Parents for Window Blind Safety

FAQ on our Safety Testing

2012-01-28T17:59:00.005-06:00

Is the PFWBS a 501 C non profit?

We are a 501 C3 Non Profit Corporation.

Click link below.

Where does the $600 (and subsequent $400 ) testing fee go in the Non-Profit? ( Not to mention the advertising packages to link and show your product on the safety testing pages)

The $600 fee covers cost of testing, insurance and all branding rights for approved products. All sponsorships for advertising help keep PFWBS running. PFWBS has various programs such as Grief support, Educational Campaign and Safety Testing that require funds to operate. We are not funded by any government agency nor any grants. Since its inception 10 years ago, PFWBS has successfully worked toward our mission solely with the support of donations.

The Guidelines state: “With express written authorization from Parents for Window Blind Safety, the Seal of Approval can be used only for approved window dressing services and window products that have no exposed cords, looped cords, cord joiners, or any pull cords in excess of 7 ¼ inches in length or capable of attainting a length greater than 7 ¼ inches. Products that have cord shrouds or enclosed cords will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Who determined the benchmark and number- 7-1/4; was this information PFWBS received as a member of the technical committee?

CPSC provided this recommendation in 1994 and has been pressing the window covering industry to use this as a standard for years, in order to reduce exposure to accessible cords. For more information on how WCMA has handled past safety meetings, see CPSC FIOA library.

The following link is of particular interest.

http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/meetings/mtg03/windownov26.pdf

Also, who is testing- an independent testing lab? How does the seal of approval fit into compliance with the soon to be published standard?

As set forth on our safety testing website, there is a safety committee made up of individuals with extensive experience in the window covering industry and have reviewed the strangulation data, including a team of retired government officials, human factors experts, product safety consultants, engineers and product liability attorneys. This committee provides recommendations and votes once testing has been performed on the product.

PFWBS Seal of Approval guidelines and criteria eliminates ALL strangulation hazards. ANSI standard does not. We are in the process of posting the criteria on our new site, but if someone would like to review the same, please contact us info (at) pfwbs.org

Can I set up a “lab” and start handing out seals too?

PFWBS has never claimed to be a lab. We simply test on a criteria based on design rather than performance requirements such as ANSI. Our standard is essentially one of inaccessible cords, so as to ELIMINATE the hazards associated with exposed and accessible cords.

The Seal of Approval is an indication that the product bearing the Seal has been approved by Parents for Window Blind Safety as a product that has a REDUCED risk of cord strangulation, as compared to traditional window covering products. Why do you say REDUCE and not eliminate in your guidelines?

Our criteria requires the elimination of the hazard. However, legal counsel, consistent with the recommendation of legal counsel to the WCMA, advise that it is never a good idea to make a definitive representation that a product ELIMINATES all hazards, for there is always the possibility that the product can be broken or egregiously abused, resulting in injury. Hence, the word “reduce” is in our guidelines. The difference is that our criteria eliminates hazards in the reasonably foreseeable circumstances when the product is used in homes with small children, whereas the criteria of the WMCA fails to address these foreseeable situations.

Safety Advocates, the CPSC, and government regulators were promised that the new ANSI standard would significantly reduce blind cord hazards, which it does not. The new ANSI standard allows operational pull cords which are responsible for 80% of all injuries and deaths. The PFWBS criteria for the “Seal of Approval” does not allow accessible pull cords or accessible inner cords.

I would think that if you are offering testing and approval that you would want to use the most stringent guidelines as professed by the founder.

PFWBS criteria is the most stringent that you will find. Our criteria is strictly SAFETY BASED, for the protection of children from risk of needless strangulation. Call 314-494-7890 with further questions.

WCMA does not speak for the entire Industry...

2011-12-03T09:06:00.001-06:00

The rest of the Industry has been kept in the dark about the facts by manufactures who stand to profit.

For instance, some dealers, retailers and designers might not realize that children have died on custom shades.

We want Industry and everyone else to know that our organization, Parents for Window Blind Safety, has always published factual information that we can back up. All of our information is taken from the CPSC database. All of our numbers, our statistics etc are taken from CPSC IDI reports along with personal interviews with families who have been through these tragedies.

There have been 3 deaths on custom shades in the past. One of them that I am

including on here was a child whose mother had her own workroom. Her child died on the shade she created.

Please find 2 documents in the following links. They are about 15 or so pages long that include police reports and some photos of the rooms where the accident occured. All names have been redacted to protect the families. Also please note these were pre-1995 deaths. The products were ANSI compliant at the time. In 1993 products were compliant if they had a continuous looped operational cord. Separate pull cords with tassels were not introduced into the ANSI standard until 1994. More about ANSI standards below.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bw2gBSDBvobGNjMyZTJiZjEtNzgwZS00NGM3LWIzY2UtOWYxZWMzZTZmZWY4

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bw2gBSDBvobGNmRkNWM1YzQtOTFjOS00ZjEyLWE3MWUtMTJmYTM3ZjNhMDEw

What does a product that complies with ANSI standard mean? Some industry members might think that when products are tested in labs they are tested for safety. This is far from the truth. ANSI is not a seal of approval for safety. ANSI standards are written FOR the Industry to not reveal known hazards. Therefore even today when you test products against the ANSI standards 80% of the hazard will still exist even though the product complies with ANSI standard. For example, at this point operational cords were not dealt on the current standard which is 80% of the problem. Children will die on future products that comply with ANSI standard because the standard allows for long pull cords which can wrap around the neck of a child or get tangled together reforming the loop in the pull cord. Children can be so severely injured they will need 24 hour care for the rest of their lives because of products that comply with such a weak standard. Products are only as safe as the standard that is written.

WCMA/WCSC recommends ONLY cordless products in places where children are present. This is on the WCMA/WCSC website. This is an admission that corded products that comply with ANSI standard are not safe! Products used as directed means that if a child is present, then the product is not being used as directed. The consumers get the blame by industry for not using as directed. The warning to ONLY use cordless products is not on any package labeling in stores therefore in order for consumers to really know what is recommended, they have read the fine print on the WCMA/WCSC website in order to figure out that using only cordless is recommended by WCMA/WCSC. The chances of consumers even knowing what or who WCMA/WSCS is and finding their website is slim to none.

What about dealers? Responsibility is also placed on dealers who might also be clueless of the WCMA/WCSC recommendation. Dealers and maybe some retailers who do know about the recommendation then convince consumers to spend extra money for that cordless product which is much more expensive. Oh the cost of safety! Oh when will the madness end?

Something needs to change. The lies need to stop. You can't base an educational campaign on lies. We have the lives of children at stake! You must come out with the truth to the public so they can make an informed decisions on what they are buying. PFWBS has always recommend cordless window coverings OR window coverings that have inaccessible cords. Please see our website for products that bear our Seal of Approval.

Clearing up false statements with facts.

2011-11-23T22:18:00.003-06:00

There are several news articles and emails going around with false information in them. Let me start with the WSJ article called A rule of Blind Injustice.
http://online.wsj.com/article

“The problem with blinds, according to safety advocates, is that the cords can be a temptation to young children, ensnaring or strangling them if they become entangled. While the industry has adopted voluntary standards for reducing the risk to children, the agency says that improving safety and reducing the hazard isn't enough. It wants zero risk.”

First let me say that cords are more than a “temptation” to young children. Why water it down? It is a hazard that has killed and injured 494 children! We are not asking for zero risk as anyone can hurt themselves with anything. We are asking for the strangulation risk/hazard to be removed. THAT IS POSSIBLE! Industry boasts about how safe their cordless products are to the public, which have ZERO strangulation risk on them! We are asking that the technology that already exists on manufactures product lines to be applied to ALL window coverings. According to manufactures “safety options” only cost about $2-7 dollars to manufacture depending on the size and nature of the product, yet they charge an extra $ 40-100 to the customer! Industry is using safety as a profit opportunity! Why do consumers have to pay so much for that extra safety?

