To heighten public awareness of window cord dangers, the Council and CPSC have again declared October “National Window Covering Safety Month.”
“Every year, cords from window blinds kill children,” said CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye. “Corded window coverings are one of the top five hidden hazards in American homes—and they are a preventable hazard. The Commission will continue to work with manufacturers and retailers on bolder, more forward-looking actions that they can take to prevent child strangulations from accessible cords on window coverings. The Commission urges families to go out and buy cordless products, or window coverings with inaccessible cords, which can be found in stores nationwide.”
“Parents with young children should replace their corded window coverings with the cordless products available,” explained Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) Executive Director, Peter Rush. “There are many cordless products available in different styles, colors, and sizes that will soon be easily identified with the Best for Kids label.”
The industry recently launched the Best for Kids certification program to help consumers and retailers easily identify window covering products that are suitable for use in homes with infants and young children. For a product to be eligible for this certification program, manufacturers must meet specified program criteria and submit their window covering products to a designated third party testing laboratory. Once a product passes the third party testing, the manufacturer will be allowed to label the product with the Best for Kids certification seal.
The multiple cordless products available include (partial list): cordless drapes, sheers, light-filtering cordless shades, cordless blackout shades, cordless roman shades, cordless mini-blinds, faux wood blinds, shutters, cordless pleated shades, and cordless motorized shades to name a few. All of these come in a variety of sizes, patterns, and fabrics from which to choose.
WCSC and CPSC also encourage parents and caregivers to follow these basic window safety precautions:
- Install only cordless window coverings, or window coverings with inaccessible cords, in homes with young children.
- Move all furniture, cribs, beds and climbable surfaces away from windows.
- Mount window guards or window stops to prevent children from potentially falling from a window.
- Ensure that windows cannot open more than 4 inches if young children are in the home.
