On Friday, September 17, 2010 in Silver Springs, Maryland, a 17 month old boy died after getting caught in the cords of a window blind in his room. His parents were home. They had put him down for a nap and apparently, the child got out of his crib and somehow got caught in the cords of a window blind within the room.
Our condolences to the parents of the young boy. Unfortunately, this is another very painful reminder of a very fixable, yet seemingly forgettable issue – cords can kill. One life lost is too many and yet this happens frequently. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), “about once a month a child between 7 months and 10 years old dies from window cord strangulation and another child suffers a near strangulation.”
We want to remind people to check their window treatments for dangling cords because they represent a very real strangulation risk to young children and even pets. In fact, CPSC has indentified window coverings with cords as one of the top five hidden hazards in the home!
For more information about window blinds safety and free safety kits for childproofing window cords, please go to the Window Coverings Safety Council website.
Wrapped up in this problem is the issue of low-quality, cheap blinds. They are manufactured by companies with little or no regard to safety. They often get recalled but sometimes not before it is too late. In fact, just last week (09-13-10), there was a pretty major safety recall of low price roman shades and roll-up shades sold by Jo-Ann Fabrics and Craft Stores of Hudson, Ohio between April 2009 and December 2009. It is reported that these roll up blinds had been sold in two sizes, 36″x72″ (priced at $25) and 48″x72″ (priced at $30). Customers are requested to stop using the roll-up blinds immediately and to return the blinds to the nearest Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores for a full refund, and are also reminded that it is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
The solutions are as follows:
Check your windows for dangling cords.
When you replace your old window treatments buy cordless blinds or shades.
Be mindful about the issue of window blinds safety when buying very low price window treatments.
Window Treatments Blog 