not to worry about bookcases tipping.

[RedHotPokers]

We have quite an uneven floor in our living room and a tall bookcase. When we bought the bookcase I persuaded DH to 'tie' it to the wall using the strap supplied with it by IKEA. DH thought it was a bit pointless, but I insisted because we were ttc and I thought it made sense in case we had DCs and they tried to climb it or something.

Fast forward 6 years and my parents have recently moved and put two big bookcases in the room our DCs stay in occasionally. One of the bookcases had been in the DCs room in their previous house. DH informed my DM that she should tie the bookcases to the wall just in case the DCs managed to tip them over.

My DM asked about the ties in a few DIY shops (which apparently didn't do them) and a furniture shop (which apparently also didn't sell them). DM has now decided that its probably not worth bothering,as the bookcases are fairly wide at the base and not on an uneven surface, so unlikely to tip.

DH has now got a bee in his bonnet about this, and thinks DM is being irresponsible. I can see both sides, but am a bit that DH is making such a big thing about it seeing as he well-known for his lack of health and safety, and as he hadn't wanted to tie our bookcases to the wall initially either. I can't help but think he's just trying to have a dig at DM, who he does get exasperated with fairly easily.

So, DH wants me to ask MN whether IABU to just go with the flow and leave my DM to do what she thinks is best in her own house (we had a HUGE bookcase in the living room as kids and I'm 100% sure that wasn't fixed to the wall in any way)?

(sorry long!)

I know....... I've got a 3yr old and an 18 month old and I had to keep stopping my mind from thinking about it too much. I can't even to begin to imagine how they must all be feeling :-(

These types of accidents do happen, it's up to you to weigh up the risk. If you have a Wilkinsons in your town, they sell the kits.

Gosh, I'm quite a worrier when it comes to dangers, but this hasn't even crossed my mind! I don't have any large bookcases as in the OP but no other pieces of furniture are tied to the wall. I've never heard of anyone doing so in all honesty.

In saying that, DS is 2.2 and climbing is something I'm hugely strict on, because of the dangers - I'm in a second floor flat so had to be to stop him attempting to climb on the radiators and into the windows! So, I'm not particularly worried about it. But still a very interesting point and providing food for thought!

I really can't say is YABU as it's honestly not something I've ever come across before.....

YABU. Please watch this video (it's a dummy simulation with furniture tip overs) it really made me think and after hearing of several horrible accidents-to older children that didn't always climb- we tied all ours to the wall. 'L' brackets are easy and cheap.

OK here's a simple solution.

Get a couple of inexpensive door wedges for each bookcase. You can get these in just about any DIY shop, Rob Dyas, hardware shop etc. Wedge them under the front of the bookcase on either side. That completely alters the balance and tips them back slightly, so unless they are on really uneven flooring you would have to push them quite hard to tip them forward.

It is true that bookcases are a real hazard, in particular if you have old floorboards and/or wall-to-wall carpet, as the gripper rod under the carpet along the skirting board will tip them a little bit forward anyway.

And it's true, bookcases are bloody heavy. If a full bookcase fell on a toddler, you could expect severe crush injury and probably death.

Ikea always supply something so that you can secure a cupboard/wardrobe/shelf-unit to the wall and we ALWAYS used it. It doesn't take much effort and I must admit never to having felt I was going over the top by doing it. Seems such a sensible safety measure.

I have never done this with furniture, and actually don't think I would be allowed to as I live in a rented house so am not allowed to attach anything to the walls. I'd always just thought it was the retailers being over cautious and covering their backs; I'm a bit worried after reading some of the stories on this thread, although none of mine are big climbers thankfully.

My DS1 3.5 pulled down an ancient heavy chest of drawers at my parents house. How he didn't die I don't know, the house shook and the falling/crashing lasted for ages. It was the most sickening few minutes of my life running into that room. He had opened all of the drawers and it toppled. He was standing beside the wreckage with not a scratch.
My 16mo DS2 is a climber though. Must get some ties. Thanks for posting.

we have chests of draws, wardrobes, book cases - anything that could conceivably be climbed & tipped - screwed to the wall. My 4yo dd pulled a tall chest of drawers onto herself at the friend's house - we were extremely lucky & she was okay but it was the single most terrifying moment of my life.

