Bunk bed can cause injuries to kids if special care is not taken. There are times when the injuries can even bring fatal results. How can a piece of furniture be a source of injuries? It is entirely dependent on how you use it. Most of the injuries usually happen because of unsafe behavior of children around bunk beds or due to faulty construction. In order to remain safe, you must check whether your bunk beds meet the industry construction standards.
Best practices for using bunk beds
To ensure proper safety of your kids, make sure the following rules are enforced in your home:
• Kids who are under the age of six should never be left unattended in a room with bunk beds and must not be allowed to use them. The most common injuries that occur from bunk beds are from falls and happen with kids under the age of five.
• Make sure that only one person goes on top of the bunk bed at a time. Horseplay under or on the bed must never be allowed.
• Never let your children hang various items like jump ropes, belts, hooks etc. to any part of the bed as it can pose a hazard.
• You must ensure that all the safety rules are strictly reinforced regularly. You can go over the rules whenever your child has a fiend sleep over. There is no need to assume that the kids are familiar with the rules. You also need to give them a firm reminder from time to time.
Determining the quality of the bunk bed construction
Though safety rules help a lot, you also need to check whether your bunk beds meet construction safety rules as well. This becomes quite imperative if you are purchasing used beds or even new kids beds in Canada online. There is a chance that old models do not compliment the new safety standards so you need to be really vigilant in this case. Make sure you check the following:
• Always purchase those bunk beds that have guardrails on the top bunk. Furthermore, there should be single opening for exit and entry and the opening space should not exceed fifteen inches.
• The rails on the top bunk bed should be sturdy and must extent at least five inches above the top surface of the mattress.
• You must pay attention to the size of mattress as well for which you can check the manufacturer’s instructions. There is no need to opt for a smaller or a larger size as it can easily hurt your child any time.
• Always have a sturdy ladder for your child to enter and leave the top bunk. Make sure there are no clothes, toys or any other clutter on the ladder.
Ensuring safe placement of the bunk bed
Furniture placement is also very important because it plays a pivotal role in how it would be used. When you get bunk bed in your home, make sure it is placed in a proper manner. They should be easy for the child to get in and get out of the beds. Some more safety placement rules are as follows:
• You must never place your bunk bed close or against a window.
• Always remember not to position your bunk bed near or under a ceiling light fixture or a ceiling fan.
• Always ensure that there is sufficient space in your room for the child to sit up without getting his head bumped on the ceiling.
The above mentioned rules are quite simple to follow and hardly involve much effort. Once you put them into consideration, your kids can easily enjoy bunk beds in your home without getting injured.