October is Window Covering Safety Month and Going Cordless for Kids is Easier than Ever
Sep 30, 2019, 15:57 ET
NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Window covering cords are one of the top five hidden hazards in the home according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). To increase awareness of the potential strangulation hazard that exposed cords can present to kids, the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and the CPSC have once again declared October as National Window Covering Safety Month, encouraging parents and caregivers to use only cordless window covering products or those that have inaccessible cords in homes with young children.
This year's National Window Covering Safety Month theme is: Go Cordless for Kids: It's Easier than Ever. In December 2018, a new US Safety Standard went into effect requiring all window covering stock products (products commonly sold in retail stores and online that are completely or substantially pre-assembled in advance) to be cordless or have inaccessible cords to reduce the potential strangulation hazard that exposed cords can present to young children. The new safety standard is a result of ongoing industry innovation, technological advances and new product development and cooperation by industry, safety groups and CPSC.
"CPSC is pleased to join with the window covering industry as well as safety advocates in reminding parents and caregivers to use only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords in homes with young children," said CPSC Acting Chairman, Ann Marie Buerkle. "Cordless window coverings are widely available for sale today and we encourage parents and caregivers to look at the shades and blinds in their homes for accessible cords on the front, side and back, and replace corded products with cordless window covering products."
Consumers can also look for the Best for Kids™ certification label to easily identify window covering products best suited for homes with young children. Products with the Best for Kids™ label have been tested by a third-party laboratory and have either no cords or no accessible cords. Shoppers can find Best for Kids™ labeled products at all major US retailers.
"Given the plethora of products that are cordless or have inaccessible cords, alongside the Best for Kids™ label, it's easier and more accessible than ever for parents and caregivers to find safe window covering options for their homes," said Peter Rush, Executive Director, Window Covering Safety Council. "We urge anyone who has young children in their home to go cordless and help us share this important safety message."
The Window Covering Safety Council recommends the following guidelines for window covering safety:
- Install only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords in homes with young children. Replace window blinds and corded shades with products that are cordless or have inaccessible cords marked with the Best for Kids™ certification label.
- Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window covering cords.
- When window covering cords are present, ensure that all window covering cords are out of sight and reach, by shortening or moving them up and away, so that they are inaccessible to young children.
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.
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SOURCE Window Covering Safety Council
