MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP PENDLETON, CA
FAMILY HOUSING
WINDOW COVERING CORD SAFETY INFORMATION
UNEXPECTED DANGER IN YOUR
HOME?
Parents Beware: The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has identified
window coverings with cords as one of the top five hidden hazards in the home. About
one child a month dies becoming entangled in a window blind cord. CPSC has recalled
over five million window coverings: Roman shades, rollers and roll-up blinds, vertical
and horizontal blinds.
Strangulation and entanglement injuries can occur in the home anywhere a window
covering with a cord is installed. Children can wrap window covering cords around their
necks or can pull cords that are not clearly visible but are accessible and become
entangled in the loops. These incidents happen quickly and silently. To prevent
tragedies CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes.
Pull cords, Looped Bead Chains or Nylon Cords, Inner Cords of Roman Shades and Lifting Loops of
Roll-up Blinds are all safety hazards.
CPSC offers the following safety tips to prevent deaths and injuries associated with
window covering cords:
•
Examine all shades and blinds in the home. Use only cordless window
coverings with no accessible cords in front, side or back of blinds. Repair or
replace blinds, shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 that have pull
cords ending in a loop that are the cause for risk of strangulation.
•
Move all cribs, beds, toys or furniture away from windows and window cords
because children can climb on them and gain access to the cords.
•
Make cords inaccessible. Make sure tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-
loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall.
•
If the window shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices
to keep the cord taut.
•
Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered,
including when they come to rest on a windowsill.
Consumers can receive a free repair kit from the Window Covering Safety Council’s
website at http://www.windowcoverings.org or by calling (800) 506-4636. You may also
visit www.cpsc.gov
to learn more about window covering safety.
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