Corded Window Coverings Can be a Dangerous Home Hazard for Infants and Young Children

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Oct 01, 2024, 09:07 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Corded window coverings are among the top 5 hidden hazards in our homes, posing a strangulation risk to young children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). To shine a spotlight on this critical issue, October is designated as Window Covering Safety Month. The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and safety experts are calling on parents and caregivers to take action by checking their homes for corded products and replacing them with cordless ones for the safety of young children in the home.

Products that qualify for “Best for Kids” either have no cords, no operating cords and inner cords that are not accessible, or if accessible inner cords are present in products with no operating cords, the accessible inner cords cannot create a hazardous loop.

A historic safety standard which took effect on June 1, 2024 ensures that the vast majority of custom window coverings sold in the U.S. will be cordless. This builds on the 2018 safety standard which mandated that all stock products available in stores and online must be cordless or feature inaccessible cords. The revised standard is the strongest safety standard in the world, significantly reducing the strangulation risks posed by corded window coverings to young children.

And while the industry has taken great steps to eliminate these risks, it is up to parents and caregivers to ensure only cordless products are in the home by examining their spaces and updating their window coverings if needed.

‎"Cordless window coverings are the safest option if there are young children present," said Ralph Vasami, Associate Director of WCSC. "While strong safety standards are in ‎place, action is needed to prevent accidents where older corded products may still be present in homes."

"In any home where young children may be present, we recommend parents and caregivers childproof early and often," said Lisa Trofe, executive director of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. "This is especially important when it comes to updating window coverings to cordless options, creating the safest environment possible for your baby."

The Window Covering Safety Council recommends the following guidelines for window covering safety:

Replace all corded products with cordless window coverings in homes with young children.
Look for the Best for Kids™ certification label on packaging at all major U.S. retailers. This mark signifies that products have gone through third-party testing and designed for homes with young children.
If the corded window coverings can't be replaced with today's safer cordless products at this time, parents and caregivers should check for the following:
- Keep all window covering cords well out of the reach of children. Eliminate any dangling cords.
- Move all cribs, beds, furniture, and toys away from windows and window covering cords, preferably to another wall.
- Make certain that tasseled pull cords are out of the reach of children and are as short as possible.
- Continuous-loop cords on draperies and vertical blinds should be permanently anchored to the floor or wall and be kept under tension at all times.
- Check that cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit the movement of inner lift cords.
- Check the WCSC website for helpful tips on window covering cord safety

For more information on window covering cord safety, visit www.windowcoverings.org. Connect with WCSC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more home safety information and ideas.

The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings. The Council 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 the safety of corded window coverings. WCSC's activities in no way constitute an assumption of any legal duty owed by its members or any other entity. Consumers seeking more information can visit WCSC's website at www.windowcoverings.org.

Media Contact:
Kristen Kurtz
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SOURCE Window Covering Safety Council