According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately one child a month dies as a result of window cord strangulation. “Window cord strangulations are one of the top hidden hazards in the home,” explains CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “CPSC recommends that only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords be used in homes with young children.” The Window Covering Safety Council encourages parents with infants and young children to follow these prevention tips:
- Make sure all furniture, especially cribs, beds and other climbable surfaces aren’t near windows.
- Keep all window cords out of reach from infants and young children.
- When possible, install only cordless window coverings.
- If cords are on window coverings, but sure they are as short as possible. Continuous-loop pull cords, often found on draperies and vertical blinds, should be taunt and anchored to the wall or the floor.
- Inspect cord stops for proper installation and adjust to limit inner-cord movement.
Keeping our children safe is a parent’s number one priority. We urge you to follow these 5 tips to help prevent window cord strangulation. If you are unable to replace your window coverings with the safer products on the market today, the Window Covering Safety Council offers free retrofit kits.
At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. While our business is to help prevent falls from windows, we also recognize the importance of preventing window cord strangulation in infants and young children. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding New York City safety requirements, contact us today!
