Bunk beds have been around for quite some time and they’re one of the most cost-effective and space-efficient sleep furniture solutions for everything from hostels to fire departments to children’s bedrooms. And while bunk beds are usually easy to install, purchasers still have to do due diligence as there’s another factor that must be considered whenever they are used. With the raised nature of the top bunk, and necessity of guardrails, it’s important to pay attention to bunk bed safety. As long as you take care to follow this set of bunk bed safety tips, your experience with this convenient bed setup should be problem-free and everyone should be sleeping tight.
Make Sure the Bed Is Well-Constructed and Secure
You’ll want to be sure that any bunk bed you purchase, to allow for proper bunk bed safety, has been tested and judged compliant with safety standards for this particular type of furniture. In the United States, the Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes a list of regulations that furniture manufacturers must adhere to when making bunk beds in order to be judged “safe.” If you can’t verify that the bed is in compliance with the safety standards for your country, don’t purchase it. You’ll also want to take a good look at the weight allowance posted for the bunk bed and make sure it’s well over the load you’re expecting it to bear.
Make Sure the Bed Has Proper Guardrails
For the bottom bunk this is not as much a concern, but you’ll want to make sure that the top bunk has appropriate guardrails and that they’re sufficiently high. It is recommended that the top bunk have rails on all four sides. One other guardrail regulation you may not be aware of is that for children it is highly recommended that the rails be 3.5″ apart or less, to prevent strangulation from a child’s head getting stuck. Also, be sure that the rails are not placed so high that when someone is on the mattress, he or she is able to slide under the bottom rail.
Adhere to Age Requirements for Proper Bunk Bed Safety
In the U.S., The Nationwide Children’s Center for Injury and Policy has reported that any child under six is too young to be sleeping on a top bunk. Unsurprisingly, falls are the number one cause of bunk bed-related injury, and over half of these falls are by children under the age of five. Also, be sure that when you set up a bunk bed for your kids, you give them a lesson on how to use the ladder properly and how to safely get in and out of bed, in order to reduce the risk of injury.
Follow the Assembly Instructions Carefully
Commercial bunk beds especially are designed to be put together with ease, but no matter how simple the assembly seems, it’s critical that you follow all printed instructions carefully. This is partially because you want to be sure that the ladder is properly secured to the bed, and that all parts are fully connected and locked into place. If you’re unsure about something or find you’re missing a part, call the manufacturing company and never try to “wing it.”
Make Sure Your Mattress is the Correct Size
When purchasing a bunk bed, you’ll want to make sure that the mattresses you’ve ordered for use with it are in line with the dimensions, and don’t sit too high next to the guardrails — the rails can’t protect if the mattress raises the sleeper too high. You also want to make sure that the mattress isn’t too short or too narrow, as extra space can trap sleepers who roll over.
Paying attention to these bunk bed safety tips should ensure that everyone using your new beds will be well-protected from injuries or accidents and can enjoy a peaceful sleep. If you’re looking for industrial-grade bunk beds that follow stringent safety standards and are highly resistant to bed bugs, check out the ESS Universal’s commercial bunk beds – available in many configurations and colors and come with a three-year structural warranty.
ESS Universal manufactures and supplies high-quality, cost-effective commercial grade furniture products. View our entire line of commercial furniture products including our popular waterproof foam mattress for institutional use, single metal bed frames, single over single bunk beds, single over double bunk beds, and triple bunk beds.
