Are your window coverings safe?
As a parent, we all want what is best for our children and finding ways to protect them can be time consuming. While many dangers may be quite obvious, including not using seatbelts or accidental drowning, other dangers such as those lurking around the home including cords on blinds and even household plants which are poisonous, may be a bit less obvious but certainly no less dangerous. This spring, make a commitment to keeping your children be safe by checking your window coverings.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC, cords on window coverings are one of the top 5 hidden hazards found today in America’s homes. Accidental strangulation can happen anywhere and in a matter of minutes. The CPSC further states that these types of accidents occur all to frequently, about once a month in children between the ages of 7 months and 10 years old. While many companies throughout the United States have recognized the danger posed to children by cords on window coverings and have voluntarily recalled millions and millions of these types of shades, many of us are simply unaware of the danger and still have this type of window covering in our homes including in the bedrooms of our children. Now is the time to make sure your home’s window coverings are safe.
Ways you can protect your children:
- Never place cribs, beds or other furniture close to windows which have window coverings with any type of cord.
- Take an inventory of your window coverings. If you see exposed cords anywhere, replace the window covering.
- If you can’t afford to replace your window shades, the Window Covering Safety Council suggests that you retrofit your shades to protect your children by:
- Eliminating looped pull cords (pre 1995)
- installing cord stops (pre 2001)
- Installing tie-down devices (pre 1997)
- The Window Covering Safety Council offers free retrofit kits to help. Learn more at windowcoverings.org.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can keep your children safer, the Consumer Product Safety Commission cpsc.gov has lots of information to help you including recalls and more.
Atkinson Petruska Kozma Hart & Couture provide this information to help inform parents. If you have questions or would like to talk us directly, we are personal injury attorneys in Northern Michigan. We invite you to contact us today at 1.877.732.2491.