09 Nov Recall of 5.5M Window Coverings After Child Deaths
In the wake of three child deaths and the near strangulation of seven other children, federal authorities and several companies announced that almost 5.5 million hazardous window coverings are being recalled immediately.
The window coverings include roman shades, roll-up blinds, cellular shades and traditional blinds that have easy access to exposed cords and loops.
The companies participating in the recall are Pottery Barn Kids, IKEA, Vertical Land Inc., Lewis Hyman Inc., Lutron Electronics Co. Inc. and Victoria Classics. Victoria Classics’ Roman shades and many of Lewis Hyman’s window shades were sold exclusively at Target stores.
Two of the three child deaths involved 1-year-old boys who became entangled in cords on roll-up blinds and roman shades. One boy was strangled in the lift-cord loop of a roll-up blind that fell into his portable crib in 2007. The other boy was discovered last year with his head caught between the exposed inner cord and the cloth on the backside of a roman shade.
The third child death involved a 4-year-old girl who was found strangled in the loop of a vertical blind cord in 2006.
In a statement, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urged people to examine the shades and blinds in their homes.
“If looped pull cords, exposed inner cords or exposed lifting loops are found and children are in the home or occasionally visit your home, please consider replacing the blinds or shades with products that do not have exposed pull cords or inner cords,” the agency advised.
Six incidents of near strangulation involved roman shades. In all six occurrences between 2006 and 2008, children became entangled in the exposed inner cords on the back of the shades.
For detailed information on any of these product recalls, visit the website of the consumer Product Safety Commission.
To find out more about child safety featured products, contact Premier Shutters and Blinds for a free estimate.
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