Awareness

When purchasing new window coverings, you should be, "Child Safety" aware that the cords on blinds and shades pose a significant choking hazard to children and pets. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, when it comes to "Child Safety - Window Blinds", one child under the age of 10 dies from window cord strangulation every month.

Sadly 24% of Americans are unaware of interior blind cords safety hazards and only 15% are unaware of strangulation hazards related to window covering pull cords. Below are some important safety guidelines that is highly recommended to follow:

Below are some important safety guidelines suggested to follow:

1. Move cribs and other furniture children can climb up on to get to windows away from windows, window coverings, etc.
2. Keep all cords out of reach of children. Cut cords short or wrap them around a cord cleat.
3. Anchor cords for continuous cord loop options.
4. Make sure you lock cords on window treatments to prevent them from falling.
5. Consider purchasing all cordless treatments for your home. Look into motorized shades.
6. Corded window treatments purchased before 2001 should be replaced or retrofitted with cord-repair devices to reduce potential strangulation risks.
7. CPSC recommends against knotting or tying the cords together because this creates a new loop in which a child could become entangled.
8. For a free retrofit kit, contact the Window Coverings Safety Council at www.windowcoverings.org or 1-800-506-4636.

The safer option for homes with children under 10 and pets, is cordless products such as shutters, cell shades or roller shades. If possible, replace all window treatments, including draperies with cords, manufactured before 2001.

The following information is provided by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association:

Window Covering Manufacturers Association Announces Historic New Window Covering Safety Standard

New York, NY (January 12, 2018)–The Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) announced today the approval of a new window covering safety standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) that will require a vast majority of window covering products sold in the United States and Canada to be cordless or have inaccessible or short cords.

The new safety standard, ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2018, strengthens window-covering safety by requiring that all stock products sold in stores and online—which account for more than 80 percent of all window covering products sold in the U.S. and Canada—to be cordless or have inaccessible cords.

WCMA previously announced that the compliance date for the new standard would be one year after ANSI approval, which would be January 9, 2019. However, at the request of CPSC Chairman, Ann Marie Buerkle, who asked WCMA to move up the compliance date, WCMA is advising all companies selling window overing products in the U.S. and Canada that the compliance date of the new standard is December 15, 2018, although many companies will likely begin introducing new products based on the new standard earlier in the year.

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The following information was provided by the U.S. Consumer of Product Safety Commission:

Consumer Product Safety Alert

FROM THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20207

Children Can Strangle in Window Covering Cords

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) announced recalls to repair horizontal window blinds to prevent the risk of strangulation to young children.

The recalls involved millions of window blinds with pull cords and inner cords that can form a loop and cause strangulation. From 1991 to 2000, CPSC received reports of 160 strangulations involving cords on window blinds: 140 strangulations involved the outer pull cords, and 20 involved the inner cords that run through the blind slats.

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Recommended Types Of Window Coverings

Your Cordless Options