“The CPSC estimates that about 12 children a year die in accidents with window blinds. Every death or injury of a child is tragic, but the risk posed by blinds is dwarfed by other common dangers. According to Consumer Reports, more than 5,000 children a year are injured or killed falling out of open windows and through window screens. Electrical outlets also pose a risk, but no one has suggested removing those through regulation.”

Since the article wants to compare window falls to window blind strangulation lets treat this like a disease. If there were two diseases that were killing children, one more than the other, should you ignore the cure to one of those because there is no cure for the other? I think not. It would be unethical. Why are we treating this different? The bottom line is that there is a “cure,” a solution to reduce the deaths to ZERO if industry would make operational cords inaccessible but they don’t want to do that. Can I also point out that we are not asking for window coverings to be removed from the market just modified so they won’t kill any more kids!

In order to remove all risk, all new blinds would have to be made without any of the cords traditionally used to raise or lower them, including safety varieties that tie down or up or can be retracted out of a toddler's reach. While the industry already offers cordless products for consumers who want them, a ban would affect the more than 80% of products that do use cords, requiring costly changes in manufacturing and design.

We are not asking for a “ban” on window coverings but regulations for operational cords, which are the cause of 70-80% of all the deaths! Why are they ignoring the majority of the problem and how can industry pat themselves on the back when at least 70-80% of the problem still exists?

Hairdryers info
http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/hairdryer.pdf

There used to be 17 electrocutions a year with hairdryers (see above), primarily involving kids pulling them into a bathtub. When the CPSC pushed UL in the early 90s for a standard to require immersion protection, there were those who said it would take too long to replace all hairdryers and information and education was the way to go. Many CPSC staff argued they had to start somewhere. CPSC pushed UL. UL then changed its standard to require immersion protection in the switch-off position-this addressed about 1/2 of the deaths and was easy and inexpensive to do-waterproof the switch.

UL said it was done since half the deaths would be eliminated. CPSC said no, finish the job. UL then changed its standard to require immersion protection in the switch-on position as well. The industry said those $5.00 hairdryers will cost $60.00. The standard took effect. Hairdryers jumped in price to about $60 ( a self-fulfilling prophesy) until competition kicked in and the price went down to less than $10 for many hairdryers. The GFCI at the end of the hairdryer plug that provides immersion protection costs about $1.00-at least it did years ago.

My point in this story is it is an argument to use as to why CPSC must start somewhere, sometime. Yes, it will take a long time to eliminate existing blinds in homes and to replace old blinds with new ones without accessible cords. But unless a mandatory standard prohibiting accessible cords is put in place, the deaths will continue unabated. Today, in any given year, there are no deaths associated with hairdryers falling into water. It should be the same for window coverings. Consumers have windows and will always need to cover them! These regulations if mandated will allow consumers to be able to afford more cordless options PLUS this gives ground for smaller manufactures to compete with the big dogs of the industry w all product lines on the market.

WCMA “listened” closely with CPSC and consumer groups such as ours however they did NOT “work” with us. They did not apply one single thing that was suggested in order to eliminate or reduce the risk of strangulation of window coverings products. The standard will still allow the following:

1. Tension devices that are known to be faulty and have broken off walls exposing a loop that killed children in the past.

2. Operational cords that have “safety tassels” attached to them. 70-80% of all strangulations occur on window coverings with operational cords.

3. Cord joiners have killed several children and violates prior standards by allowing a loop in the operational cord.

4. Inner cords on roll up shades which can break away leaving a 12 foot dangling cord

Please tell me if all of this is still allowed how the standard was “strengthened”? Tell me how strong is a standard if 70-80% of the hazard risks are still there? How can this be the most stringent standard in the world? These are the reasons safety advocates walked out. The hazards that have been there since the 1994 standard will continue to be there! There were no real changes just minor changes, updating labels and allowing wide bands ect. Children will continue to die at the same rate they have been dying for the last 30 years!

Here are the facts:

Products manufactured on TODAY’s market have caused catastrophic injuries and deaths. It is not just the older blinds with looped operational cords but new window coverings with tasseled pull cords. Don’t believe the lies Industry is spreading that the majority of these deaths don’t comply with today’s standards. We have data to prove otherwise.

Educational campaigns by industry have failed to reduce the death rate of children,retro-fit kits have failed and caused deaths and injuries. If children are dying on tasseled pull cords why does the industry tell the public to use tassels in their educational campaigns? Why continue to tell the public that using safety kits with tassels is recommended? Why won’t they tell the public the truth about these deaths? I ask myself this on a weekly basis.

The language added by Senator Dick Durbin to the appropriations bill would allow the CPSC to establish mandatory standards for window coverings. WCMA has had years to come up with a standard that will actually save the lives of children. They have refused to listen to three government recommendations to eliminate the strangulation hazard. They have refused to listen and apply recommendations of safety experts during the standard making process and have hidden testing results from the steering committee. How is a committee supposed to make decisions on safety if safety-testing results are withheld? What are they hiding? This is a very competitive market and there are a few big dogs at the top who don’t want to lose their place. It’s time for the government to step in and create a safer standard that actually has children’s lives and safety at the forefront.

Lastly, I must say that there ARE some window covering companies who have integrity. There are some companies who are willing to go ALL OUT for safety. We encourage these smaller companies to stand up and take the lead on safety.

Girl brain damaged from blind cords

2011-10-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

A toddler was left brain damaged after she accidentally hung herself on a window blind cord in her bedroom.

Emily Warner, two, was found unconscious by her father, Jamie, who had gone upstairs to talk to his son, James, four.

He frantically tried to resuscitate her before paramedics arrived at the home in Royston, Herts, and managed to bring her back to life.

Emily was taken to hospital where she spent a week in a coma but has severe brain damage and cannot walk, talk or feed herself

To read more about this story click here...Accidental hanging

Can I just say first of all how sad we are to read this. Our hearts go out to the family. If you ever read this Warner family, please know you have a support group who will embrace you and support you in whatever you need.

It sickens me to read the comments articles such as this one have at the end of the story. Most of the comments are uneducated comments such as, "Mom should have tied up the cords!" or "Parents shouldn't leave children unattended!" etc etc. Excuse me but the child was in her bedroom. The cords were at a level where she could not reach from the floor. When I read comments about parents leaving their children unattended in their bedrooms I don't get it. Are the parents suppose to stay in the child's bedroom and sleep on the floor? Oh wait if they sleep, then they are not watching their child right? Shame on us parents for sleeping! Shame on parents for aiding in another child's mishaps while our other children are running around like wild animals! We should keep them in cages right? No, then we would be abusing our children!

I know personally hundreds of families who have lost children to cords. Every story is different but not a single one made me think that the parent was not "watching their child" good enough.

Let me just tell you some of the scenarios that happened when children were injured or killed.

Parents put child to bed. They closed the door thinking the child was asleep. They opened the door to check on the child and the child was hanging by the window cord.
A parent was cooking dinner while a child was watching TV. When she came to get the child to eat the child was hanging by a window cord.
A parent woke up in the morning to find her child hanging in the family room. The child had woken up before the parent.
A parent was using the bathroom while a child was caught in the cords.
A parent was helping a child who was vomiting while her other child was caught in the cord.
A parent was nursing her newborn while her older child was hanging in the same room.

THIS IS NOT A SUPERVISORY ISSUE, IT'S A PRODUCT ISSUE!!!

Many times these cords are tied up high. Many times the cords were shortened. At least 70% of these accidents occurred on operational cords. At least half of them on cords that were separated with tassels. The Industry calls those "safety tassels" but the tassels don't make the cords ANY safer than they were 20 years ago which is why the death rate in the USA remains unchanged! So many comments are made that the parents should have tied up the cords! SOME OF PARENTS DID!!!! Their child still died. MY CHILD STILL DIED! My cords were tied up out of her reach. Tying up pull cords will NOT keep all stranguation hazards at bay especially inner cord strangulations. You can tie up those cords on a roman shade all you want but any child can still strangle to death on the hidden inner cords on the back of the shade which are at a level reachable by a child of any age.

