Three-year-old Blake Shaw, who died in 2016 after a freestanding bookcase fell on him, is now the young face of a national awareness campaign.

Toddler Blake, who left behind a devastated family that includes two older brothers, is one of at least 22 Australian children under the age of nine to have been killed by unstable furniture since 2001.

Blake and his parents feature in a national Australian Competition and Consumer Commission campaign to raise awareness of the dangers to children of unsecured furniture and TVs. Launched on Monday, the campaign, in conjunction with Kidsafe, urges parents to check their homes.

“You don’t think about it until you see it happen, or you hear about it,” Blake’s mother, Kirstie, said in the accompanying video.

“He was just perfect.”

About 50 Australians are injured every week by toppling furniture and TVs – most of them children under four, according to the ACCC. A third of those need medical attention, and some are even killed.

Blake’s parents share their tragic story

It is estimated that 2600 Australians required hospital treatment for injuries caused by toppling furniture and televisions each year.

Children under three are at greatest risk, and 82 per cent of injuries occur in the home, the ACCC said.

Royal Children’s Hospital’s trauma service director Warwick Teague said falling furniture could not only strike a child, but it could also trap and crush them, causing life-threatening injuries or death.

“Common injuries from TV and furniture tip-over incidents result from significant blunt force trauma and include broken bones, brain injuries, crushed chest cavities and even death by asphyxiation,” he said.

On the campaign video, he advises parents that no wall or piece of furniture is more important than their child.

“There’s no agreement that we have that is more important or more valid than the commitment we make to our children to protect them,” he said.

Acting ACCC chair Delia Rickard said tip-over accidents happened quickly. Securing furniture was important for a child-safe environment.

“We strongly encourage parents and carers to check every room in their home for toppling hazards and anchor any tall or unstable furniture or large TVs,” Ms Rickard said.

“If you don’t have anchor kits, you can buy them cheaply at hardware stores or furniture retail outlets.”

Furniture safety tips

Kidsafe Victora chief Melanie Courtney said children’s curiosity – and their lack of spatial awareness and of potential danger – meant they were at increased risk of such injuries.

Among the ACCC’s tips for parents are:

• Buy low-set furniture or furniture with sturdy and broad bases;
• Look for furniture that comes with safety information or equipment, and secure furniture to walls and floors;
• Test the furniture in the shop – make sure it is stable. For example, do the drawers fall out easily?
• Do not put heavy items, or tempting items such as favourite toys, on top shelves of bookcases;
• Discourage small children from climbing on furniture;
• Put locking devices on drawers to prevent children opening them and using them as steps.