Finding into death of LG

Contributing factors

• Chest of drawers lacking stability features
• Child climbing on unstable furniture
• Absence of wall anchoring devices
• Lack of mandatory safety standards for domestic furniture
• Inadequate consumer awareness of furniture tip-over risks
• Limited point-of-sale safety information for purchasers

Coroner's recommendations

1. That the ACCC give due consideration to the voluntary Australian Standard Domestic furniture — freestanding chests of drawers, wardrobes and bookshelves/bookcases (AS/NZS 4935:2009) for the introduction of a mandatory standard under the Australian Consumer Law.
2. In the event that the ACCC determines that AS/NZS 4935:2009 is not appropriate to be applied as a mandatory standard, the ACCC should consider alternative product safety measures to reduce the risk of furniture/appliance tip-over.
3. The ACCC should consider the mandatory labelling of safety information for furniture and appliances that pose a tip-over risk to children, and/or mandatory provision of safety information by retailers regarding tip-over risks at the point of sale.
4. The ACCC should develop a public awareness campaign aimed at parents and carers of young children to raise awareness of the risks of furniture tip-overs and practical measures to reduce those risks. Such collaboration should involve State government and child-safety groups, consistent with the Western Australian model.