To all of those hiding behind computer screens making stupid comments about how bad parents are please READ the story and ask yourself...is this REALLY what happened or is it what some reporter THOUGHT happened. What did the reporter leave OUT of the story?Many parents who tied up the pull cords had their stories published where the reporter never told the public the family tied up the pull cords and then at the end of the story told the public to tied up their pull cords! Hello??? If there are documented cases of children DYING after the parents tied up the cords out of the children's reach, there is a HUGE problem. I have been featured so many articles all over the nation, I can't even count and many of them had their facts wrong. Tying up cords is NOT a solution, cutting cords short is NOT a solution. Getting RID of the cords is the only solution at this time. We hope to see some new inventions of products that can enclose the cords so that you won't have to go out and by new window coverings. But for now, take them down and replace them with good ol fashion curtains or some other cheap alternative!

Today I hope all of you reading out there realize that how dangerous these cords are and that most of the time articles you read do NOT contain ALL the facts. Children that are severely injured happens just seconds after they are entangled on the cord. You don't hear a thing. If you have window blinds in your home with operational cords, please take them down and replace them with something cordless. No one wants a child to never play again whether they are still here on earth or no longer with us.

What are you doing about Window Covering Safety Month?

2011-10-14T19:13:00.000-05:00

April 8th will be a day I will never forget. As I was giving birth to my precious baby a precious little boy named Gavin was passing away from the cords on a window covering. Gavin was almost 5 years old. You can see in these photos how absolutely precious he was.

His favorite hero was superman.

Gavin's family's life will never be the same. They will never get to hug him, kiss him, read to him, love him, play with him or dance with him until they meet in heaven. A lifetime is a long time. Gavin's big sister is doing everything she can to teach her community about window covering safety.

Please take some time out and read the article from the Mill CreekView I have posted below. McKenna, we are so proud of you!

This month is window covering safety month. If you could just tell ONE person about how dangerous cords are or just send our website you have no idea how many lives you could effect. Use this month to take down one window covering in your home that is dangerous. Start with the kids room first!

For more information on how to tell which window covering in your home is dangerous please go to this link. Click here to learn how safe YOUR window covering is!

PFWBS walks out of WCMA Steering Committee

2011-09-02T07:48:00.000-05:00

*Consumer Federation of America *Consumers Union *

* Independent Safety Consulting *

* Parents for Window Blind Safety *

Immediate Release: September 1, 2011 Contact:

Linda Kaiser, PFWBS (314) 494-7890

Rachel Weintraub, CFA (202) 939-1012

Don Mays, CU (917) 561-2906

Carol Pollack Nelson, ISC (301) 340-2912

Consumer Groups Walk Out of Failed Window Covering Standards Process

Flawed Year –Long Process Has Not Eliminated Strangulation Risk

Statement of Linda Kaiser, Parents for Window Blind Safety; Rachel Weintraub, Consumer Federation of America; Don Mays, Consumers Union; and Carol Pollack-Nelson, Independent Safety Consultant

In June, 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada and the European Union’s DG Sanco, urged the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) to eliminate the strangulation hazard posed by corded window coverings.

Since 1983, 497 children have been killed or seriously injured by accessible cords on window coverings. The rate of injuries and deaths has not been significantly reduced since 1983.

Consumer groups were permitted to participate in a limited way as part of a standards development steering committee. Over this year, however, our recommendations have been ignored and resisted. Furthermore, this revision process has not been transparent. Research commissioned by the WCMA for the purpose of drafting this standard and other information has not been shared with us. It is now clear that this flawed process will yield a very flawed result leaving children at risk.

The current draft of the standard, which is anticipated to be final this October, has failed to eliminate strangulation risks posed by accessible cords.

Innovative technological solutions have not been incorporated into the standard by WCMA even though they exist.

Our organizations regretfully have withdrawn from this standards development process because we could no longer give legitimacy to the flawed process and unacceptably weak resulting standard.

###

Consumer Federation of America, www.consumerfed.org; Consumers Union, www.consumersunion.org;

Parents for Window Blind Safety, www.pfwbs.org.

Weslea

2011-08-20T00:20:00.000-05:00

Weslea Adriane Ellen Teraberry
June 2, 2003 – February 15, 2008

Weslea's Memorial Website

Weslea was a bright, loving child. Unique and inspiring, up until her death at the young age of four and a half. At her viewing we put a picture up of the ugliest dog in the world winner, Sam. This dog was hideous. Most children would turn their heads in disgust, Weslea simply said “I love him”. She did puzzles cardboard side up. She wore pink cowboy (excuse me…cowGIRL) boots to school combined with tutus and a wand or witch hat…whatever suited her fancy. She was truly an individual. And being my last child, my baby…I let her. Whatever made her feel confident.
The day she died we were all home, business as usual. I was putting a pot on the stove and went to send an email, when my middle child Maggie came to tell me “Weslea was sleeping funny”. I jumped up and thought “this is going to be good” she was the type of child that when she was tired she slept…where ever she was. We’ve got some funny pictures of it too. When I stepped into the bedroom and walked over to her my mind played a trick on me. I thought she was sleeping standing up. I told Maggie to get her Dad, she’s sleeping standing up! Something told me to get on the bed…she didn’t fall back and that’s when I saw the cord wrapped around her neck.
I couldn’t do anything but scream…I lifted the cord from around her neck and that is when I noticed she was a bluish color. I ran with her down the hall, I handed her to my husband and told him she was dead…screaming she’s dead. I needed him to fix her. Wake her up. This is not happening. I watched as my husband and neighbor worked on her. It seemed like an eternity for the ambulance to arrive…anyone to arrive. I was outside of my body. I was no longer in control. My life as I knew it, was over. We arrived at the hospital, and the docs and crew were working diligently to get her breathing…I kept thinking “she will be ok” she has to be ok. They got her heart beating again and cheers came from the room. They had to transport her to another hospital, air lifted. We had to drive. It was on the drive, I contemplated something I never told anyone right away. What if she lives but isn’t Weslea any more? What then? On that hour and a half drive (which felt like days) I told myself “if she isn’t going to be the same…then take her”….but I never expected it to happen. When we arrived at the hospital, she was already gone. She died 5 minutes outside of the hospital on the helicopter. The worked on her there, but she didn’t come back.

We were told we could see her…we walked to the room and it looked like she was sleeping. Perfect baby sleeping. Her eyes would never open again, her little hand would never mesh with mine as we walked again, I’d never get to brush the hair out of her eyes again, hear her laugh again….all the agains I would never get. My husband held her, he picked her up and held her. I couldn’t. I smelled her skin, I never wanted to forget her “kid smell” as our family called it. We used to say you could bottle it and sell it. It’s the smell of your child after they’ve played all day in the summer sun or on a brisk day…a little sweaty mixed with that sweetness only they can own.
I never knew that this kind of thing could happen, we lived to love and protect our children and this was a shock. People said horrible things about me, I was neglectful, where was I while she was choking to death? I soon after developed a tough skin. My family and friends assured me that if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone. There is no doubt that this type of death is tragic. For everyone. If I had have known about the danger I would have taken the necessary steps to protect her, and my other children. Education is the key.
I learned from Weslea, I learned so many lessons to say…but I won’t let her death just go away. If I can save one child, one family from this lifetime of pain by educating about the dangers of window blind cords then, its not that its ok…but it makes it feel easier to be without her. She was wise for four and a half, I am thirty seven years old and she is still teaching ME from the other side.
I love you Pink Fox….

