The Window Blind Cord Hazard

The cords contained on window blinds and other window covering products pose an unreasonable strangulation risk. While many consumers are aware of the risk associated with dangling window blind pull cords, the hidden inner cord which runs through the blind slats likewise presents a significant strangulation risk. There are eight hazards associated with a typical window blind cord:

Looped Pull Cord: Continuous pull cord loop constitutes a strangulation hazard.		Multiple Cords into Single Tassel: Multiple cords enter a single tassel, create a loop, and pose a strangulation hazard.
Pull Cord Wrap Around: Dangling pull cords can become wrapped around a child's neck, creating a strangulation hazard.		Knotted Cord: Separated tassels become tangled or knotted, the knot forming a dangerous loop and strangulation hazard.
Cord Joiner : Multiple cords enter a cord joiner. When the blinds are up, the cord joiner creates a loop, posing a strangulation hazard. The single dangling cord also poses a risk of wrap-around strangulation.		Blind in Free Fall: One or more dangling cords wrap around the child's neck. As the child moves, the blind lock disengages, the blind falls and pull cords raise, strangling the child.......
Inner Cord : Without cord stops, pulling on the inner cord causes the pull cord (at right of blind) to rise, creating a loop from the inner cord and a strangu-lation hazard.		Reverse Inner Cord : With cord stops, pulling on the inner cord causes the lower rail of the blinds to rise, thus creating a loop from the inner cord and a strangulation hazard.

It is a basic and well-known principle of engineering that if a hazard can be eliminated, it is incumbent upon the manufacturer to redesign the product to eliminate the hazard. It is only if the hazard cannot be eliminated that it is acceptable to warn in an attempt to reduce the hazard. With that said, the crib manufacturing industry began warning of the hazards associated with window blind cords near cribs in the early 1970s; however, it was not until the mid-1980s that the window covering industry began providing similar warnings. In fact, the window covering industry professed ignorance of the hazard when first confronted with the danger by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1985.

The reality is, window blind cords, and other dangling cords, are not safe. Other industries have recognized this fact long ago. The pull strings on toys were resulting in child strangulation. In response, the toy industry set regulations limiting the length of such pull cords. Drawstrings on children’s clothing and jackets were resulting in strangulation deaths, and the cords were eliminated. Other industries have recognized the danger of cords and have redesigned their products, yet the window covering industry has refused to modify its defective design and address the inherent dangers associated with cords dangling from the windows of nearly 17 million American households with children under the age of six-years-old.

The price of its neglect: a child dies every two weeks!