Bunk Beds Safety
Bunk beds, although convenient, have to be used with caution as the upper bed is on a raised level. The access to the top bed is through a ladder or steps. Most injuries occur when children fall from the top beds. Other dangers associated with bunk beds happen when small kids get trapped in the spaces between the bed frame or guard rail and the mattress or between the wall and the mattress.
Safety features
The following are some of the essential safety features that you must consider while buying bunk beds for children.
Bunk bed ladders: A moveable ladder poses more danger than a fixed one. A proper bunk bed ladder should be a fixed one, securely attached to the top bed. If it is firmly attached to the bed frame, it will not slip when the kid uses it.
The ladder should be placed at an angle rather than entirely erect. It is easier to climb up and down a slanting ladder. For smaller kids, steps will be a safer and more convenient option than ladders.
You can also make the ladder safer by fixing handles or railings on the sides. Attaching sticky rubber to the ladder will increase the grip and prevent slipping while climbing up and down.
A nightlight near the ladder will increase visibility during the night. This will help your kid to see the way clearly if he/she needs to get in and out of the bed in the night.
Guardrails: Rolling off the bed by mistake is a common cause of injury when using bunk beds. This can occur even on the bottom beds. Ideally, guardrails for top beds should be at least 5 inches above the surface of mattress. This will prevent the kid from rolling off the bed in sleep.
Fixing the guardrails securely is also important to avoid accidents. Guardrails attached to the bed by hooks or similar means can get dislodged easily. There are chances that a child may get entrapped under a dislodged rail or fall down with the rail.
In some bunk beds, there will be large gaps between the guardrail and the mattress or bed frame. If these gaps are large enough for the child to slip through, attach additional boards and close the gaps.
Reportedly, children have got suspended by the head in these openings and strangled. Therefore, it is advisable to close any gap larger than 3.5 inches between the guardrails and the mattress or the frame of the bed to avoid accidental entrapment.
As per the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards, gaps on the upper bunk, such as those between the guardrails and the mattress or bed frame and the mattress, must be less than 3.5 inches to restrict passage of a child’s upper body.
Bunk beds are often placed against a wall and guardrails are provided only on the open side of the bed. However, incidents where small children got entrapped between the wall and the bed have been reported. This probable hazard is not limited to upper beds, but possible with regular beds on lower levels as well. Bunk beds for children should be secured on both sides by guardrails.
The CPSC safety norms states that if the lower side of the bunk bed’s foundation is more than 30 inches from the floor, there must be guardrails on both sides of the bed. The rails on the wall side must be continuous.
Mattress:Another safety hazard related to bunk beds happens when the mattress is not of the right size. In general, bunk bed frames and mattresses are available in regular and extra long sizes. There is a difference of 5 inches between the two sizes. If a regular mattress is used on an extra long bed, there will be a 5-inch gap between the mattress and either the headboard or the footboard. Children may fall through these gaps. These gaps have to be closed using extra boards. However, it is always better to buy a mattress that correctly fits the bed.
A dislodged mattress foundation is another safety risk associated with bunk beds. In some bunk beds, the mattress foundation is placed on small ridges on the frame of the bed. This can get dislodged, if the child on the lower bed kicks or hits the mattress from below. The dislodged foundations can fall on children on the lower bed or on the floor. Dislodging of mattress foundation can be prevented by fastening additional crossties under it.
Ensuring Safety During Usage
Even with these inbuilt safety features, accidents can happen if bunk beds are not used appropriately. Therefore, it is prudent to sensitize kids about hazards associated with bunk beds and the importance of safety.
- Never allow children less than 6 years of age to sleep on the upper bunk.
- Children should use the ladder alone to climb in and out of the top bunk. They should be discouraged from using chairs or any other furniture for the purpose.
- Children, and even adults, move about during sleep. So keep the guardrails properly fastened always, irrespective of the age of your child, to prevent them from rolling off the bed. Ensure the use of guardrails on both sides.
- Do not allow more than one child on the upper bunk.
- It is unsafe for children to play on the top bed and do not allow them to use it as a play area.
- Install a nightlight on the bed so that there is visibility, if the children want to get up during the night.
- Make sure to fasten crossties under the mattress foundation.
- Any decorations or juts that might catch clothing should be avoided on bunk beds.
Erecting and Maintaining Bunk Beds
Safety is not always ensured by buying a good quality bunk bed with all the necessary safety features. The quality of assembly and maintenance also decides bunk beds safety.
- When assembling a new bunk bed, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. If you are getting it erected by someone else, double check all the fastenings.
- Leave a minimum space of 2 feet between the ceiling and the top bunk mattress.
- The fastenings such as nuts and bolts may become loose over time. Therefore, check the bed and ladder for their strength and tighten the fastenings regularly.
- Replace broken ladder rungs, if any.
- Repair or replace any missing or loose hardware as soon as it happens.
Safety Standards for Bunk Beds by CPSC
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued Federal Safety Standards for bunk beds, after receiving reports on injury and death of children due to accidents related to bunk beds. According to the CPSC standards for bunk beds safety, from July 2000, all bunk beds manufactured or imported for sale in the United States will have to conform to the following specifications:
- If the lower side of the bunk bed’s foundation is more than 30 inches from the floor, there must be guardrails on both sides of the bed. The rails on the wall side must be continuous.
- Gaps on the upper bunk, such as those between the guardrails and the mattress or bed frame and the mattress, must be less than 3.5 inches to restrict passage of a child’s upper body.
- In the lower bunk, openings must be small enough to restrict entry of a child’s head or torso, or large enough to allow free passage of both the body parts.
- All bunk beds must have a label that specifies the manufacturer, distributor/seller, model number, and date of manufacturer of the bed.
- A label that warns against allowing children less than 6 years of age on the upper bunk and specifies mattress size must be affixed to the bed. The warning should be mentioned in the instructions that must be given along with the bed.
Now that you know about different types of bunk beds and their safety features, it’s time to begin shopping for the right bunk bed for your family.
Links to other bunk bed articles.
http://www.nineclouds.ca/blog/choosing-the-right-mattress-for-your-new-bunkbed/
http://www.nineclouds.ca/blog/bunk-beds-every-kids-favourite-bed/
http://www.nineclouds.ca/blog/double-over-double-bunk-beds-at-nine-clouds-beds-in-mississauga/
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Bunk beds for children should be secured on both sides by guardrails,A proper bunk bed ladder should be a fixed one, securely attached to the top bed. If it is firmly attached to the bed frame, it will not slip when the kid uses it.
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