What can I do to make my curtain and blind cords safe?
Curtains and blinds safety
Low hanging blind and curtain cords pose a serious risk of strangling small children. A child can put their head in the loop created by a blind or curtain cord. If the child then falls or tries to sit down, they can hang themselves in the loop.
Since 2000, at least 10 Australian children have died in this way.
All new internal blinds, curtains and window fittings must follow a mandatory safety standard (rest assured that any new blind installed by THE BLIND DOCTOR COMPLIES WITH THESE SAFETY STANDARDS). Despite this, many of the blinds, curtains and shades in Queensland homes are still unsafe.
Follow these 7 easy steps
Make sure children can’t reach any blind or curtain cords.
Make sure the bottom of any blind or curtain cord is at least 160cm above the floor.
Don’t let cords dangle into or near children’s equipment. This includes: cots (or portable cots), high chairs, playpens and anything else your child sits on, lies in or climbs on.
Make sure your child can’t reach the blind or curtain cord if they climb on the furniture.
If you have low-hanging cords like that of vertical blinds: attach a hook to the wall out of the reach of your children, wrap the cord around the hook and don’t let the cord dangle less than 160cm from the floor.
Vertical blinds often have looped cords, used to both rotate the blades and draw the blades across the window. Any cords forming a loop that hangs lower than l600mm from the ground should be fixed using an approved child safety device. Consider making the blinds child safe yourself or getting The Blind Doctor to do it for you.
If you have low-hanging cords: attach a cleat hook or approved child safety device to the wall out of the reach of your children, wrap the cord around the hook and don’t let the cord dangle less than 160cm from the floor.
Blind Legislation
Legislation: Blind, curtain and window fitting requirements (products and installation)
The mandatory standard for internal blinds, curtains and window fittings (corded internal window coverings) was declared on 8 July 2010 and applies to relevant blinds, curtains and some fittings supplied after 30 December 2010. The mandatory standard that deals with the installation services of window coverings was made on 28 March 2014 and came into effect on 1 January 2015.
This page includes information on hazards and how to comply with these national mandatory standards.
Australian homes often have blinds, curtains and other window coverings that are manipulated by cords or chains.
Source: Product Safety Australia
Corded internal window coverings are window coverings that can be used inside a building and are either:
- window coverings, such as curtains or blinds with a cord, or
- fittings used with a window covering, such as a traverse rod or track.
These include, but are not limited to:
curtains, blinds, shades, traverse rods, tracks.
Strangulation
Children can become entangled in blind or curtain cords if they try to use, play with or play around window coverings. Even with raised coverings, children can climb onto window sills or furniture to access the cords. Cords or looped cords that become tangled around a child’s neck can very quickly cause strangulation.
Cords can also strangle infants sleeping or playing in cots placed near a window where cords are within reach, or hang into the cot.
Mandatory standard
For complete information about the mandatory requirements for the supply of corded internal window coverings, we strongly advise that you read Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard – Corded Internal Window Coverings) Regulations 2010. This information is essential to ensure you and your business complies with the requirements of this mandatory standard.
For complete information about the mandatory requirements for corded internal window coverings installation services, we strongly advise you to read the Competition and Consumer (Corded Internal Window Coverings) Safety Standard 2014.
Other information available on the ACCC website include:
- Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard – Corded Internal Window Coverings) Regulations 2010
- Competition and Consumer (Corded Internal Window Coverings) Safety Standard 2014
- Explanatory statement and regulation impact statement—corded internal window coverings
- Explanatory statement – corded internal window coverings installation services
Does this apply to your business?
Under the ACL supply includes:
- in relation to goods – (including re-supply) by way of sale, exchange, lease, hire or hire-purchase and
- in relation to services – provide, grant of confer.
This mandatory standard applies to anyone in the business of corded internal window coverings, including:
manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, hirers.
The mandatory standard applies to all corded internal window coverings supplied from 30 December 2010.
Complying with the mandatory standard
Corded internal window coverings have been associated with hundreds of deaths and many near strangulations. It is an offence to supply corded internal window coverings that do not comply with the requirements of this mandatory standard. For complete information about the mandatory requirements, we strongly recommend you read:
- Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard – Corded Internal Window Coverings) Regulations 2010
- Competition and Consumer (Corded Internal Window Coverings) Safety Standard 2014
- Explanatory statement and regulation impact statement—corded internal window coverings
- Explanatory statement – corded internal window coverings installation services
If you are unclear about how the requirements of the installation services apply to your business, please contact the ACCC as early as possible before the standard commences on 1 January 2015 for assistance.
Penalties and consequences
Supplying corded internal window coverings that do not meet requirements of mandatory standards can make you liable for product recalls and fines. For more details, view Penalties and consequences.
Alerts
- Cots & cords don’t mix: Keep cots away from blind, curtain and electrical cords
- Loose or looped cords near cots can accidentally strangle and kill small children.
- Babies have died from being strangled in blind, curtain and electrical cords they accessed in their cots.
- There are simple steps you can take when preparing baby’s sleep area to make sure it’s safe from these hazards.