CPSC, Window Covering Industry Announce Recall to
CPSC, Window Covering Industry Announce Recall to Repair Window Blinds
Why was CPSC, Window Covering Industry Announce Recall to recalled?
The recall involves millions of window blinds with pull cords and inner cords that can form a loop and cause strangulation.
What should I do if I have this product?
Consumers who have window blinds with cords in their homes should call the Window Covering Safety Council to receive a free repair kit for each set of blinds in the home. The repair kit will include small plastic attachments to prevent the inner cords from being pulled loose. The kit also includes safety tassels for pre-1995 window blinds with outer pull cords ending in loops. Consumers should cut the loops and install a safety tassel at the end of each pull cord. Consumers who have vertical blinds, draperies or pleated shades with continuous loop cords should request special tie-downs to prevent strangulation in those window coverings. Parents should keep window covering cords and chains permanently out of the reach of children. Never place a child's crib within reach of a window blind. Unless the cords can be completely removed from the child's reach, including when the child climbs on furniture, CPSC recommends that parents never knot or tie the cords together because this creates a new loop in which a child could become entangled. Contact: Consumers who have window blinds with cords in their homes should call the Window Covering Safety Council toll-free (800) 506-4636 or visit their website at www.windowcoverings.org
What to do with a recalled product: refunds, receipts, safe disposal and how to report a problem.
Is my product affected?
Compare the item in your hand with every identifier below from the official CPSC record. Only products that match the listed product and identifiers are part of this recall.
- Product
- Window blinds with pull cords and inner cords
- Company
- Window Covering Safety Council
- Quantity
- About 85 million each year
- Sold at
- About 85 million window blinds are sold each year.
- Recall date
- November 1, 2000
- Incidents / injuries
- Since 1991, CPSC has received reports of 130 strangulations involving cords on window blinds. 114 strangulations involve the outer pull cords, and 16 involve the inner cords that hold the blind slats.
- Agency
- CPSC
Product description
The recall involves millions of window blinds with pull cords and inner cords that can form a loop and cause strangulation. In 1995, CPSC worked with the window covering industry to redesign new window blinds to eliminate the outer loop on the end of pull cords and provide free repair kits so consumers could fix their existing blinds. CPSC issued a safety alert about this hazard and what consumers can do about it, including a detailed description of the free repair kits. Window blinds sold since 1995 no longer have pull cords ending in loops. As a result of the new CPSC investigation, the industry has further redesigned window blinds. Newly manufactured blinds have attachments on the pull cords so that the inner cords can't form a loop if pulled by a young child.