Blind cord safety
By Contributor
Did you know that ordinary household items such as window coverings can cause serious injuries to children? If your window coverings have cords, your children are at risk of strangulation and even death.
Good news: keeping your children safe is as easy as removing corded window coverings from your windows.
Health risks
Children can become entangled in blind cords, which can quickly lead to strangulation and even death. There have been many reports of strangulation deaths and near-fatal incidents caused by blind cords. Strangulation can occur when children:
- place their heads through a cord loop
- wrap a single long cord around their neck
- pull inner cords out of the window covering, creating a strangulation hazard
Reduce your risk: Go cordless
Children and blind cords don’t mix. Any type of blind cord, such as cords on the side, inside, or on the back of the window covering, is a strangulation risk for children. The safest window coverings are ones without cords that you can see or touch. Removing corded window coverings is the best way to keep your children safe.
Cordless window covering options are available in home and hardware stores across Canada.
If you’re unable to remove corded window coverings throughout your household, focus on removing them from your child’s bedroom and other rooms where they play.
Did you know…
Corded window coverings can become a greater risk if they are not correctly installed. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing and using window coverings.
Safety tips for corded window coverings
If you cannot replace your corded window coverings, you can reduce the risk of serious injury by keeping cords up high and out of the reach of children.
Until you can replace corded window coverings, make sure to:
- Always keep cords out of reach.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and read all warnings.
- Never place cribs, beds, and playpens near a window where a child could reach a cord.
- Do not place any piece of furniture that a child can climb, near a window.
- Securely attach tension devices supplied with corded window coverings to the wall so children can’t place the cord around their neck.
- Install a cleat or tie-down device up high on the wall and use it to keep cords out of reach.
Never tie knots in cords. Immediately untie any knots that form accidentally. Remove any devices that form dangling loops, whether at the bottom, middle, or top of the cords.
