Millions of Roman blinds and roll-up shades recalled due to child strangulation risk

In December, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the window Cover Safety Council issued a voluntary recall for more than 50 million Roman-style shades and roll-up blinds. This month, several major retailers joined the recall which includes blinds sold at Pottery Barn, J.C. Penney, Walmart, Big Lots, Ace Hardware, IKEA and other national chain stores.

Since 2006, five child deaths and 16 near-strangulations have been reported that involve Roman shades. Strangulation can occur if a child places his neck between the exposed, inner cords and the back of the shade or if a child pulls on the cord and wraps it around his neck.

Three deaths have been connected to roll-up blinds since 2001. Roll-up blinds can cause strangulation if the lifting loop slides off the side of the blind and a child’s neck becomes tangled in the lifting loop. Strangulation may also occur if a child puts his neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

These accidents can occur very quickly.

The CPSC is currently considering new design standards that will make these blinds shades safer. In the meantime, they offer the following safety tips.

• Examine all shades or blinds in your home to make sure that there are no accessible cords on the front, side or back of the product.
• Remove any blinds or shades that have cords attached or make loose cords in accessible.
• Do not place beds, cribs, tables or other furniture near windows because children may climb on furniture to reach the cords.
• If window shades have looped bead chains or nylon cords, install devices to keep cords taut.
• Use cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.

If you own Roman shades or roll-up blinds, contact the retailer or the Window Coverings safety Council (1-800-506-4636) to request a free retrofit kit.

If your child is injured by a defective or dangerous consumer product in Missouri or Kansas, contact the Kansas City child injury lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys. You may have a product liability or premises liability case. Call our Kansas City defective product attorneys at 1-888-348-2616 to learn about your family’s rights.

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