How many people have died from corded blinds?

The study found that over 26 years emergency departments treated almost 17,000 children for strangulation from window covering cords. Of those cases, 271 children died.

Are blinds with cords safe?

As parents, grandparents, and caregivers, we want the kids in our homes to be safe. Blinds that operate with cords are a strangulation hazard for kids. It’s not always realistic to replace an entire house full of corded blinds with cordless.

Are corded blinds being discontinued?

As of December 15, 2018, consumers are no longer able to buy corded blinds at regular stores or online. The new rule applies to stock products sold in stores and online, which make up over 80% of all window-covering products in the US and Canada.

Are corded blinds illegal?

Corded blinds are not regulated under state or federal legislation. New, safer guidelines allow for cords on custom-made coverings. Per WCMA standards, custom cords should not be longer than 40% of the window height.

Why are corded blinds illegal?

A new safety standard will take effect Saturday limiting the manufacturing of corded blinds in response to fears they could injure or kill children by strangulation. Starting Dec. 15, most products used to cover windows must either be cordless or have short, inaccessible cords.

How do you make a blind cord safe?

Older blinds with looped cords or chains may pose a threat to children but you can make them safer. Changes to standards for blinds in 2014 have led to improved product safety.

Are continuous loop cords safe?

Also unlike standard lift cords, continuous loop cords do not pool on the ground and does not leave any dangling pieces of strings in place. In this sense, they are better and safer than corded shades.

How do I make my roller blinds safe?

If your blind has a looped chain, such as a roller blind, make it safer by using a tensioning device. These devices should be securely fixed to an adjacent surface and at the maximum distance from the top of the blind so the cords and/or chains are held permanently taut by the device.

Should blinds with cords be banned for kids?

Children’s injuries and deaths from window blinds have not stalled despite decades of safety concerns, according to a new US study that recommends a complete ban on blinds with cords. Nearly 17,000 young children were hurt by window blinds between 1990 and 2015, and though most injuries were minor, almost 300 died, the study shows.

How dangerous are cordless blinds?

Most deaths occurred when children became entangled or strangled by the cords. Injuries continued even after manufacturers adopted voluntary safety standards including warning labels. The industry now has a plan in the works to make cordless blinds the only option at retail stores and online.

How many children have been killed by window blinds?

Nearly 17,000 young children were hurt by window blinds between 1990 and 2015, with 300 dying, a study shows Elsie Mahe, the three-year-old daughter of Brigham Young University running backs coach Reno Mahe, died in November 2016 when she was tangled in cords

Will Corded blinds be replaced?

Instead of corded blinds, you now have to choose from cordless options or window coverings with short, inaccessible cords. Corded window coverings will still be available as custom orders for those who need them, such as people with disabilities or people with hard-to-reach windows. Everyone else, however, will need to adjust to the new reality.