Did you know October is National Window Coverings Safety Month? The October window-cord awareness ca...

1. Window Cord Safety - Keep your children safe
Did you know October is National Window Coverings Safety Month? The October window-cord
awareness campaign is sponsored by the Window Coverings Safety Council (WCSC) and the US
Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).
Both organizations recommend that only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords
be used in homes with young children.
According to the CPSC, corded window coverings are one of the top five hidden hazards in American
homes, with infants and children dying each year from accidentally strangling in window cords.
Some of these incidents involve older blinds that are still in use but don't have the safety devices or
designs instituted in the past decade.
If you have infants and young children, I urge you to follow these basic cord-safety precautions:
o Move all furniture, cribs, beds and climbable surfaces away from windows.
o Keep all window cords well out of the reach of children.
o Install only cordless window coverings in homes with young children.
o Make sure tasseled pull cords are as short as possible. Continuous-loop pull cords on draperies
and vertical blinds should be pulled tight and anchored to the floor or wall.
o Be sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit inner-cord movement.
There are many cordless shade and blind options available as well as remote-controlled shades and
draperies.
There are retro-fit kits available free of charge that will make your window coverings safer. Simply
go to www.windowcoverings.org.
http://lpinteriors.com/2014/10/08/window-cord-safety-keep-your-children-safe/