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Bunk Bed Safety

Each year the improper use, manufacturing, or set up of bunk beds sends thousands of children to the hospital.

The following checklist list should help you prevent accidents and give you assurance that bunk beds can be a safe solution to your child’s bedding needs.

Reputable Manufacturer
You should choose a manufacturer with a solid reputation and several years experience manufacturing bunk beds. A good company will have no problem offering their customers a lifetime warranty on the products they produce.

ASTM and CPSC Guidelines
There are voluntary safety guidelines for bunk beds which have been issued by both the American Standards of Testing and Materials and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Be sure to ask your salesperson whether the bed you are considering buying meets these standards. A bed that does meet these standards will comply with all reasonable safety expectations.

Strong Frame Construction
Be sure to carefully inspect and test the frame of the bunk bed for durability. The best test is for the parent to climb into the bed and move around, the bed should easily be able to handle your weight and movement. If the frame is sound you should not hear any noise or feel movement during your test.

Rounded Edges
A safe bunk bed will not have any sharp edges or pieces that stick out. Be sure to look over the entire bed from top to bottom to ensure that there are not potentially dangerous parts and that the entire construction is smooth.

Safety Rails
The top bunk of a bunk bed should always have safety rails. To test the safety of the bottom rail, measure the distance between the top of the mattress and the rail. The gap should be no more than 3 ½ inches to prevent a child from slipping under it. The gap between the top rail and the top of the mattress should be at least 5 inches to keep the child from falling over it.

Proper Mattress Fit
A child who falls down between the bed and the mattress while they are sleeping could be strangled. Unfortunately this happens all too often. The gap between the mattress and the bed frame should not exceed three inches at any point around the bed. If there is a gap larger than three inches the mattress does not fit.

Proper Ladder Construction
When looking at the ladder you need to ensure that it is well made and well attached to the frame of the bed. A well made ladder should be able to hold a parents weight without moving around.

Mattress Support
There have been several reported injuries in which the mattress on the top bunk is moved by a child on the lower bunk pushing up on the top mattress supports. The mattress supports for the top bunk should be firmly attached to the bed frame with either screws or bolts. A floating support system could cause injuries as it moves around and should be avoided.

Maintenance and Repair
Periodically inspect your bunk bed for any loose or missing fasteners and replace them immediately. During your inspection be sure to look at both the cross support rails holding the upper mattress and the fasteners holding the bed together.

Safe Use
Bunk beds should be fun, but they are not jungle gyms. Children should be given instructions on bunk bed safety, including not pushing on the upper mattress from the lower bunk. It is also wise to place a night light near the ladder to the top bunk to allow your child to get down safely in the dark.

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