Child Saftey with Window Blinds
Primo Blinds as written another article about Child Safety and Window Blinds. This subject cannot get enough attention, and parents and anyone who will ever have children visiting should take simple precautions to prevent a tradgety.
You may not believe it but a research taken in the United States revealed that at least one child dies from strangulation on corded window treatments every two weeks, the oldest being 12 years of age. These corded window treatments include blinds and shades such as Mini blinds, Venetian blinds, roman shades, cellular shades, corded roll up shades and vertical blinds. This article is a must-read for parents who have both children and any of the mentioned window treatments in their house. There were six children that had been reported strangled to death in 2003; the average age is 4 years old. Most documented cases showed that the children died from climbing up and getting the cords down from the cleats or hooks while the caregiver was doing household chores or aiding another child, thinking the room the child was is in was safe. This alarming issue appears to be epidemic despite that the window treatments used were approved by ANSI and the Window Covering Safety Council for safety standards. Children have also died even in government and military housing because of corded window treatments.
There are eight ways a child can die by strangling from window blinds and shades:
1. Inner cords – A strangulation hazard is constituted when blinds are in a down position with the pull cord hanging. The cord locking mechanism tends to unlatch and allows for the free flow of the pull cord. Typical blind sets allow the pull cord runs through the blind slats. With the locking mechanism disengaged, the inner cord can pull out forming a loop. Such loop can form at any location on the blinds where the pull cord runs through the blind slats. Fatality happens when the child reaches the loop and strangles himself accidentally.
2. Reverse inner cord – Unlike the hazard that is brought by the loop formed from a hanging pull cord, the reverse inner cord happens when a loop is formed during the rise of lower blind rail. Even if the cord stop is in place, the created loop introduces a similar strangulation hazard that is fatal to children.
3. Multiple cords into a single tassel – Multiple cords from the blind enter a single tassel at the end of the pull cord, creating a loop and posing a strangulation hazard. However, this feature has been removed by today’s modern blinds to prevent fatalities due to strangulation.
4. Cord joiner – This is supposed to be a WCMA (Window Covering Manufacturing Association) and USCPSC’s solution to the blinds having long loops that have caused infant and child strangulation. The idea is that the long cords are shortened by dividing into two single cords entwined by a cord joiner or bead. However, a loop is still formed in the pull cord and not considered unsafe for any child’s home or daycare.
5. Looped pull cord – This is formed when the blinds is in top or open position. The danger begins when a child’s enter the loop formed by hanging pull cord and suddenly sits or falls down. Though this type of pull cord has been modified by industry safety standards, it still does not guarantee a child’s safety with blinds.
6. Wrap around – Do not rely on safety kits as they may still fail. When you wrap around the pull cord to the side of the window, the children may still reach the cord, wrap themselves in and cause fatality.
7. Knotted cords – Knotted cords happen when two separated tassels become entangled or knotted and creates a dangerous loop.
8. Blind in free fall - Blind in free fall occurs when the blind is in the raised position and the child becomes entangled in the cord or cords in his neck, body or hands. When the child moves and the locking mechanism accidentally unlatch, the blinds fall down and the child is pulled off causing fatal strangulation.
The best thing parents can do to practice window covering safety is to ensure that they are installing blinds that are guaranteed safe by them. It is much better if they avoid setting up blinds on children’s rooms to avoid accidents. Informing the nanny or the caregiver about the window blinds threats can also be effective especially to parents who are busy with their work. However, for parents who stay in the house, giving more attention to their child or infant can greatly help decrease strangulation accidents.
