shelves and TV cabinet - HELP please

[Sparkles]

Hi everyone,

So I'm currently scrutinising the house for safety.

Can you please tell me if there is a guideline for how high shelves need to be if they are under a wall mounted TV? I am putting a tv on the wall in the under construction play room, which was previously our dining room. We need to put shelves under it for the sky box, wii and the play station as this is really the only solution for us. I am just concerned that Ofsted may say this is not allowed. I am stuck!

I also have a open tv cabinet in my front room that houses the sky box and the dvd player. The cabinet has rounded egdes, so safe from that point of view, but will I get marked down on this as the children could touch them if they wanted to? Or will I just have to include it in my risk assessment of the living room? I wil obviously be enforcing my house rules about not touching them.

[Sparkles]

hello, bumping this to the today's posts to see if anyone can help please.

Thanks in advance.

[singingcactus]

My sky box, bluray player, stereo, and previously video player, dvd player have always been on shelves or open buffets - never had them enclosed. This is not a problem.

I've never heard of height restrictions on shelves in homes before, all my shelves are all over - some high, some low, some mid range. Not sure what difference it makes if you tv is wall mounted, on a buffet, or in a unit.

I don't allow climbing on shelves or units or any furniture here so can't see high or low shelves being an issue with ofsted.

[Sparkles]

thank you for taking the time to reply.

If that's the case, I will carry on.

I make sure that everything is done with safety in mind. My own children ensure I do this, but I was unsure as to the guidelines of CM.

Thanks :)

[AliceK]

Same here. My sky box and DVD player are on open shelves which are part of my TV cabinet. I can't see why Ofsted would frown upon this. The children here all know they are not allowed to touch the equipment and it's not really a safety issue. By all means RA it but I can't see what you have described being a problem. I don't believe in hiding everything away from little fingers, I RA each child constantly anyway and teach them as we go along. They can't learn if everything is locked away and they never get taught.

xxxx

[rickysmiths]

I have all our bits on a glass shelf under the TV in the living room. I just risk assessed to say they would not be left unattended in the room and they have to learn not to touch some things don't they.

I only have a small TV in my playroom and I can't remember when it was last on for the mindees! My son uses it at the weekends when we banish him from the sitting room with his X-Box :laughing: That TV sits on top of one of the low Trofast Units and I have never had a problem and Ofsted were happen when I was inspected in Sept.

[Sparkles]

my thoughts exactly. You can't wrap them up in cotton wool and need to teach them. My 19 month old knows the Sky box and DVD player are off limits to touching and she leaves them alone.

I am currently trying to get some trofast units from ebay, but keep getting outbid :(

I need to make this room multi purpose as the tv is really more for my own kids who will be using the room at the weekends.

thanks for all of your feedback, it's been most helpful. :)