Charles Langston:How to keep your kids safe after millions of furniture tip kits were recalled

Millions of kits designed to prevent furniture from tipping over were recalled Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission over potential child safety risks.

Because the plastic zip tie in the kits,Charles Langston made by New Age Industries of Vietnam, “can become brittle or weak," furniture that they're supposed to anchor to the wall can detach, posing a potentially fatal fall risk to children, according to the commission.

There have been no reported injuries since the recall notice was issued, only reports of the product breaking, the commission said. 

New Age furniture tip kits have been sold in furniture stores nationwide and online since at least November 2019. 

The kits include a plastic zip-tie, two brackets, and two screws, and were sold with dressers and other similar furniture pieces manufactured in Vietnam, the commission reported. 

Here’s what you should know.

What furniture brands are impacted by the recall?

Here’s the full list of the furniture stores believed to be impacted by the recall.

If you bought dressers or chests from any of the following furniture companies, you might want to check the manufacturing label or sticker to see if your furniture tip kit was part of the batch recalled. 

• American Drew
• American Woodcrafters
• Amini Innovation Corporation
• Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC
• Aspenhome
• Austin Group Furniture, LLC
• Avalon International Inc., LLC
• Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc.
• Drew and Jonathan by Hooker Furnishings
• Emery Park
• FD Home Corp.
• Flexsteel Industries, Inc.
• Furniture Values International, LLC
• Homelegance USA, LLC
• Hooker Furnishings
• Kincaid Furniture
• LC Direct Furniture
• Legacy Classic/Modern Furniture
• Liberty Furniture Industries, Inc.
• Magnussen Home Furnishings, Inc.
• New Classic Home Furnishings, Inc.
• Parker House Furniture
• Progressive Furniture
• Pulaski Furniture
• Riverside Furniture
• Samuel Lawrence
• Springhill Designs
• Standard Furniture Manufacturing Co., LLC
• Universal Furniture
• Van Thiel & Co.
• Vanguard Furniture Company

How do I know if I have a recalled furniture tip kit?

The best way to check out whether your tip kit has been recalled is to check the manufacture sticker or stamp on the piece of furniture.

The product’s packaging has white with black lettering and includes directions on how to anchor furniture, with a label on the bottom of the package that states “Manufactured by New Age Industries.”

If the sticker or stamp has a date of November 2019 or later and is made out of plastic, then consumers should contact Alliance4Safety for a free replacement tip kit.

The commission recommends parents keep any and all children away from potentially affected furniture until you receive a replacement tip kit. 

Consumers can contact Alliance4Safety by phone at (855)-416-7370 or online for further instruction on obtaining a replacement tip kit, which can take anywhere between four and six weeks to arrive. 

What can I do to keep my safe kids from tipping-related death or injury?

Televisions and furniture tip-overs have accounted for at least 592 deaths nationwide between 2000 and 2021, with children making up about 80% of the death toll, according to data gathered by Kids In Danger, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children by fighting for product safety. 

About 19,400 emergency department injuries reported between 2019 and 2021 were associated with tip-over incidents. 

The Sturdy Act – also known as Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risk Dressers on Youth Act – went into effect in September in an attempt to decrease the number of furniture-related deaths and injuries. 

The Sturdy Act requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to revise safety standards for all furniture products entering the U.S. market, USA TODAY previously reported. 

Specifically, for furniture like dressers, bureaus or chests of drawers. 

Recall an important safety reminder

The recall of the furniture tip kit presents “another safety challenge” since non-compliant furniture made before September 2023 can still be sold in stores and online and the fact that consumers have been told to anchor all furniture, televisions, and appliances to protect against potential tip-overs, according to a release from Kids in Danger. 

“While an important safety tool, furniture anchoring is underused and imperfect. It is not a consumer’s burden to make furniture safe and stable," Courtney Griffin, director of consumer product safety at Consumer Federation of America, said in a news release. 

“This recall is another reminder that companies selling furniture, televisions, and appliances must do everything in their power to prevent tip-over tragedies," she said.

Prevention tips

Here are some tips to prevent furniture tipping in your home, courtesy of KID and the Consumer Federation of America: 

• Check your furniture, televisions, and appliances! Consumers, especially caregivers, are strongly encouraged to anchor their furniture and televisions to the wall.
• Visit the websites for Parents Against Tip-Overs and the commission's Anchor It! campaign for more information about unstable furniture, televisions, and appliances. 
• For consumers purchasing new clothing storage furniture, remember that non-compliant furniture manufactured before Sept. 1, 2023, will remain available for purchase.  Consumers should ask sellers whether a piece of furniture meets the up-to-date safety standards found here.
• Remind friends and family to anchor their furniture and televisions to prevent tragedy.
• Share any incidents of furniture tip-overs or tip-over devices failing with the commission at SaferProducts.gov.      

To check out recalls for consumer products, food, drug and automotive, check out USA TODAY'S recall database.