Ikea issues a safety warning for Malm chests after two child deaths

Ikea has issued a safety warning for nearly 27 million chests and dressers because they can fall and fatally injure children if they are not properly secured to walls. The warning was announced Wednesday by both Ikea and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Please see Ikea’s notice to Canadian consumers: “Ikea Canada urges customers to inspect chests of drawers to ensure that they are securely anchored to the wall.”

Tragically, two children around two years old have died after Ikea’s Malm chests, which were not anchored to the wall, fell on top of them.

Ikea has since launched a repair program that features a free anchoring kit for the Malm chests, as well as other dressers and chests. The Ikea Canada website indicates that their products contain this repair kit. “All Ikea chests of drawers contain tip-over restraints with assembly instructions in the flat package upon purchase,” their safety notice states. “Ikea advises customers who have purchased a dresser from Ikea to install the anti-tip devices included in the packaging of the dresser.”

In the meantime, CPSC says to immediately remove all unanchored Ikea children’s chests and dressers that are 23.5 inches and over, and adult chests and drawers 29.5 inches and over, and to obtain the Ikea wall anchoring kit to secure them to the wall. The CPSC and Ikea suggest consumers place any unanchored furniture in storage or in a child-free zone of your home.

The Ikea anchoring kit contains the necessary hardware to properly anchor chests and drawers (over 23.5 and 29.5 inches, as indicated above), as well as instructions and warning stickers.

These Malm chests have been sold since 2002. Other chests, drawers and TV stands are, of course, also a danger if not properly anchored to the wall. Please check your furniture, and ensure it is safely secured.

This article was originally published on Today's Parent.