Parents Urged to Check Their Window Coverings
NEW YORK, April 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is reminding parents and caregivers of the potential dangers posed by window cords, and is urging them to only use cordless window covering products or those that have inaccessible cords in homes with young children. Owners and renters alike should replace all corded window coverings in their homes with today's safer products.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), corded window coverings are one of the top five hidden hazards in American homes, with infants and children accidentally becoming entangled in window cords. Some of these incidents involve older products that are still in use and do not have the safety devices or designs instituted in the past decade.
"Parents with young children should replace their corded window coverings with products that are cordless or have inaccessible cords," says Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) Executive Director, Peter Rush. "The new Best for Kids™ certification label recently launched makes it easy for parents and caregivers to easily identify which products are best suited for homes with young children."
The new Best for Kids™ certification program recently launched by the window covering industry will assist in educating consumers about potential window-cord hazards facing young children and will aid consumers in making the right choice when selecting window coverings. In order to be eligible for this certification, manufacturers must meet the specified program criteria and submit their window covering products to a designated third party testing laboratory. Once products pass testing, they may be labeled Best for Kids™.
To maximize window cord safety when young children are present, consumers are urged to follow these safety guidelines:
- Install only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords in homes with young children. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies with products that are cordless or have inaccessible cords, such as those marked with the Best for Kids™ label certification which enables you to easily identify products best suited for young children. Make the right choice and use cordless products to keep your children safe year-round.
- Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.
- Ensure that all window cords are out of sight and reach, by shortening or tying them up and away, so that they are inaccessible to young children.
For more information on window cord safety in the home, visit www.windowcoverings.org. Connect with WCSC on Facebook and Twitter 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.
SOURCE The Window Covering Safety Council
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