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Bunk bed project - Safety guidelines
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A few bunk bed safety guidelines
There are a lot of safety concerns when it comes to bunk beds, brought about by the number of accidents that do happen with them.
Bunk beds are a very good space-saving option and although they can be safe, a few safety guidelines need to be adhered to. Remember, it is the high number of bunk bed accidents that makes reading and understanding these guidelines so important.
Below are some basic guidelines.
Note: These are just a few of the recommended guidelines for bunk beds.
Below are excerpts and some of the main points taken from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
( www.cpsc.gov/businfo/regsumbunkbed.pdf ) and
Consumer Affairs Victoria Aust. (www.consumer.vic.gov.au).
Check to see if your country has recommended
specifications other than those mentioned below.
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Bunk beds need to be built to a certain criteria. More below.
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Kids under the age of six should not use the top bunk.
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Strict rules should be dished out by the parents or guardians,
i.e. kids should be made aware that bunk beds are not for playing on and that the ladder is the only way up and down. Kids can tend to use bunks as a play area and too often climb up side rails
and anything but the ladder. Ensure that the person who is using the top bunk can easily and comfortably climb up and down the ladder.
Teach children the
correct way to get in and out
of bunk beds.
Bunk beds are not intended
for play. Establish rules and
ensure they are obeyed.
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Keep the floor area near the
bunk beds clear of any toys
and sharp objects which may
cause serious injury if a child
falls on them. There should be no obstacles with any sharp edges, including furniture and toys nearby in case of accidental falls.
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Have a soft area around the bunks, i.e. carpet, mats etc.
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Ensure that the mattress fits snugly into the mattress area.
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If you have any concerns whatsoever, consider two individual beds instead. This bunk bed set can easily be converted to twin beds.
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Bunk beds need to be built to a certain criteria.
1) Woods and hardware should be of a high quality.
2) Guardrails should be on both sides of the top bunk.
There should be no gaps wider
than 3 1/2" (90mm) or narrower than
9" (225mm) in any part of the bed
including guardrails.
3) The top rail should be at least 5 inches (125mm) above the mattress top to prevent your child from rolling over the rails. (Consumer Affairs Vic. Aust. state that the minimum height above the mattress
should be 6 1/4" or 160mm.)
4) The guardrail on the side of the bed next to a wall
or on the side opposite to a ladder, must run
continuously from one end of the bed to the other.
5) A guardrail on the side of the bed away from the
wall does not have to run continuously from end to
end of the bed, BUT the distance between either
end of the guardrail and the end of the bed nearest
to it cannot be greater than 15" (375mm).
6) Edges and points, including
corners accessible under
normal use, should be
suitably rounded.
7)
All fastenings such as screws,
nails, dowels, nuts and bolts
should be flush and smooth,
with no protrusions of more
than 5/16" (8mm), anywhere on the
bed.
8) Make sure bunk beds and ladders are sturdy and secure.
9) Use night lights to help children find ladders in the dark.
10) No bunk bed may be painted with
lead-containing paint.
Above are excerpts and some of the main points taken from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
( www.cpsc.gov/businfo/regsumbunkbed.pdf ) and
Consumer Affairs Victoria Aust. (www.consumer.vic.gov.au).
Some more stuff...
USA Safety Standard
A new mandatory standard for bunk beds is expected to improve safety for the hundreds of thousands of children who use them. Since mid-2000, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission requires all bunk beds sold in U.S. to comply with the standards:
- Every bunk bed must have an affixed label that states the bed's manufacturer, model, and mattress size information.
- Every bunk bed must have a warning label that advises against placing children under six years of age in the upper bunk.
- If the bunk bed is taller than 30 inches, it must have a continuous guardrail on the wall side of bed.
- Openings on the upper and the lower bunks must be small enough that a child's head, torso or limb cannot pass through them.
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Safety Guidelines