Bed, wardrobe, shelf… when our furniture becomes death traps: how can we protect ourselves?

in collaboration with

Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)

Does your bed, wardrobe or shelves give your home a cozy atmosphere? But did you know that behind its stable appearance, furniture is a common reason for serious domestic accidents? A tragic case spotted in England today revives the subject.

Stuck under her bed until she suffocates

On June 7, Helen Davey, a 39-year-old mother, died suddenly, trapped in the trunk of her Ottoman bed. According to the investigation, while she was leaning over the trunk, a defective gas piston caused the mattress to unexpectedly descend onto the woman’s body. She then found herself with her neck stuck between the mattress and the box spring until she suffocated.

Her daughter, who discovered her mother’s body, also had great difficulty lifting the mattress. Despite an attempt at resuscitation and the arrival of emergency services, the mother did not survive.

Furniture that wants us harm?

The incident, which occurred in June, is not an isolated case and dozens of similar deaths caused by seemingly harmless household objects have been recorded in the past. While most tragically affect children because of their small size, adults, like this English woman, are not spared from domestic risks, falling objects or being fatally trapped by an element. THE Daily Maila British daily, thus notes several cases which have already shocked the web.

Like that of a 3-year-old child in Australia in 2016, killed by a falling shelf. Or that of a 24-year-old young man in Birmingham in 2018, crushed by his motorized cinema seat, when he had stuck his head under hoping to recover his keys.

The article also reports several cases of children asphyxiated, having locked themselves in a refrigerator without being able to reopen the door, or the case of a tumble dryer catching fire, leading to the death of residents by asphyxiation.

The most surprising case being a poorly adjusted sports treadmill that propelled its 22-year-old user out of a third floor window in Indonesia this year.

Deaths are rare, but accidents common

Fortunately, these fatal events remain rare. Only 10 cases of children dying from “falling objects” were noted in England between 2019 and 2022 according to the National Child Mortality Database research project. On the other hand, some 1,500 emergency admissions for people “stuck, crushed, or pinched in or between objects” at home were recorded last year.

“It’s a great emergency classic” confirms Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo. Among the cases of domestic accidents most seen in consultation, our expert notes four recurring dangers of which we must be aware.

• Unstable or poorly secured furniture falling on the child who tries to climb on it;
• Entrapment or crushing under a piece of furniture that tips over;
• Injuries from sharp corners of furniture;
• The fall of heavy objects placed high on furniture.

Some tips to avoid being stupidly injured by furniture

Even though accidents are often stupid, those caused by furniture are particularly so. For our emergency doctor, a few rules apply:

• Fix the furniture securely to the wall, even if no fixing kit is provided and check regularly if it holds;
• Place the heaviest loads at the bottom of the furniture to stabilize them;
• Favor rounded corners or install protection on sharp corners;
• Respect the maximum weight indicated by the manufacturer;
• No televisions or heavy objects on unsuitable furniture;
• For children, do not put attractive objects on high furniture; do not leave children unsupervised near furniture; teach them not to climb on them… and install safety systems on drawers and doors to prevent them from being used as steps.

This won’t prevent a storage bed from giving way or a treadmill from spinning out of control, but it can prevent serious falls and injuries.

Slide: Children: domestic accidents, 10 actions that save