Angel Duenas 1/8/07 - 8/11/09

2011-07-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

Born 1/8/07

Strangled 8/9/11. Taken off life support on 8/11/09

Sunday, August 9, was like every other Sunday. We got up, had breakfast and went to Mass. It was a beautiful day. Hot, sunny, no clouds. After church, the kids (Angel, 2.5, Hanna, 4, and Maire-Kate, 10) had leftover pizza for lunch and I got the little ones ready for a nap. I was finishing laundry so I could take the kids to the park. The next time I saw Angel, (about 20 minutes later) he was dead. He had hanged himself on a cord from the window blind in his bedroom. I knew the cords were dangerous. I had the blinds in the raised position so they wouldn't get their heads caught in the slats if they looked out the window. The cords were tied at the top of the window that I thought the kids couldn't reach. Hanna later told a police detective that she reached the cord by climbing on a dollhouse and standing on the window sill to pull the cord down. The cord came down tangled creating the loop that strangled Angel. They were pretending it was a zip line like the cartoon character, Go-Diego-Go, uses on tv. I'll never forget Hanna coming to me and saying "Angel is sleeping in the window and his has this thing on his neck". I ran screaming into the room. I remember pulling the cord from his neck and screaming his name. He wasn't blue. His eyes were half open. For a second, I thought it just happened and he'd be okay. I shook him and screamed "Angel!! Angel!!" but he didn't wake up. His arm brushed against mine when I shook him and it was cool. His lips were pale. I carried him to the living room and did CPR while my older daughter called 911. The paramedics were able to get a heartbeat but he had significant brain damage. His bio Mama "P" was away for the weekend. I think Angel held on for her so she could say goodbye. Angel was taken off life support on Tuesday morning.

After his death, child welfare didn't require other foster parents to take their blinds down. They called Angel's death a tragic accident. I emailed every child welfare office in the state and told them Angel's story. Then I emailed the governor and told him that IF another child died, I was going to make sure the state of Maryland was held responsible. Before Angel's death, they could claim ignorance. Now they know the danger. When the governor's office didn't take action, I contacted every delegate and senator in my state and told them Angel's story. They were sympathetic but didn't think there needed to be legislation. Everytime another child died, I emailed them and said "Okay, another child died on 9/11. That makes 9 this year. How many more? Just tell me how many kids have to die before you do something? 11? 17? 104?" After that last email, my local delegate, Kirill Reznik, said he went home and took a look at the blinds in his own window. He then realized he had to do something. Along with Senator Nancy King, Del Reznik introduced legislation to ban cords in foster homes, daycare homes and daycare centers. The law is named after the baby: Angel's Law. And it took effect on October 1st 2010.

The memories of that day can still take my breath away and leave me feeling sick but they don't consume my every moment like they did in the beginning. I still, after 22 months, can't believe that "dead" is a word that describes my little boy. People tell me that Angel's life had meaning. His law will save other kids. He fulfilled his purpose. He's happy in heaven. But those things don't make me feel better. I want him-not a law. There is nothing is this world that anyone can give me that would make up for what I've lost. It's just so unreal. Learning to live without him has been horrific but I'm still here. The pain comes in waves -sometimes it's unexpected and takes me by surprise. Some days, everything I see brings him to mind: "What a pretty flower. Does he see those in heaven? He would have loved that playground. He should be playing with Hanna on the swings." And when the weather is hot and sunny, it's especially hard. I hate summer. I can see the beauty in it but I just hate it. I count the days until it's over. It's full of memories, full of 'what if's' and 'why didn't I's'.

The condo association wanted all the windows to have white or off white mini blinds. I wish I had just taken the blind down to begin with. I didn't cut the cord. It never even occured to me to take a scissors and just cut the cord off.

I was going to change Angel's name after he was adopted. Angel's birthname was "Angel Vo". "Vo" is Vietnamese for the mythical bird, the Phoenix-which rose to a new life from the ashes of death. I had no idea how fitting his name would be.

More Roman Shade Recalls

2011-07-02T18:02:00.000-05:00

Two more Roman Shade recalls were announced this past week from the CPSC.

The Shade Store is recalling 45,000 roman shades. This recall involves custom-made Roman shades that were made out of fabric and of woven wood. The shades do not have any permanent markings and were sold at five showroom locations and online at www.theshadestore.com from February 2006 through March 2011 for between $120 and $355 per shade.

Wm. Wright Company who sold Roman Shade Make-it-Yourself Kits are being recalled.

They were sold at stores such as Walmart, JoAnn fabrics and other DIY type stores.
Please see CPSC link below for more information.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10077.html

If you have any Roman Shades, even if they are not on the above list please see our video below to
learn how to make your Roman Shade cord free. Any Roman Shade with cords is a strangulation threat to children.

http://youtu.be/CrzbFC96Des

The CPSC has a new website up where consumers can go to report an accident. If you or someone you know has had an accident on a window covering product, please report it to this website.
http://www.saferproducts.gov/Default.aspx

About the Lowe's Recall

2010-12-02T07:11:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Lowe’s recalled 11 million roman shades and roll up shades. The reason for this recall is because the shades, as of December 3rd, no longer meet the safety standards the Industry created this past year. Lowe’s had their chance to be apart of the major recall back in December 2009, but for some reason did not want to participate.

I wanted to let consumers know that if they get the repair kit for roll up shades, the shade still has several area’s where a child can strangle to death. In fact, when a consumer places the break away kit on the roll up shade, it doesn’t always break away. The cord is suppose to deploy at 3 pounds of pressure but our testing showed results as high as 22 pounds of pressure, well over the weight of a small child. If the cord does break away, the cord is over 6 feet long that can strangle a child. This product still operates with operational cords to lift and lower the shade, another area where a child can strangled to death.
Please see this video that shows a product with the repair kit installed.

PFWBS recommends throwing out your hazardous roll up shade and replacing it with something cordless. Please forward this message to your friends and loved ones as Lowe’s nor the CPSC is telling the public that after the repair kit, the product still poses several strangulation hazards.

CPSC database approved last week.

2010-11-29T11:01:00.000-06:00

Kudos to the CPSC!

Last week after a 3-2 vote, the CPSC approved a database required by the CPSC Safety Improvement act of 2008.

See this video by LA times on the concerns about the database before the voting began.

Consumers have every right to read complaints and reports on products that have endangered other children, teens and adults. Up until March 2011, the consumers can only file complaints through the CPSC and then have to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records of other reports. This is very time consuming and is given to the Manufacture as to whether or not they wanted their name released before reports were given to the FOIA requesting consumer. There also must be an investigation on the report to verify it's legitimacy which can take months. The only way consumers can tell if a product is dangerous right now is if it has been recalled. This database will enable the consumers to know instantly what is dangerous and what is not from other consumer experiences.

Until March 2011 you can report accidents, even if they have minor injuries, to the CPSC using the link below. Reports are SO important on getting products recalled off the market. If your child has been injured, you have no idea how much it can help another parent by reporting it!

http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html

The only downside to this new database is that it will only start complaints that happen AFTER March 2011. This means 455 Injuries and deaths on window covering products that PFWBS has in their own database will not be included.

If you have small children please see this website for up to data information on products that have been recalled. www.kidsindanger.org

Contest Winner Announcement!

2010-11-18T08:33:00.000-06:00

Yes we have a winner!

Before I announce the winner, I wanted everyone to know that we used a Custom Random Number generator in order to pick the winner. We did not have a lucky number nor did we look at the movie titles and say, well I like that movie too so I will pick that person.

Just in case you are wondering, the winner likes the movie Night of the Living Dead. She likes horror films.

The winner is......Cheryl Alley!

Congratulations Cheryl for being the first PFWBS blog contest winner! Now you have money for Black Friday! Happy Shopping!

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! Watch for our next contest which will be in the month of December! Remember you MUST be a follower of our blog in order to win. If you just answer the contest question you are not eligible to win.

