Risk of Strangulation Prompts Recall to Repair Roll-Up Blinds by Chicology

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Jun 15, 2010, 11:00 ET

Chicology has added its name to the retailers joining the voluntary recall in December 2009 of ALL Roman shades and roll-up blinds.

WASHINGTON, June 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

Name of product: Roll-up blinds

Units: About 6,200

Importer: Chicology of Ontario, Calif.

Hazard: Strangulations can occur if the lifting loop slides off the side of the blind and a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop or if a child places his/her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: This recall involves the French Antique Gold, Zen Moss, Tropic Ginger and Kansas White roll-up blind models. The roll-up shades are gold, green, tan and white and are made from natural fiber-paper, jute, and polyester.

Sold at: Online retailers including Overstock.com, Bestwindowtreatments.com, Bedbathstore.com, Unbeatablesale.com, Bonton.com, Linensource.com and Solutions.com from April 2006 through March 2010.

Manufactured in: Taiwan

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the roll-up blinds and contact Chicology to obtain a free retrofit kit

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the company toll-free at (866) 999-6188 or visit the company's website at www.chicology.com. You can also e-mail the company at [email protected].

Note: Examine all shades and blinds in your home. Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from over 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or re-sell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772, teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this press release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 999-6188

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission