Tag Archive for: safety

Blinds expert backs ‘Legacy for Lucy’ campaign to ban looped cords

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A MAN with more than 30 years of experience working in the curtain and blind industry has backed a campaign over the safety of looped blind cords.

As reported in the Daily Echo, grieving Bournemouth mum Annette Latimer is calling for people to back the ‘Legacy for Lucy’ campaign after her two-year-old daughter Lucy died when she got caught up in a blind cord in her bedroom five years ago.

Earlier this month, she found out that another little girl, Sophia Lily Parslow, aged 17 months, died in the same tragic way and she decided that something had to be done. She was the 28th child to die in such a way since 1999.

Chris Hodgkins, who is based in Canford Heath, said there were already devices that could prevent accidents – and he urged all parents to make sure they are fitted.

He said a device called a cord tidy was available to keep cords out of the way and they could be fitted retrospectively.

Chris added: “The blind manufacturers supply these and when I go out and measure a job I mention to people that if they have young children they should have them fitted. But some say they don’t want them fitted.

“It’s about three years ago that these came in and we think in the next 12 months that it will become law. It’s not just down to the fitters and suppliers, it is also down to the pub

Annette said she wanted as many people as possible to know of the dangers of the blinds and has launched a petition to get them completely banned.

She added yesterday: “If something else can be done that makes sure that, 100 per cent, everybody is safe, then that’s my aim.

“The more people that know, the more people that will go out and fit a device.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has been successful in asking the government to make it a regulation that these type of blinds are manufactured with breakaway connectors.

It has also encouraged parents to fit safety devices to existing looped cord blinds.

Blinds expert backs ‘Legacy for Lucy’ campaign to ban looped cords

/in /by

A MAN with more than 30 years of experience working in the curtain and blind industry has backed a campaign over the safety of looped blind cords.

As reported in the Daily Echo, grieving Bournemouth mum Annette Latimer is calling for people to back the ‘Legacy for Lucy’ campaign after her two-year-old daughter Lucy died when she got caught up in a blind cord in her bedroom five years ago.

Earlier this month, she found out that another little girl, Sophia Lily Parslow, aged 17 months, died in the same tragic way and she decided that something had to be done. She was the 28th child to die in such a way since 1999.

Chris Hodgkins, who is based in Canford Heath, said there were already devices that could prevent accidents – and he urged all parents to make sure they are fitted.

He said a device called a cord tidy was available to keep cords out of the way and they could be fitted retrospectively.

Chris added: “The blind manufacturers supply these and when I go out and measure a job I mention to people that if they have young children they should have them fitted. But some say they don’t want them fitted.

“It’s about three years ago that these came in and we think in the next 12 months that it will become law. It’s not just down to the fitters and suppliers, it is also down to the pub

Annette said she wanted as many people as possible to know of the dangers of the blinds and has launched a petition to get them completely banned.

She added yesterday: “If something else can be done that makes sure that, 100 per cent, everybody is safe, then that’s my aim.

“The more people that know, the more people that will go out and fit a device.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has been successful in asking the government to make it a regulation that these type of blinds are manufactured with breakaway connectors.

It has also encouraged parents to fit safety devices to existing looped cord blinds.

Safety Officials Urge Parents to Inspect Home for Hidden Window Cord Hazards

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The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are urging parents and caregivers to check all window coverings for exposed or dangling cords that could pose a strangulation hazard to infants and young children.

Both government and industry safety officials say only cordless window coverings, or those with inaccessible cords, should be used in homes with young children. To heighten public awareness of window-cord dangers, the Council and CPSC have again declared October as National Window Covering Safety Month.

According to information provided by the CPSC, since 1990 more than 200 infants and young children have died from strangling in window cords.

The Window Covering Safety Council’s month long, nationwide campaign is designed to increase consumer awareness of potential window-cord hazards, as well as to urge parents and caregivers of young children to only use cordless window products in homes with young children and to replace all window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today’s safer products.

“Window cord strangulations are tragic, but preventable,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “In stores across the country, parents and consumers can find a variety of cordless blinds and shades, as well as window coverings with inaccessible cords. Going cordless is a smarter and safer approach in homes with young children.” Older window coverings should be retrofitted or replaced with today’s safer products.