WCMA Stakeholder Meeting

2010-11-15T19:54:00.001-06:00

This past week I attended the WCMA stakeholder meeting at the Consumer Product Safety Commission headquarters in Bethesda Maryland. During the meeting the Industry promised to “reduce or minimize” the hazards associated with window covering products. We believe that they can eliminate ALL hazards and so does Inez Tennenbaum. See quote below.

As Linda [Kaiser] can attest, the rate of deaths and near-deaths involving window covering cords has been unchanged for far too many years. The work that begins today must conclude next year with standards that enhance the safety of all window coverings.

When I say enhance, I mean design out the risk of strangulation to children. I'm looking for a full commitment in the important work that you all are undertaking to eliminate the risk of strangulation.

We have been invited to be on the steering committee which will enable us to help draft the new comprehensive standard for 2011.
During the meeting, we presented a prototype created by Robert Nievens, retired NY Firefighter, that could be used as a retrofit for continuous loop chains and continuous loop cords. We also saw a few other examples of prototypes that could possibly eliminate the strangulation hazards on window blinds. The technology is here. After seeing the prototypes, we believe that all window covering products could be designed so that no parent would ever have to go through the horror of find their child strangled on a window covering cord.

It is so exciting to see so many Industry leaders excited about window covering safety.
Many Industry members heard for the first time the statistics of over 300 children who have died in the past 20 years. They had no idea so many children had been injured or killed. What does that tell you? If the Industry doesn’t realize how often children get caught up in the cords, how are parents supposed to know?

There were several attendees at the WCMA stakeholder meeting from the Industry, the CPSC staff and safety advocates. To watch the video, please click below.

http://www.cpsc.gov/vnr/asfroot/wcma.asx

In this video you will see products that could change the way the Industry designs window coverings.

Education on how to identify window covering cord hazards is the leading prevention in strangulation. So many parents don’t understand there is still a risk even if cords are tied up high. Some might think that their children are not old enough to reach the cords, or maybe some believe that their children are too old to mess with a cord from a window covering. One man at the meeting stated “Children are the most inventive and mischievious beings on the planet.” This is so true. They can do anything. They can climb anything. They can reach anything if they really put their minds to it. One mother once told me that her child who was a little under 2 had reached the cookies on TOP of the fridge!

We are still running our giveaway contest for $100 Visa giveaway card. Only a day and a half left! Let your friends know. No only do they have a chance to win, but they also learn about safety at the same time.

More Roman Shades recalled after child dies in Cedar Falls, Iowa

2010-11-10T16:11:00.000-06:00

More Recalls on roman shades. If you have roman shades, pay attention to these recalls as you may be able to get your money back on them!
Go to www.CPSC.gov to see if your roman shades have been recalled!

Strangulation Death of a Child Prompts Recall of Roman Shades, Roll-Up Blinds, and Roller Blinds by Hanover Direct/Domestications

Expands previous recall of Roman shades. Hanover Direct/Domestications has added its name to the retailers joining the voluntary recall announced in December 2009 of ALL Roman shades and roll-up blinds.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Roman shades, roll-up blinds and roller blinds

Units: About 495,000 Roman shades and 28,500 roller/roll-up blinds (about 90,000 Roman shades were recalled in October 2009)

Importer: Hanover Direct Inc., (also known as Domestications, The Company Store, and Company Kids) of Weehawken, N.J.

Hazards:

Roman Shades: Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck.

Roll-up Blinds: Strangulations can occur if the lifting loops slide off the side of the blind and a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop or if a child places his/her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

Roller Blinds: Strangulations can occur if the blind's continuous loop bead chain or continuous loop pull cord is not attached to the wall or the floor with the tension device provided and a child's neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop.

Incidents/Injuries:

Roman Shades: CPSC received a new report of the death of a 22-month-old boy in Cedar Falls, Iowa who was found hanging by his neck from the outer pull cords of a Roman shade in May 2010. The outer pull cords were knotted at the bottom. He was rescued by his father but died later in the hospital. In March 2008, a 2-year-old boy from Ocean View, Delaware climbed up on a toy chest to look out of a window and became entangled in the inner cords of a Roman shade. His parents removed the cord. No permanent injuries were sustained. This incident prompted a previous recall.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11036.html

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway Rules

2010-11-03T16:08:00.006-05:00

Here are a few simple rules to follow to be eligible to win the $100 Visa Gift Card:

Must live in the USA
Must be 18 years or older
Must sign up to be a follower and answer the question and publish your comment in the comment section below. The name in your comment post MUST be the same as your follower name
If you are already following, just answer the giveaway contest question and you're in!
Contest ends on November 17, 2010 at 5pm Central Time.

Most important, help spread the word! This contest will become a monthly drawing for current members as well as new members with different prizes awarded if we can get enough followers.

**Submit your entry**

New safety rule for cords on window blinds criticized

2010-09-15T21:48:00.002-05:00

Article in USA today paper.

Here is a quote....

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum insisted consumer advocates be included on the committee updating the standard. But the advocates — including representatives of Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America and Parents for Window Blind Safety — say the rule was already written by the time they got involved and their votes to reject the rule had no effect. "It was window dressing to allow us to participate in the process," says Carol Pollack-Nelson, a psychologist and consumer advocate.

Please click here for the full article.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/2010-09-16-blinds16_ST_N.htm

Don't be fooled by "child safe" stickers or advertisements!

2010-09-13T14:29:00.000-05:00

Today I was at Big Lots looking around and found this roll up window blind.

See the bright colors and the child drawing with a smiley face? Makes it look more child
friendly doesn't it? It reads "Make the right choice. Safety Window Covering. Break away system save your child or pet from cord strangulation danger." Don't be fooled. This is the same type of window covering in our video posted below.

Dangerous Roll Up Shades

Take a look at the video. Does it look child safe to you?

Just because a company puts child safe on products does NOT mean the product has been tested. It does not mean it is hazard free especially if it is a window covering that includes cords. This product will NOT save your child from all strangulation dangers.

When looking for child safe window coverings, always remember, if there is a cord, it's NOT CHILD SAFE!

Child nearly dies from window covering

2010-09-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

Friday a 5 year old boy nearly strangled to death from the cords of a window blind.

http://www.click2houston.com/video/24983030/index.html

Please see our website. Safety kits do not save all children's lives. In fact, based on the video, it looks like this window covering already had safety kits attached. Children over the ages of 2 can reach cords tie up high.
The CPSC and PFWBS recommends going cordless.

More Roman Shades and Roller Shades recalled

2010-07-22T15:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10307.html

Near Strangulation Prompts Recall of Roman and Roller Shades by Smith+Noble

Smith+Noble has added its name to the retailers joining the voluntary recall announced in December 2009 of ALL Roman shades and roll-up blinds.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Roman and Roller shades
Units: About 1.3 million (1,160,000 Roman shades and 115,000 roller shades)
Distributor: Smith+Noble, of Corona, Calif.
Hazard:

Roman Shades: Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck.
Roller Shades: Strangulation can occur if the shade's continuous loop cord is not attached to the wall with the tension device provided and a child's neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop.

Incidents/Injuries:

Roller Shades: CPSC and Smith+Noble have received a report of a 5-year-old boy in Tacoma, Washington who became entangled in an unsecured continuous loop bead cord on a roller shade in May 2009. No medical treatment was required.
Roman Shades: None.

Description: This recall involves all roller shades that do not have a tension device attached to the continuous loop cord and all custom, made-to-order Roman shades. Brand names include Smith+Noble, Christopher Lowell by Smith+Noble, Jessitt Gold, Shop Blinds and Window Elements.
Sold exclusively at: Smith+Noble online at www.smithandnoble.com and through catalog sales nationwide from 1998 through April 2010 for between $100 and $1,600, depending on custom size and options.
Manufactured In: China, Mexico and United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the Roman shades and contact the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) for a free repair kit at (800) 506-4636 anytime or visitwww.windowcoverings.org. Consumers should check the roller shades to make sure the tension device provided is attached to the continuous loop cord and installed into the wall. If not attached, consumers should attach the tension device securely to the wall. If they no longer have the tension device, consumers should immediately stop using the roller shades and contact WCSC to receive a free replacement tension device.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Smith+Noble toll-free at (877) 228-7683 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday and between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Saturday and Sunday, or visit the firm's website at www.smithandnoble.com/productrecallinformation
Note: Examine all shades and blinds in your home. Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.

For video of dangers window coverings please see our website http://www.pfwbs.org/main/index.php/videos or you can go to our YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/pfwbs

Press release from CPSC meeting

2010-06-20T17:01:00.000-05:00

*Consumer Federation of America *Consumers Union * * Independent Safety Consulting *Kids in Danger * * Parents for Window Blind Safety *

For Immediate Release Contact: Linda Kaiser, PFWBS (314) 494-7890 June 18, 2010 Nancy Cowles, KID (312) 595-0649

Don Mays, CU (914) 378-2346 Carol Pollack-Nelson, ISC (301) 340-2912

Rachel Weintraub, CFA (202) 939-1012

Consumer Advocates Applaud Tri-Lateral Announcement to Eliminate Hazards Posed by Window Blinds: Urge Action Steps to Ensure Success

Washington, DC—Yesterday the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Health Canada and Directorate General for Health and Consumers of the European Commission announced a tri-lateral effort to eliminate hazards posed by corded window coverings.

“We applaud the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Health Canada and DG Sanco for taking this important precedent-setting step to eliminate the strangulation risk posed by window coverings with accessible cords,” stated Linda Kaiser, President and Founder of Parents for Window Blind Safety. “A solution that prevents injuries and deaths to children caused by these products is long overdue.”

In a letter to standards development organizations in the United States, Canada and the European Union; CPSC, Health Canada and DG SANCO called for “stronger standards that eliminate the risk factors causing child death and injuries” from window blinds and also stated their support for “a swift and comprehensive process that concurrently eliminates the risk factors causing deaths and injuries from all types of corded window covering products.”

“CPSC staff and CPSC leadership are prioritizing child safety in announcing their call to eliminate hazards posed by corded window coverings,” states Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids in Danger. “We must take real action to prevent the monthly deaths caused by these products.”

According to CPSC, there are 120 reported fatalities and 113 injuries caused by corded window coverings since 1999. Other studies have shown, however, that many incidents go unreported and in reality, a child dies every two weeks after strangling in the cords of window coverings. The injuries from corded window coverings are severe: some suffer permanent and debilitating brain damage.“Despite decades-old industry standards and educational campaign, children continue to be killed and injured as unsafe window coverings remain for sale and in people’s homes,” stated Don Mays, Senior Director, Product Safety/Technical Policy, Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports® . “CPSC now knows that it cannot rely on the current inadequate voluntary standard that has failed to significantly reduce the rate of deaths and injuries associated with these products.”

“We are optimistic that the CPSC, industry, and consumer representatives can work together to move quickly in a new and effective standard,” stated Carol Pollack Nelson, Ph.D. of Independent Safety Consulting. “Moving quickly is important. Every day, new blinds with dangerous cords are manufactured and installed in consumers’ homes. Every blind that is produced today will remain in American homes for many years to come, perpetuating the hazard. The time to stop the hazard is now. CPSC’s commitment to the immediate development of a new standard that eliminates strangulation hazards on all window coverings is very encouraging.”

Cordless blinds and shades that do not pose strangulation risks to children are available for sale now. The technology needed to manufacture safe blinds and shades already exists. While available, cordless designs are often sold at higher costs than corded blinds, thus discouraging consumers from purchasing safer window coverings.

“This process must begin immediately, must be transparent and must include consumer as well as other stakeholders from the earliest stages of this standards process,” stated Rachel Weintraub, Director of Product Safety and Senior Counsel with Consumer Federation of America. “Consumer advocates are ready to work on an international voluntary standard which truly eliminates window coverings with long accessible cords that will save the lives of young children who might otherwise perish or be severely injured while playing or sleeping near corded window coverings.”

###

Consumer Federation of America, www.consumerfed.org; Consumers Union, www.consumersunion.org; Kids in Danger, www.kidsindanger.org; Parents for Window Blind Safety, www.pfwbs.org.

CPSC calls for stronger safety standards that eliminate the risk for strangulation on all window covering products

2010-06-17T08:00:00.011-05:00

Today the CPSC announced in a letter a call for stronger standards for all window covering products.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10265.pdf

After 119 deaths and 113 injuries since 1999, the CPSC is now on the same page as PFWBS in the enforcement for strong standards that eliminate the risk of strangulation.

We are meeting with Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum this morning to discuss what the timeline is and the effectiveness of voluntary standards vs mandatory standards.

CPSC Announces International Initiative for Strong Safety Standards on Window Coverings

2010-06-17T06:20:00.000-05:00

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10265.html

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada and the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) have joined together to call for strong and comprehensive international safety standards on window coverings from manufacturers and standards organizations.
This international, multi-lateral call for immediate action (pdf) is the first time the three safety agencies, representing consumers in 29 countries, have joined together to demand strong worldwide safety standards on a specific product.
A coordinated effort by the three safety agencies and standards organizations in the U.S., Canada and Europe could lead to cost-effective product development and testing and manufacturing processes in the global economy while putting the safety of children first.
Corded window coverings cause strangulation deaths and significant injuries in children worldwide. In the United States, CPSC staff is aware of 120 fatalities and 113 non-fatal incidents related to corded window coverings since 1999. Health Canada has received reports of 28 strangulation deaths and 23 near-strangulations linked to corded window coverings since 1986. In seven Member States of Europe, 90 children were reported to have visited hospital emergency departments for injuries caused by corded window coverings in 2002. More recently, at least six children in Europe have died from corded window coverings since 2008.
Since December 2009, CPSC has recalled tens of millions of corded Roman shades and roll-up blinds sold by a variety of manufacturers and retailers. These window coverings pose a serious risk of strangulation to young children. CPSC continues to urge parents and caregivers to make sure that there are no accessible cords on the front, side or back of their window coverings.
CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.

IKEA recalls roman shades, roll up shades and roller shades.

2010-06-11T12:19:00.000-05:00

If you have these type of shades in your home, please remove them and replace them with something cord-free!
For more information about what these type of shades look like, please see our video section of our website.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-10/ikea-recalls-3-million-window-blinds-on-strangulation-update1-.html

IKEA Recalls 3 Million Window Blinds on Strangulation
2010-06-10 21:08:36.718 GMT

By Jeff Plungis
    June 10 (Bloomberg) -- IKEA, the Swedish furniture
retailer, recalled 3.36 million window blinds after a child died
and two others were almost strangled, the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission and Health Canada said.
    The retailer is recalling roller, Roman and roll-up blinds,
the agencies said in a statement today. In each type, children
may get their necks tangled in loops or chains that are used to
raise or lower the window coverings.
    Wal-Mart Stores Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Ace Hardware
Corp. were among U.S. retailers in a wider recall of 50 million
Roman shades and roll-up blinds in December.
    Consumers should immediately stop using all Roman and all
roll-up blinds and return them to IKEA for a full refund, the
agency said.
    Roller blinds that don’t have a tension device attached to
the chain shouldn’t be used, the agencies said. Models with the
tension device should be installed into a wall or floor and IKEA
will provide assistance for the work, the agencies said.
    U.S. safety regulators and IKEA received a report of a 1-
year-old boy in Lowell, Massachusetts, who was almost strangled
in February, according to the statement.

