

Hernandez’s bed didn’t adhere to other commission guidelines either - there is no second guardrail, for example.īut college officials said they aren’t required to adhere to the national standard. The top of each guardrail should be no less than 5 inches in height from the top of the mattress.Īccording to the university police department’s investigation into Hernandez’s death, the height of the guardrail on the side of the teen’s bed “only extended about 3 to 4 inches above the mattress.” It’s unclear if Hernandez was using a mattress topper, which would have shortened the distance between the bed and the top of the railing.

The other rail doesn’t have to, but any opening between the guardrail and the end of the bed should be no more than 15 inches wide. One says each bunk bed should have at least two guardrails if its bottom is more than 30 inches from the floor.Īnother requires at least one rail to run continuously from end to end. Consumer Product Safety Commission provides specific guidelines that manufacturers and importers of adult and child bunk beds must follow. bunk bed that had higher railings or a bed that was lower, he would probably still be with us today.” “Dylan died of blunt force trauma,” Julia Hernandez said. She added the college doesn’t formally track bunk bed-related incidents.īut the Hernandez family argues the college’s efforts fall short of national standards specifically designed to make bunk beds safer. These workers also inspect bunk beds at the start of each fall semester and during the winter break.Īnd while there have been two known bunk bed-related incidents at SDSU in the last five years, it’s unclear what happened in those cases since the students involved declined to speak to school officials, campus spokeswoman Cory Marshall said.

COLLEGE DORM BED SAFETY RAILS INSTALL
Professional maintenance personnel install rails on the top bunk of all lofted beds and bunk beds in all on-campus residences. Small refrigerators are permitted in student rooms and available as a rental from officials said Friday that there is “no indication that bunk and lofted beds at the University are unsafe” and stressed several safety features already in place. Most buildings have hallway kitchenettes or floor lounges that are equipped with a microwave, stove, sink, disposal, instant hot water tap, and refrigerator (varies by building) that are adequate for cooking or cleaning utensils. These items should not be used in student rooms, only in a designated cooking area inside floor lounges. Microwaves are approved in dorm rooms only as part of the MicroFridge Smoke Sensor combination appliance unit ( available as a rental).Īir popcorn poppers and hot water pots which have enclosed heating elements and bear the UL seal. This is why students in the residence halls are required to participate in an approved dining plan. For fire safety and health reasons, cooking is prohibited in all student rooms with the exception of a university approved microwave attached to the MicroFridge Smoke Sensor combination unit ( available as a rental).
