support
A lot of injuries are caused by
children in the lower bunks pushing up on the underside of
the top bunk and dislodging the mattress or support frame.
Ensure the top bunk has sturdy mattress supports that are
secured to the bed frame with bolts or screws. You
don't want a floating board support system, as these will
move around and can possibly fall through the opening.
Repair and maintenance
Immediately replace or repair any
loose or missing fasteners on the bed. Periodically
check the tightness of fasteners holding the bed together,
as well as the cross support rails holding the upper
mattress.
Safe use
Teach your children not to push
up on the underside of the bed, or to climb on it like a
jungle gym. Proper safety is important at all times,
and you may wish to also use a night light near the ladder
so children can see the ladder steps in the dark.
If you follow these basic tips
then you should get years of safe enjoyment out of your new
bunk bed. For more bunk bed resources and tips you can
visit
http://www.loft-beds-bunk-beds.com/bunk-beds.htm
About the Author
S.A. Smith is a freelance writer,
contributor, and editor of the Loft Beds Bunk Beds resource
site, and can be reached at
http://www.loft-beds-bunk-beds.com/
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