                         Tangled Cords

    In April 2008, a 1-year-old girl in Greenwich, Connecticut,
became entangled in the inner cord of an IKEA Roman blind and
strangled, the CPSC said. The agency and IKEA received a report
of a 2-year-old boy who was almost strangled. Both of those
reports prompted previous recalls, the regulator said. No
incidents have been reported with roll-up blinds.
    Janice Simonsen, a U.S. spokeswoman for IKEA, didn’t return
a phone call seeking comment.
    Manufacturers should offer cordless blinds to ensure
children are safe, said Linda Kaiser, a Chicago mother who
founded Parents for Window Blind Safety after her 1-year-old
daughter, Cheyenne, was strangled by a cord in 2002.
    Five children have been killed by window cords so far this
year, after 13 died last year and 22 in 2008, Kaiser said. Last
month, Maryland became the first U.S. state to adopt a law
banning from foster homes and day-care centers window coverings
with cords, Kaiser said.
    Consumers were directed by the agency to call IKEA toll-
free at 1-888-966-4532 or visit the website for more
information.
    IKEA sold the blinds in the U.S. and Canada from January
1998 through June 2009 for $5 to $55, the agencies said.

Lawmakers push for window cord safety

2010-03-24T10:42:00.002-05:00

Kudos to Maryland lawmakers!

Lawmakers push for window cord safety

In August, Kathleen Leeson of Montgomery Village walked into her two-year-old son's bedroom and found him strangling in cords to the blinds over his window.

"It's beyond sad," said Leeson, of her foster son Angel Duenas, who died at a hospital.

"There is not a moment of my day where he's not on my mind. He was just such a beautiful and charming kid. I hate that he's dead."

Duenas is one of more than 200 children across the country who have strangled on window blind cords in the last 10 years, said state Del. Kirill Reznik (D-Dist. 39) of Germantown, who introduced "Angel's Law" last month in the House of Delegates. The measure will require new or replacement window coverings to be cordless on or after a certain date in foster homes, family day care homes, and child care centers.

The final vote is this week to pass this bill. Parents in Maryland will now have a safer environment in their child's daycare. Thank you Del. Reznik and Senator King for your hard work on this bill.
We hope other states will take the same steps Maryland took for keeping daycares safe.

Despite scores of deaths, government has been slow to force safer designs for window blinds

2010-03-14T10:32:00.001-05:00

An article from the AP came out about how the CPSC has waited years to make mandatory safety standards on window covering cords despite all the children that have died on cords in the past three decades. After 200 deaths, the standards are still being developed by the industry.

Here is an exerbt.

Blinds and shades are some of the deadliest products subject to recalls announced by the safety agency in the last 15 years. Yet the government has failed to require manufacturers to design safer blinds and shades, relying instead on the industry to develop its own standards

Govt slow to regulate deadly window coverings

After 200 deaths, we believe it's well past the time for the government to step in and make a safety standard that will actually help DECREASE the deaths instead of leaving this issue to the hands of the Industry.

Families have lost children this year. They are just learning how to cope in this world without their child. Every family I talk to who has lost a child agrees that homes without cords are the safest. Regardless of the families attempts to follow safety guidelines such as tying pull cords out of reach, the children have always found a way to get entangled in the cords. Our hearts go out to these families who most likely wonder WHY this tragedy is still happening even after the death of their child.

Help us keep families safe. Order some of our flyers and talk to your friends about window cord safety. It CAN happen to you!

ORDER FLYERS HERE

Window Cord Wind-Up Product Review

2010-01-25T14:56:00.007-06:00

Hello world.
Today we are publishing our product review video for window cord wind up devices. These are sold at many retail stores across the nation.

We attached these products to a set of window blinds to see if a 4-year old girl could get ahold of them.
Watch this video to see the results.

After seeing how fast this precious little girl could gain access to the cords, we tried tying up the cords out of her reach and wrapped them many times around the hook. It took her less than a minute to gain access to the window blind cord.

We tested how much pressure it would take in order to break the window cord safety device. Thirty pounds of pressure would not break it! This means a large child could strangle on a loop that the wind-up creates which would not break apart to release the child. We also wanted to point out that when the child removed the cords from the place where we wrapped them up, a loop in the pull cord was re-created somehow. These cords were NOT tied together when we wrapped them up.

We wanted to show the public that no matter what you do with window cords, there is ALWAYS a potential for strangulation unless you remove the cords from your home.

Thanks for coming to our blog!
Your comments are appreciated!

50 Million Roman Shades and Roll Up Shades recalled

2009-12-17T13:58:00.001-06:00

If you have turned on the television within the last few days, you probably saw this massive recall announced by the CPSC on Tuesday.
Click here for CPSC recall information

Before I get into what the recall really means, I wanted to clear up some facts that the media is not informing the public.

This is NOT a pull cord issue. Parents tied up the pull cords, the child created a loop within the product (the inner cords) and strangled on it. It seems that many folks after reading the news releases are still confused why these shades are so dangerous. Here is a good picture. See how the string can be pulled away from the fabric? This is where the child sticks his/her head.

How many children have died from cords?
The CPSC has record of 367 window cord strangulation deaths since 1981. The injuries might be higher than this number but many go unreported. It is hard to measure that. Of the 367 that have died, 8 of children died on Roman Shades or Roll up shades.
When you read the number 8 you are only seeing the number of deaths on products that are specifically being recalled which is Roman Shades and Roll Up shades with cords.

The numbers are as follows.
Since 1981-2009 367 deaths on all corded window covering products. The main culprit being horizontal window blinds. Other deaths include drapery cords, cellular shades, and continuous loop shades with tie down devices that were faulty.

Since the 2000 retrofit recall which involved placing inner cord stoppers on the cords of window coverings, 103 children have strangled to death on various corded window covering products. More children have strangled on corded window blinds than any other product. The area's within the product that children strangle on are pull cords with separated tassels that were tangled together, the inner cord with and without inner cord stoppers, and one single cord being wrapped around the child's neck.

What do these numbers mean?
It means that in the past 2 decades the death rate has not decreased. This is why we as a Non-Profit advocate using no cords in homes, daycares, or military housing. Even with "retrofit" kits attached, children still can strangle on other areas of the product. Reports show that after parents have taken safety precautions such as tying up pull cords, making the cords shorter and attaching retrofit devices children have still found a way to strangle to death.

What do the recalls really mean?
Out of the many retailers who sold these shades, only one is offering money back. West Elm in San Francisco is offering a merchandise store credit and they will come get your shade from your home. Kudos to you West Elm!

The other retailers/manufactures are expecting YOU to remove the cords from the products.
Call the WCSC for free repair kits 1-800-506-4636. If you do receive a repair kit, email us and let us know how long it took to get to you. We are hoping to see a video showing consumers exactly how to remove the cords from the window coverings. We hope to see a video from the CPSC or from the WCSC sometime soon. Otherwise, we will just have to make our own. There will be instructions in the safety kit that will instruct consumers how to remove the cords from the Roman Shades. However, we feel video will clear up any confusion.

The Roll-Up Shades also have repair kits. We DO NOT recommend these repair kits because pull cords on the product can strangle children. We recommend that parents remove roll up shades from the home and replace it with a cordless product. In the picture to the right, the bottom arrow shows you the area where children can slip the cord off the side of the product and put their head through the loop. When the retrofit kit is installed, the loop will break off from the top of the shade if pressure is put on it. The top arrow is pointing to the pull cords. These are NOT break away. They can still get tangled together and form a loop or one cord can be wrapped around a child's neck. These are the reasons why PFWBS does not recommend roll up retrofit kits.

Below are just a few links to videos and articles about the recall. Please pass these along to your friends and loved ones who have children. Everyone is busy this time of year and I am sure millions have no idea that there was a recall.

ABC Chicago

Chicago tribune front page headline December 16, 2009

Thanks so much for your support and have a safe and Merry Christmas!

CPSC now recommends Cordless Window Coverings in homes, daycares, and other places children visit.

2009-11-03T19:29:00.002-06:00

Good news! We had written the CPSC regarding their safety alerts which confused consumers.

