It contains a review of recent Australian and international literature on nursery furniture and bunk bed safety providing an overview of the injury issues involved and a review of the relevant standards. Major sources of Australian and international data relevant to this area were identified and the available data summarised. An in-depth analysis of Victorian data was undertaken to identify the relevant nursery furniture products, the nature and severity of injuries sustained and any patterns or trends including age profiles. Injury associated with nursery furniture is most likely to occur in the first year of life.
Cots have the highest mortality with all identified deaths occurring as the result of asphyxia.
In terms of non-fatal injury the picture is less clear with the incidence of injuries associated with different products varying between States. Falls were the most common cause of non-fatal injury in every product category with injuries to the face and head being the most prevalent. Victorian injury surveillance data shows that 86 percent of bunk bed related injuries in the under fifteen age group occur in children under the age of ten. On the basis of this research a number of recommendations have been made regarding product standards, injury data collection, research and evaluation and the dissemination of information. In particular, it is recommended that standards be developed for baby walkers, high chairs and change tables, that mandation of standards in Australia should occur when voluntary standards and the market place are ineffective in achieving compliance and evidence warrants it and that there is sufficient evidence and lack of compliance to mandate standards for household and portable cots.