We wanted to make everyone aware of this safety recall regarding window coverings, especially those of you with young children.

Kempler Design is available to do free, in-home reviews of your blinds if you’re concerned about whether or not your current window treatments pose a safety hazard to your children.  We can also show you the current offerings of window coverings that provide maximum safety for your family.

The following come direct from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and The Window Coverings Safety Council:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) are announcing an industry-wide voluntary corrective action plan covering roman-style shades and roll-up blinds to prevent the potential hazard of strangulation to young children. The recall involves window coverings that can form a loop and cause strangulation. According to information provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, since 1990, more than 200 infants and young children have died from accidentally strangling in window cords.

Consumers can obtain free retrofit kits for roman style fabric looped and flat panel shades and roll up blinds online at www.windowcoverings.org or by calling WCSC’s toll-free phone line at 1-800-506-4636 or 1-800-372-5715.

Parents and caregivers are being reminded of potential window-cord dangers and are urged to make the right choice and only use cordless window products in homes with young children. Owners and renters should replace all window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today’s safer products.

To maximize window-cord safety when young children are present, consumers are urged to follow these safety guidelines:

• 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.
• Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.
• 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.
• Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.

The Window Covering Safety Council is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings.