How to Prevent High Chair Falls: The CPSC's Five Rules
A high chair seems like one of the safer pieces of baby gear: your child sits still, you sit next to them. Yet the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that high chairs send thousands of children to the emergency room every year, and most of those injuries come from falls.
How High Chair Injuries Happen
The CPSC estimates about 18,500 high chair injuries were treated in U.S. emergency rooms over a recent two-year period. When it looked at how they happened, most fell into three groups:
The CPSC's Five Rules for Every Meal
- Buckle the straps snugly, every time. Even for a quick snack.
- Don't count on the tray. The CPSC says the tray isn't meant to hold your child in.
- Stay close. Don't leave the room while your child is in the chair.
- No climbing, no standing. Lift your child in and out yourself, and don't let them stand up in the seat.
- Check the date. The CPSC suggests a chair made on or after June 19, 2019, when the federal standard took effect.
Placement tip: the CPSC links tip-overs to children pushing back or rocking, so set the chair where your child's feet can't reach a table, counter or wall to push off.
What the Federal Standard Tests
High chairs have had a mandatory federal rule, 16 CFR 1231, since 2019. The CPSC defines a high chair as a freestanding chair for a child up to 3 years old, with a seat more than 15 inches off the floor. The rule sets requirements for:
- Restraints, so straps hold a child in place
- Stability, so the chair resists tipping
- Trays, so they stay attached
- Latches and locks, so folding chairs don't collapse
Like other baby gear, every high chair must also carry a permanent label with the maker, a U.S. contact, the model and the date of manufacture, plus a registration card for recall notices.
Secondhand High Chairs
Before you use a hand-me-down chair, find the label and check the date of manufacture against June 19, 2019. Then search the model on CPSC.gov for recalls, and check that the straps buckle firmly, the tray locks and the chair doesn't wobble. Our article on checking baby gear for recalls walks through each step.
Shopping for a new chair? Our high chairs guide compares five chairs on weight limits, harness type, folding and cleanup.
