bunk beds Safety issues

It’s 3 a.m. Do you know whether your child is safe on his bunk bed? The American Home Furnishings Alliance offers this safety checklist:

Children younger than 6 shouldn’t sleep on a bunk bed or play unattended in a room with one.

The top bunk should have guardrails, with no more than 15 inches open at one end for entering and exiting.

Rails should be secure and sturdy and should extend at least 5 inches above the top surface of the mattress.

The mattress should be the proper size for the platform, as stated by the manufacturer.

Use a sturdy ladder to enter and exit the top bunk. Only one person should be on the top bunk at a time, and never position a bunk bed under or near a ceiling fan or ceiling light fixture.

Bunk beds manufactured after March should not have any type of “finial” or corner post on the headboard or footboard. This helps prevent accidental strangulation caused by something the child is wearing or carrying catching on the bed as the child exits the upper bunk.