The most obvious opportunity for strangulation is if the pull cords form a loop. The photograph above shows a wood horizontal blind that is installed in my home. Since the blind was in the house when I moved in, I don’t know how old it is. There are two lift cords and they are strung into a small cord drop (which you can’t see because it is behind Amy’s neck). This is a definite no-no. The instructions on this web site detail how to braid your cords into one thick cord before inserting into the cord drop. The shades are “child-safe” since there is no loop when the shades are down. A loop does “appear” when you pull the cord to open the shade. However, you can and should use a cord cleat to secure the loose cord high up on the wall when the shade is in an area with children.
The latest scare is that a child will go behind the shade while it is down, insert his head into the cords which are running up the back of the shade get strangled. Their head would have to be small enough to fit into the space between the lift rings. I think this would be more an issue for a cat or very small dog.
The window treatment industry has established the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC). You can visit their web site www.windowcoverings.org for the latest information on this issue. The WCSC makes the following recommendations to maximize window-cord safety when young children are present:
1. Install only cordless window coverings in homes with young children. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 with today’s safer products.
2. Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferable to another wall.
3. Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children. Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall. Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.
4. Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.
Let’s discuss each item:
1. Use only cordless treatments. Many window treatments require cords. These include draperies, vertical blinds and Roman shades. Cordless shades have recently become available. They are of two types: side-track and spring loaded. Both versions are patented. I have a supplier for the side-track version parts. There are lots of parts, and construction is a lot more involved than the methods detailed on this web site. The spring loaded cordless shade is patented and as of now there is no source for purchasing the parts (as opposed to the complete shade). The WCSC offers a free kit to change a corded shade into a cordless one. More about that later.
2. Move furniture away from windows. This is just common sense. Even a cordless curtain can suffocate a child or be wrapped around a neck.
3. Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of reach of children. The WCSC recommends that a cord cleat be used with ALL Roman shades that do not have a loop pull cord.
Free Retrofit Kit for Roman Shades
WCSC offers a free retrofit kit for Roman shades. Visit their web site www.windowcoverings.org for ordering information. This kit changes a corded shade into a cordless one. Before you order the kit, you should be aware that it turns your shade into one that is essentially in-operable. The kit contains large metal loops (one for each lift line) that slip through all of the lift rings in one column. You remove the lift cord completely, open the metal loop and thread it through the rings. You then close the metal loop, which holds the shade in the open position. Essentially, you have a stationary, or faux, Roman shade. To lower the shade, you reverse the procedure.
What can you do?
· Purchase a cordless shade. This is not only expensive, but you are limited in fabrics and sizes. You probably wouldn’t be reading this site if you were seriously considering this solution.
· The easiest and most effective thing you can do is to install a cord cleat for each shade. This keeps the cords tidy and out-of-reach.
· You may want to NOT braid the pull cords, but use a separate cord tassel for each line. Note that you also should NOT tie all of the cords together at the top of the shade. It will be harder to raise the shade evenly, but you will never have a loop.
· If you are concerned with the exposed cords on the back of the shade, design your shade with more folds. You can play around with the Hardware Calculator by using a smaller Ideal Stackage until you get a Fold Depth that is less than 2.5”. The distance between the lift rings is two times the Fold Depth, which would be less than 5”.
· You can use child-safe lift rings that are designed to release the lift cord with excess force. The lift cord can easily be re-strung if this occurs.
