Why is it so hard for kids to open the fridge from the inside?

Carson Dyle

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2012
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Refrigerators manufactured up until about 1960 had mechanical latches that could only be opened from the outside. I doubt very much that the danger exists with today's fridges.

56631d1334195062-new-old-fridge-image-3913005225.jpg
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
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I wonder how many kids were killed by that. Of course I remember playing with lawn darts. Catch!
 

twinrider1

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2003
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Ever watch your kid stand there with the door open looking at the same food for 10 freaking minutes? They become hypnotized by the food. Without a parent to bark at them, they stare at the food until they suffocate or their core temp drops too far.
 

Puppies04

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2011
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Refrigerators manufactured up until about 1960 had mechanical latches that could only be opened from the outside. I doubt very much that the danger exists with today's fridges.

56631d1334195062-new-old-fridge-image-3913005225.jpg


This, any child that can't open a normal fridge without a latch from the inside is just doing the gene pool a favour.

On a side note I can envisage a situation where a kid gets in a really big fridge that is laying on its back and would struggle to lift the door from the inside but this brings up the question of how they managed to lift the door from the outside to get into it.
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
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On a side note I can envisage a situation where a kid gets in a really big fridge that is laying on its back and would struggle to lift the door from the inside but this brings up the question of how they managed to lift the door from the outside to get into it.

It fell over when they're inside.
 

Markbnj

Elite Member <br>Moderator Emeritus
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Sep 16, 2005
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I think there are still cases now and then, and I believe I remember one from the not too distant past, but I am sure they fell off with the introduction of magnetic seals. As was mentioned above the old ones had latches. Although, come to think of it, I wouldn't doubt a small child would have trouble pushing open a magnetically sealed door from the inside.
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
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Think of it as a Tardis that transports you to a point in time after your death.
 

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
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The latch is the primary reason, and since the laws were changed to require that refrigerators have no more than a 15-pound push from inside to open there has not been an accidental refrigerator death reported since 2003 (and only a few since the 1970's when most of the old latch types were disposed of.)
 

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
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Um, if it was easy for them to open the fridge from the inside I'd be really screwed...
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
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Refrigerators manufactured up until about 1960 had mechanical latches that could only be opened from the outside. I doubt very much that the danger exists with today's fridges.

56631d1334195062-new-old-fridge-image-3913005225.jpg

^This^

It was the mechanical latches on fridges back then.

Fern