Prevent Kitchen Range Tip Over
Post date: Mar 7, 2013 12:30:51 PM
Anti-Tip
THE CAUSE
Free-standing kitchen ranges and even built-in ranges can tilt forward when too much weight is placed on an open oven door. This can result in death or serious injuries from being trapped under the range, not to mention scalds and burns caused by hot food and liquids falling from the cook top.
This type of accident could happen to anyone, small children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to accidental kitchen range tipping. Parents should supervise children when they are in the kitchen and educate them about the safe use of the range. A small child may stand on an open oven door in order to see what is cooking on the stove top and accidentally cause the entire unit to fall on top of them. Never use the oven door for support or as a step.
THE IMPACT
Based on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports, there were 143 incidents between 1980 and 2006 that involved kitchen range tip over as a result of not having an anti tip bracket. Thirty three deaths occurred, 19 children, and all 33 deaths were caused by the victim being trapped under the range that fell on them. Anti-tip devices became a UL requirement June 3, 1991.
THE SOLUTION
For protection against kitchen range tip-over, ensure the anti-tip device (should be included with the range when you buy it) is installed. The kitchen range anti-tip bracket is a single or two piece metal bracket that secures the range to the floor, wall or cabinet and helps prevent it from tipping. Remember to re-engage the anti-tip device if the range is moved for cleaning or repair.
Contact your kitchen range manufacturer, your appliance dealer or an authorized service agent for information and assistance to obtain a replacement anti-tip device.
Read your manual that is supplied with the kitchen range before using it range to make yourself aware of safety guidelines. Read the instructions on how to check your range for the proper installation of the anti-tip bracket/device. Some important safety tips:
Educate children on the proper and safe use of the range
Never use the door as a step stool, seat or as a support for body weight or other objects.
Keep the range door closed when not in use
Make sure the proper anti-tip device is correctly installed.
Check whether an anti-tip device has been installed. There are a couple, of ways this can be done on a range that is turned off and not hot:
o Take a look under the range to see if an anti-tip bracket is installed on the floor (it may be attached to the rear leg of the range),
o Carefully pull the back of the range to see if it pulls off the floor,
(Safety Note: do not tilt the range more than several inches off the floor!)
o It may also be possible to see a wall-mounted bracket by looking over the rear of the range;
o some models with removable drawers can be removed and a flashlight can be used to search for the bracket.
In response to this danger, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) created standards in 1991 that require all ranges manufactured after that year to be capable of remaining stable while supporting 250 pounds of weight on their open doors. Manufacturers' instructions, too, require that anti-tip brackets provided be installed. Ranges are susceptible to tipping if they are not equipped with anti-tip brackets.
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