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16 CFR Part 1213 — Safety Standard for Entrapment Hazards in Bunk Beds

A bunk bed is any bed whose foundation underside sits over 30 inches from the floor, and every such bed must carry at least two upper guardrails, at least one on each side.

The guardrail on the wall side must run continuously from one end of the bed to the other.

The standard’s required warnings include: do not allow children under 6 years of age to use the upper bunk, allow only one person on the upper bunk, and use the ladder for entering or leaving it.

Bunk Beds: Safety Information for Parents

A child younger than 6 does not have the coordination to climb safely or to keep from falling out, and should not sleep in the top bunk.

Placing a bunk in a corner with walls on two sides braces the bed and removes two of the four sides a child could fall from.

The gap between the top-bunk guardrail and the side of the bed should be no wider than 3½ inches, and the mattress must be supported by slats or wires fastened at both ends.

Bunk Bed Safety

Half of all bunk-bed-related injuries happen to children younger than 6; most come from falls while sleeping or playing.

Guardrails should extend at least 5 inches above the mattress top — counting any mattress pad added later.

Keep the top bunk away from ceiling fans, put a night light near the ladder, and never let children attach belts, scarves or ropes to the frame.