Prevent furniture tipovers in your home

(WPRI) -- Furniture around your house may seem immobile and safe, though not taking the proper safety precautions can pose a serious threat to young children.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were at least 245 children killed by falling furniture between 2000 and 2010, 90 percent of which involved children 5 and under.

On Monday, a bookshelf tipped over in a Woonsocket home, killing an 18-month-old boy.

• Related: Falling Furniture Poses Danger to Kids

According to SafeKids.org , any household, especially those with young children, should:

• Secure unstable and top-heavy furniture to studs in the wall using brackets, anchors, or wall straps.
• If you have a flat-screen television, be sure it's properly anchored to the wall.
• Keep heavier items on lower shelves or in lower drawers if possible.
• Don't keep snacks, toys, or other items your child might attempt to reach on top of furniture.
• Supervise your children at all times.

Kimberly Packard, whose 3-year-old daughter Meghan Agnes Beck died after a dresser toppled onto her, has started a non-profit to raise awareness of the dangers of unstable furniture.

For more information or to donate to Meghan's Hope, visit their website.