Did you know that, every 45 minutes in the U.S., a child is taken to the ER for injuries caused by a TV that is not properly secured? That's why the CEA and Safe Kids Worldwide are jointly promoting January 31 as National TV Safety Day. We wrote about this topic back in 2013, and it continues to be a major concern.

If you just bought a new flat-panel TV for tomorrow's big game, we hope you'll take the time to secure it properly, using either a wall-mount or at least the wall anchors that come packaged with many TVs. And if there's an old, heavy CRT TV gathering dust in a spare bedroom, perhaps now is the time to take it to a local recycling center.

From the CEA
As families from New England to Seattle prepare for this Sunday's game, Safe Kids Worldwide is once again partnering with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) to promote National TV Safety Day on January 31. Every 45 minutes in the United States, a child is rushed to the emergency room for injuries caused by televisions that are not properly secured. To help prevent these TV tip-over incidents, National TV Safety Day raises awareness about TV tip-overs, and educates parents and caregivers on the simple things they can do to make their homes safer.

Safe Kids Worldwide and CEA are teaming up to make homes safer by encouraging families to recycle their old TVs. As part of this effort, Safe Kids and CEA urge parents and caregivers to do quick checks of their homes and make sure all of their TVs are safely secured and properly placed. Heavier, box-style cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs placed on dressers or high furniture can tip over and cause serious injuries, even death, if children climb onto the furniture.

"We're asking families to add one important, and perhaps overlooked, task to their pregame prep," said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "Take a look around your home. Can the flat-panel TV tip over? Have you moved the old CRT to a bedroom dresser where it rarely gets watched? On National TV Safety Day, recycle that old TV. Your home will be safer for it."

Safe Kids encourages families to include TV safety as part of their childproofing plans by placing CRT TVs on low, stable pieces of furniture. If families no longer use their CRT TVs, consider recycling them. For families with flat-panel televisions, Safe Kids recommends mounting TVs to the wall to reduce the risk of TV tip-overs.

"Forty-one percent of U.S. households report having at least one heavier, box-style CRT TV," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. "If you're no longer using your CRT TV, we recommend removing it from your home entirely, finding a local recycling location and properly disposing of the TV."

Safe Kids and CEA recommend these tips to help keep kids safe and improve the environment.

Secure your TV. If you have a heavier, box-style TV, make sure you either secure it to a wall or place it on a low, stable piece of furniture that is appropriate for the TV's size and weight.

Recycle your TV. To find a location near your home that safely and responsibly recycles unwanted TVs, go to www.GreenerGadgets.org.

Secure your flat-panel TV. If you're replacing your CRT TV with a new TV, be sure your flat-panel TV is properly secured with a mount that has a safety certification by an independent laboratory (such as UL, CSA, ETL).

For more TV safety tips, visit www.safekids.org.

Additional Resources
• How to Keep Your Child Safe From a TV Tip-over at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Visit the Safe Kids Worldwide website for more information.