 Almost 400 Victorians have been hurt by falling television sets in five years, most of them are toddlers. Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit figures show 226 children under four were taken to hospital emergency departments for injuries caused by toppling TVs from 2006-2010.
Children aged 5-9 were the next more likely bracket to be harmed.
Despite tots accounting for 58 per cent of the state's total of 289 injuries- from head wounds to fractures- experts warn the actual number could be much higher because others may have been treated by their GPs or not been taken for medical aid at all.
RCH safety centre head Barbara Minuzzo stated that flat screens posed more of a risk than old-fashioned heavier TVs and urged retailers to remind parents to install safety guards when setting up new units.
"With TVs getting bigger and thinner it has become more and more of an issue," Ms Minuzzo said.
"It would be great if, at any point of sale, they (parents) were reminded about ensuring it was secured."
She warned that toddlers playing and climbing on furniture could easily fall victim to poorly balanced screens.
"Placing large televisions on a small stand of an unstable surface is very dangerous- and never put a TV on something like a chest of drawers," she said.
Crest Electronics has begun to make adjustable TV safety straps in response to the large numbers of Australians being injured.
Data shows most injuries are to the head.
February 16, 2012 12:00AM By Nathan Mawby at Herald Sun.
Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2012
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