The Window Covering Safety Council – which offers free retrofit kits and window-cord safety information – encourages parents and caregivers to follow these basic window cord-safety precautions:

 

  • Move all furniture, cribs, beds and climbable surfaces away from windows.
  • Keep all window cords well out of the reach of children.
  • Install only cordless window coverings in homes with young children.
  • Make sure tasseled pull cords are adjusted to be as short as possible.
  • Continuous-loop pull cords on draperies and vertical blinds should be pulled tight and anchored to the floor or wall with a tension device.
  • Be sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement on inner cords on blinds and shades.

 

To learn more about window-cord safety, or to order free retrofit kits for older window coverings,visit the Window Covering Safety Council’s website at www.windowcoverings.org or call toll-free at 1-800-506-4636. Parents and caregivers can also learn more about window covering safety by connecting with WCSC on Facebook and Twitter.

The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings dedicated to educating consumers about window cords safety. The Council also assists and supports its members in the industry’s ongoing efforts to encourage the use of cordless products in homes with young children, its redesign of corded products and to support the national ANSI/WCMA standard for corded window coverings.WCSC’s activities in no way constitute an assumption of any legal duty owed by its members or any other entity.

Contact: Dan Fernandez Tel: 212-297-2121 [email protected]

SOURCE Window Covering Safety Council

• Read more articles by Window Covering Safety Council

 

Couple’s campaign for blind cord safety

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A couple from Gloucestershire whose baby daughter died after becoming trapped in the cord of a window blind have started a campaign to get certain types of cord banned in the UK.

Amanda O’Halloran and Chris Parslow believe that safety measures do not go far enough after their 17-month-old, Sophia, died in June.

The British Blinds and Shutter Association has its own awareness campaign, called Make It Safe, and says it is fully committed, along with its members, to help eliminate the risk associated with looped cords, chains and tapes used on window blinds.

Madeleine Ware reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24321541

http://www.makeitsafe.org.uk

Couple’s campaign for blind cord safety

/in /by

A couple from Gloucestershire whose baby daughter died after becoming trapped in the cord of a window blind have started a campaign to get certain types of cord banned in the UK.

Amanda O’Halloran and Chris Parslow believe that safety measures do not go far enough after their 17-month-old, Sophia, died in June.

The British Blinds and Shutter Association has its own awareness campaign, called Make It Safe, and says it is fully committed, along with its members, to help eliminate the risk associated with looped cords, chains and tapes used on window blinds.

Madeleine Ware reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24321541

Creating A Safer Home Environment For Your Children

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Having small children in your home means appropriate measures need to be taken to ensure they grow up in a safe environment. While childproofing different areas of your home such as cabinets and electrical sockets, don’t forget to review your window coverings. Access to windows and dangling window covering cords can pose a safety hazard to curious children and even small pets.

“Although nothing replaces the watchful eye of a loving parent, there are certain steps you can take to reduce the risk of injury around windows,” said Tracy Christman, window coverings expert and Vice President of Vendor Alliance at Budget Blinds. “Window safety is often overlooked and it’s important for parents to be fully aware of all the potential dangers.”

Tracy offers the following useful tips to help parents get started:

1. Arrange furniture away from windows. Always set up furniture—such as cribs, chairs and toy chests—away from window areas so that they cannot be used to access window treatment cords. In addition to installing window screens, placing furniture away from the window area also minimizes the risk of the child accidentally falling out of an open window.

2. Choose cordless window coverings. The Window Covering Safety Council recommends cordless window treatments in homes where children are present. Shutters and roller shades are inherently cordless and come in a wide variety of playful colors for your children’s rooms. You can also select cordless cellular shades that provide insulation to help keep your kids warm in the winter.

3. Add safety features to existing window covering cords. It’s sometimes easier to add safety features to existing window covering cords than to purchase new treatments altogether. Options include breakaway tassels that are designed to break apart under minimal stress, and cord cleats, which allow you to safely tie cords up and away from your toddler’s reach.

A growing trend in the window coverings industry is motorization. Motorized window coverings provide convenience since they can be opened and closed using a handheld remote and also increase safety by eliminating the need for cords. Virtually any window covering can be motorized.