I'm not neurotic but it is in the same category as having a smoke alarm imo

I also rent but am a dab hand with the Polyfilla!

Ours are - because dd3 was/is a climber/. Neither of the others bothered but she does and bookcases are a hazard for children. Also big chests of drawers. There was a horible case a few years ago when twins were killed by drawers in their room. I think your dh is right tbh.

few seconds, not minutes - but it felt more like minutes

DD2 was a climber. I once found her near the top of a tipping bookcase. I had to stand underneath, holding up the bookcase while the books fell out around me. She fell, stood up and ran off, laughing. I was left shouting for help! She's now 17 but I do fix tall, slim bookcases to the wall. Here's an idea (scroll down a bit to find www.waybasics.com/blog/tag/bookcase/

This happened near me when ds was a small baby. Absolutely heartbreaking.

If your DC are climbers (like your little on might be) I'd worry. I heard a MASSIVE crash in the hall the other day and DD (4 .. FFS) had been swinging on the hall stand (why??) and pulled the thing over - she was half trapped underneath it. It's only because the hall is narrow that it didn't land completely on top of her but hit the wall at an angle. It's now tied to the wall!
I would never have thought she would do something like that. So now I'm a bit wary of teetery things. For the sake of a couple of screws and a piece of strong tape I'd fix the tall things!

OP, just go to any DIY shop and ask for a roll of metal strapping

It's flexible so you can either put a bit either side of the bookshelf, or a strip of it behind so it's totally hidden.

It looks like this....

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=DIY+roll+of+metal+strapping&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=3NBbkRamT4rfbM:&imgrefurl=www.geneandpam.com/cats/fence/main.html&docid=M_heKlVPz432EM&imgurl=www.geneandpam.com/images/cats/fence/bracket1.jpg&w=640&h=480&ei=l_IRT42hLMbsOdCz2Z0D&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=551&vpy=323&dur=366&hovh=190&hovw=254&tx=128&ty=112&sig=112657600790533760090&page=4&tbnh=144&tbnw=203&start=51&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=DIY+roll+of+metal+strapping&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=3NBbkRamT4rfbM:&imgrefurl=www.geneandpam.com/cats/fence/main.html&docid=M_heKlVPz432EM&imgurl=www.geneandpam.com/images/cats/fence/bracket1.jpg&w=640&h=480&ei=l_IRT42hLMbsOdCz2Z0D&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=551&vpy=323&dur=366&hovh=190&hovw=254&tx=128&ty=112&sig=112657600790533760090&page=4&tbnh=144&tbnw=203&start=51&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:51

Bloody hell Mollie I'm going to get DH to fix the wardrobe to the wall tomorrow!

Mollie - that's the case I remembered. Tragedy is understating it isn't it? So awful.

I don't know how you get over something like that, I guess you don't. I remember making sure that there was absolutely nothing ds could climb in his room until he was old enough to be understand what could happen if he did.

Some horrific cases here, those big wooden toy chest's also make me shudder.

If your DH is worried, then your DM should tie it back. He thought it was strange the first time you suggested but he did it for you because you were concern. I think you and your DM should show him the same consideration.

I've had a relative's child die because their child climbed their tv stand and by freak accident, the tv fell and landed on top of her.

Why don't your DH get some ties or brackets or whatever to fix the problem?

I don't see how you could Mollie - it's the stuff of nightmares. Every time I read about that case I just think 'oh both of them, both at once' - imagine living with that?

I remember reading in the paper a few years back of young twins who managed to pull a bookcase over. I dont remember the exact details but I dont think the outcome was good . Ours upstairs isn't tied to the wall but that's because its in a narrow part of what used to be dd's room and it would hit the opposite wall well before tipping over. I was thinking some kind of L brackets too, we wouldnt have been able to fix the back of ours, far too cheap flimsy.