In 2009, a two-year old from Michigan was killed when she became entangled in a vertical blind cord that was not attached to the wall or floor. Today, the CPSC and Blinds Xpress announced a recall of approximately 315,000 horizontal blinds and 139 custom-made blinds.
The dangers of window blinds are not limited to the blinds that were recalled today. Children have been killed or seriously hurt by cords from window coverings for years. Here are some tips from the Window Covering Safety Council website that may save the life of your child:
1)Install only cordless window coverings in young children’s bedrooms and sleeping areas. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 with today’s safer products.
2)Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.
3)Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children. Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall. Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.
4)Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.
Check out the Window Covering Safety Council’s website at http://www.windowcoverings.org/index.html
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed because of a dangerous product, do not hesitate to call Product Liability Lawyer, Paul Thomson, at The Thomson Law Firm in Roanoke, Virginia.
