Televisions are getting ever larger, sometimes even outgrowing the TV stands, dressers or tables they sit on in people's homes.

But these top-heavy, unstable home furnishings can pose a serious risk to children, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The agency is urging home owners to anchor and stabilize televisions, furniture and other appliances to prevent the products from tipping over and injuring or killing children.

In 2011, 41 people died when televisions or furniture toppled onto them, a record high number, according to a CPSC report released Dec. 13. Since 2000, 349 people have been killed from tip-over accidents, and 84 percent of them were children between ages 1 month and 8 years. From 2009 to 2011, more than 43,000 people were injured, 59 percent of whom were children.

The majority of injuries and fatalities happened in homes. The agency said when children try to reach objects such as remotes, toys or game devices, they may climb onto dressers, book cases or tables to get them. When this heavy furniture topples, the consequences can be grave.

"Kids are curious, and they're going to be climbing on things," said Kristen Sanderson, program coordinator for SafeKids Georgia, part of a national network of organizations working to prevent unintentional childhood injuries. "It's important to make sure these items are secured so children are safe."

According to SafeKids USA, a child visits a U.S. emergency department every 45 minutes because of a TV tipping over, but only one-quarter of adults take action to secure their TV to the wall.

One factor in that equation may be cost. Wall-mounting equipment for flat-screen TVs can cost between $100 and $200. People buying televisions should make sure to factor the cost of proper wall-mounting equipment into their budgets for these purchases.

Lisa Dawson, director of the Georgia Department of Public Health's Office of Injury Prevention, said parents should try to consider their home environments from the perspective of their child, especially as young children gain the ability to move, reach, grab and climb.

"Getting on your hands and knees and taking a critical look around the room at the shiny interesting things on their level is key to keeping them safe," she said.

SafeKids USA offers these tips for preventing furniture and televisions from toppling:

• Check the stability of all the TVs in your home, both flat-screen and old-style cathode ray tube (CRT) sets.
• Mount flat-screen TVs to the wall to reduce the risk of TVs toppling off stands. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure you protect your wall and have a secure fit.
• If you have large, heavy, old-style CRT set, place it on a low, stable piece of furniture.
• Use brackets, braces or wall straps to secure unstable or top-heavy furniture to the wall. This equipment is inexpensive and can be found at most hardware stores.
• Install stops on dresser drawers to prevent them from being pulled all the way out; multiple open drawers can cause the weight to shift, making it easier for a dresser to fall.
• Keep heavier items on lower shelves or in lower drawers.
• Avoid placing remote controls, food, toys or other items where kids might be tempted to climb up and reach for them.

-Story by Carrie Gann, DPH Communications