Clever Living: Bunk Bed Safety

There is no doubt that bunk beds are useful for space constrained parents with more than one child. Kids also love them and they’re good for many a Norman Rockwell picture of siblings talking themselves to sleep.

Like most good things; however, they do come with some potential risks. Every year there are thousands of accidents involving bunk beds and most are attributable to childish horseplay. However, there are a number of serious injuries resulting from faulty or poorly constructed bunk beds.

Happily the Consumer Product Safety Commission has some great information to help you prevent serious mishaps.

Bunk Bed Safety begins with taking care of the the four most common causes of injuries associated with bunk beds:

1. Guardrail spacing. Every year small children slip through the space between the guardrail and the mattress. If there is more than 3.5 inches between mattress and guardrail, add another guardrail board to fill the gap.

2. Not enough guardrails. Even if the bunk bed backs against a wall, make sure there is a rail along the wall to prevent small children from slipping through the space between mattress and wall.

3.Knocking down the top mattress. What’s the fun of sleeping on the bottom if not to kick the mattress of your sleeping sibling? Prevent the fun from causing the top mattress to fall, by adding extra slats supporting the mattress.

4. Buy the right size mattress. Seems like a no brainer, but many fail to buy a mattress that is appropriately sized to prevent gaps which can cause falls.

When selecting a bunk bed, the CSPC suggests:

1. Selection

Choose bunk beds that have:

a. Guardrails on all sides which are screwed, bolted or otherwise firmly attached to the bed structure.

b. Spacing between bed frame and bottom of guard rails that is no greater than 3-1/2 inches (89 mm).

c. Guardrails that extend at least 5 inches (127 mm) above the mattress surface to prevent a child from rolling off.

d. Cross ties under the mattress foundation which can be securely attached.

e. A ladder that is secured to the bed frame and will not slip when a child climbs on it.

f. A feature which permits the beds to be separated to form two single beds if you have children too young to sleep safety on the upper bunk.

And finally, choose a mattress that correctly fits your bed, whether regular or extra long.

2. Use

a. Always use two side guardrails on the upper bunk. Keep guardrails securely in place at all times no matter what the age of the child. Children move about during sleep and may roll out of bed.

b. Do not permit children under 6 years of age to sleep in the upper bunk.

c. Be sure crossties are under the mattress foundation of each bed and that they are secured in place even if bunks are used as twin beds.

d. Emphasize to children to use the ladder and not chairs or other pieces of furniture to climb into orout of the top bunk.

e. Teach children that rough play is unsafe around and on beds and other furniture.

f. Consider using a night light so that children will be able to see the ladder if they get up during the night.

3. Maintenance or Safety Repair

a. If spacing between guard rails and bed frames is more than 3 1/2 inches (89 mm), nail or screw another rail to close the space to prevent head entrapment.

b. Keep guardrails in good repair and securely in place.

c. Replace loose or missing ladder rungs immediately.

d. Repair or replace loose or missing hardware, including cross ties immediately.