TYNN40 TV and furniture tipover

INCIDENT INVESTIGATION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Fatalities Involving Instability or Tipover of Appliances, Furniture, and Televisions
DOCUMENT NUMBER:
DATE OF INCIDENT:
FOLLOW-UP REQUESTED

CATID: TYNN40 2020
HAZARD ANALYSIS

COMPLIANCE

PRIMARY CONTACT: Adam Suchy, EPHA, 301-504-7301, [email protected]
BACK-UP CONTACT: Richard McCallion, EXHR, 301-987-2222, [email protected]
Stefanie Marques, HS, 301-504-7205, [email protected]
Gina Collins, 301-504-7595, [email protected]

ASSIGNMENT MESSAGE:
For instability or tipover of appliances, furniture, and televisions, there were an annual average of 28,300
emergency department-treated injuries (2015-2017) and 542 reported fatalities to CPSC staff occurring
between 2000 and 2017.
The latest version of the instability or tip-over report can be found at www.cpsc.gov. Search for the
report by document title “Product Instability or Tip-Over Injuries and Fatalities Associated with
Televisions, Furniture, and Appliances.”
It is important to collect as much information as possible about the product(s) and the incident
scenario.
Document incident scenario and, if possible, photograph product(s) involved in the tipover/entrapment.
Also, please obtain the following information:
1. Document all manufacturer/brand and serial/model information, including production dates, if
available. For furniture, markings may be inside the drawer or found on a label on the back of the
furniture. For televisions, note whether it is a box or flat screen television, and indicate the size
of the television (giving precise measurements if available).
2. How old is the product(s)? When was the product(s) purchased? Was it purchased new or used?
From whom was the products(s) purchased? What type of store was the product(s) purchased
from (product specific store such as electronics, furniture, or appliance store, or a big box store, a
department store, a rent to own store, etc.)?
3. Did the product have anti-tipping or stability feature, was it installed, by whom (consumer or
professional) and date of purchase. What type of anti-tipping feature did the consumer use and
describe how it was installed. If obtained second hand, determine if warnings or use instructions
accompanied the product(s). Was the product modified by the consumer? If the anti-tipping or
stability feature is available, please photograph the component as it was used during the incident,
and please collect it as a sample.
4. Was the incident witnessed? Describe the victim’s activity that brought about the incident, was
victim trying to retrieve an object from inside or on top of the product? Were there any objects in
the area that may have motivated the victim to interact with the product?

CPSC FORM 324A

5. Describe in detail the event that resulted in tip-over or collapse. In your opinion, was there over
loading of objects that may have caused instability or shift in center of gravity. Were there
previous complaints with the product(s) particularly related to tip-over or stability?
6. Describe the type of surface (hard floor carpet etc.) that the product(s) on? Was it a leveled
surface? At the time of the incident was the product placed on or have rollers? Measure the
distance from the front of the furniture to where the rollers pivot about the vertical axis. Measure
the diameter of the rollers. Was the surface wet or have other factors that may have contributed
to the incident.
7. If the furniture has rollers, turn the rollers so that they are pointing inside (away from the tip
direction). A.) Measure the diameter of the rollers. B.) Measure the horizontal distance from
center of the roller to the front of the furniture.

Figure 1 - Rollers pointed outward

Figure 2 - Rollers pointed inward

Front of the
furniture

Center of
the Roller

Center of the
Roller

Diameter

Figure 3 – Locations on the roller

Figure 4 – Furniture Tip Distance

8. If the furniture has feet (not rollers), measure the shortest distance from the front of the foot to the
front of the furniture.

CPSC FORM 324A

9. If an appliance was involved, determine where the appliance was located prior to the incident.
Please approximate the distance between the front of the appliance and the front of the furniture.
10. Document any object placed in or on product(s), the object’s location (i.e. on top, inside, etc), and
the object’s approximate weight. Identify any limitations as to size or weight of objects that
could be placed in or on product. Document the product being place in or on any other object
such as tables, dressers, stands, carts, etc.
11. Be mindful of the product and ask as many product specific questions as possible. Please feel free
to add questions that you feel are appropriate to ask even if they are not listed here.
12. What was the extent of injuries from the incident? How did the product trap the victim i.e. what
part of the body became entrapped? Describe in detail the position of the body with relation to
the object, use illustration when possible.
13. Identify and photograph all labels regarding certification, testing or conformance with mandatory
or voluntary standards related to tip-over, collapse or entrapment. The text of any warning or age
labeling on or accompanying the product particularly
14. Collect as much information as possible about the product or products involved, incl. weight,
height, width, depth, number of drawers, number of shelves and doors, type of feet, type of
material, type of contents (clothes, books, etc.), information that would help in the analysis as to
cause/reason for tip over and seriousness of injury.
15. Include the victim’s age, sex, height, and weight.
16. Specify the location (e.g., home, daycare, etc.) where the incident occurred and the room where
the incident occurred (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc.).
17. Felt anti-scruff pads and metal foot tacks can change how furniture tips. Please photograph the
bottom of the furniture, including an overall photo with a close-up of the feet or casters nearest
where the furniture tipped.

Include Gina Collins in the distribution of the completed IDI.
Please include all primary and all backup contacts in the distribution of the completed IDI.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Area below will be completed in Data Systems _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Person(s) to Contact:
Guidelines:
Task Number:
Assigned to:

CPSC FORM 324A

Date:
Processed by: lew