How To Protect Kids from the Dangers of Blind Cords

If you have small children you may have been warned about the strangulation risks of dangling blind cords.

Climbing onto furniture to look out the windows is a great temptation for many children, however, they risk becoming entangled in cords and losing their footing, resulting in strangulation or serious injury. Cords can also strangle infants sleeping or playing in cots placed near windows, if cords are within reach or hanging into cots.

Sadly, blind and curtain cords result in 1-2 deaths in Australia every year and severe injuries have also been caused by toddlers being strangled by looped blind or curtain cords.

Accidental strangulation can happen very quickly, so never leave small children alone in rooms with low hanging blind or curtain cords, even for a short while.

There are also a number of easy steps you can take to ensure the safety of children in your house.

7 Steps for Blind and Cord Safety

• Make sure your children cannot reach any blind or curtain cords
• Make sure the bottom of any blind or curtain cord is at least 160cm above the floor.
• Move children’s cots, beds, high chairs or playpens away from windows with blinds or curtain cords
• Make sure your child cannot climb on furniture and reach blond or curtain cords
• Wrap blind cords securely around a hook attached high on the wall
• Install a cord tensioning device for all blinds with looped cords.
• When installing new blinds, seek advice from the supplier about products that use ‘wands’ instead of cords to operate the blinds
• Always use a quality Blinds and Curtains company who uses a reputable blinds manufactuer such as Betta Blinds.

Read more about blind and curtain safety in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Product Safety Guide for Blinds and Curtains or their Blinds and Cords Safety Alert.