In their earlier releases the CPSC stated,

“CPSC, Window Covering Industry Announce Recall to Repair Window Blinds New Investigation of Children's Deaths Leads to Redesigned Window Blinds.” In this news release, the CPSC states “Consumers who have young children may wish to consider purchasing cordless window coverings.”

Child Proofing your home, 12 safety devices to protect your children Pub #252 asks consumers to “consider buying cordless products.”

Roman Shades alert PUB#5115 warns consumers of the serious danger of these products then asks them to “consider buying safer products.”

Voluntary Standards article dated 4/30/2008 states “Blinds that meet the voluntary standard can be made hazardous by users if they tie up the pull cords.”

“Be Sure your child care setting is as safe as it can be” Document #242 states “these safety devices can prevent strangulation” (nothing cordless is mentioned in this article)

The older alerts gave the consumer the impression that if they installed these "safety devices," the product was then 100% safe. This is not the case with all corded products. Even with safety devices install, children can still hurt themselves on the cords. We are happy to see that now the CPSC and PFWBS are both telling the public to Go Cordless!

Please see the following link
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5009a.pdf

Kudos to the CPSC!

Window blinds can not only be deadly...they can severely injure.

2009-10-16T22:16:00.001-05:00

Catara was a healthy 3 year old child July 4th, 2007. She could color, sing, and give her Mommy and Daddy hugs and kisses. Catara could laugh, show off her new cloths and run circles around her little brother.

On July 7th Catara got entangled in the inner cord of a window blind. She was discovered within seconds by her father. Mom quickly came into the room and began CPR. Catara later gained a pulse but she will never be the same.

Catara is severely brain damaged from the cord wrapping around her neck. Her prognosis is not good. She will most likely need care for the rest of her life. Read her story the St. Louis Post-Dispatch did last week. St. Louis Post Dispatch Story

Catara's grandmother, Alice Ratnaswamy, owns a daycare in St. Louis. We are working with her to get a law passed so that daycare providers can provide safe environments for children in Missouri. Alice ripped down all the window blinds in her daycare Last week, we showed her how to quickly install RediShades in her daycare. RediShade donated 180 shades to A2Z Learning Center. RediShades will be placed in Alice's daycare and other daycares in the St. Louis area. Thank you RediShade for donating to daycares! Daycares need all the financial help they can to remove dangerous cords from their facilities.

Please keep the Robinson Family in your thoughts and prayers. Here is a website that was donated to the family from Jellison Technologies. Catara's Site Thank you Jellison Tech, you guys are the best!

PFWBS gives RediShade their seal of approval

2009-09-01T17:44:00.000-05:00

Today we are announcing that Redi Shade's Original Pleated Shade and Redi Arch has been awarded our Seal of Approval!

Redi Shade
Redi Shade pleated and cellular shades are attractive, affordable window shades that you can easily size-at-home for a custom fit. Whether you need temporary privacy, or a permanent solution, Redi Shade window shades come in a variety of styles and sizes, and can be installed instantly with no drill, screws, or brackets! How awesome is that??

The best news of all is that they are only about $5! Anyone can afford to make their homes, daycares, military housing, and vacation home safer now! Nervous about putting your child down for a nap somewhere that is not your home? Put up a redi shade and feel 100% safe. You can find these shades at JcPenny's, Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Amazon. They are in the following countries: USA, Australia, Canada, Eastern Europe, France, Ireland & UK, and Mexico.

You can also customize these shades to match ANY of your decor in your home!
Check out some of these pictures! They even have black out ones to completely black out your room.

Look for our seal of approval in stores near you!

What is the seal of approval?
The seal of approval means that the window covering has been rigorously tested and in no way can strangle a child.

The seal of approval takes the confusion away from the consumer. By placing our seal of approval on products, customers know that the product has been tested for strangulation. This is where the confusion ends and safety begins.
Our goal is that the consumer can walk all retails stores in America and see our logo on MANY products that are safe for children.

If you would like to submit a product for approval,
Please send us an email or click SUBMIT A PRODUCT FOR APPROVAL button on our website.

Here is the press release.

What do these recalls mean? A closer look.

2009-08-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

Many of you might wonder what these recalls really mean. Let's take a closer look at each one, what it entails.

Lewis Hyman Recall: Retailer is Target
Here is what the recall entails. Remedy: Consumers should immediately check the backside of the roll-up blinds to determine if they have release clips. If the roll-up blind does not have release clips, stop using it immediately and contact Lewis Hyman for a free repair kit. Consumers should immediately stop using the Roman shades and contact Lewis Hyman for a free repair kit. The repair kits for the Roman shades will be available by the end of September.

These free repair kits have not been tested by PFWBS. We plan to test them. These safety kits are to be installed by the consumer. PFWBS believes by a first glance that these "repair" kits does NOT elminate all the strangulation hazards from the product. We will buy these, test them and post our findings.

Victoria Classic Roman Shades: Retailer is Target
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled roman shades and contact Victoria Classics to receive a free repair kit. Instructions for the repair kit

Check out these instructions! They allow the consumer to remove ALL cords from the roman shades making the shade cordless! KUDOS to Victoria Classic Roman Shades! That is a recall we at PFWBS can live with!

Pottery Barn Roman Shades
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled roman shades and contact Pottery Barn Kids to receive a merchandise card for the purchase value.

This is great! Customers get their money back. This is another recall PFWBS can live with!

Lutron Shading Solutions Roller Shades: Retailer is Design Expo
Remedy: Consumers should immediately check their window coverings to see if the tension device is attached to the cord and installed into the wall or floor. If not attached, immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Lutron Electronics to receive a free repair kit. If the consumer has difficulty installing the tensioning device, contact Lutron for further instructions.

Question about this recall. What happens if a child pulls the tension device out of the wall without the parents knowledge? This has happened and a child was killed because of it. We have not tested this repair kit, so at this time, it is not recommended in home with children due to the chance of the loop becoming loose from the wall or from the frame.

Vertical Land: Retailer is Vertical Land in Pensacola FL.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Vertical Land to receive a free retrofit kit.

This recall is for 2 window covering that have a loop for a pull cord that you pull on to open and close the shade. There should be a tie down or tension device on this shade. Even though this could help make the product safer, there is still no guarentee that the repair kit would hold up if a child pulls it out of the wall. We don't recommend these repair kits. We recommend calling the company for a FULL refund because of the dangers it poses. Another recall by Vertical Land is a typical Faux window blind with 2 sets of pull cords. Apparently there are no inner cord stoppers on these window blinds which causes a loop to be pulled out in any area of the product. Inner cord stoppers won't prevent all strangulations. With window blinds like these, children can still strangled on the pull cords if they get tangled together. Children can strangle with one cord wrapped around their neck. Children can strangle by reverse inner cord with an inner cord stopper attached. That is 3 MORE ways a child can strangle to death on this product. We recommend removing the product and calling the company for a refund.

Melina Roman Shades: Retailer IKEA
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman blinds and return them to any IKEA store for a full refund.

Another KUDOS to IKEA. This is the kind of recall we like to see. Give the customers their money back so they have the choice to buy something safer without cords! This is IKEA's second recall this past year on roman shades.

Recalls in a nutshell

These recalls should make a BIG statement to you. First of all, corded roman shades, roll up shades and window blinds kill children and will continue to kill children as long as they are in homes. Just because YOUR roman shade, roll up shade, or window blind was NOT included in the recall does NOT MEAN it is safe! It just means a child has not died on it yet or been injured. Why take the chance? Take down your corded window covering and ask the store for a refund. Show them how dangerous it is. You just might get your money back or store credit and be able to buy something safer, without cords.

6 Recalls today on roman shades and other window coverings!

2009-08-27T22:58:00.000-05:00

Well this is a hefty recall!

Kudos to the CPSC! It's about time! We have been writing for 6 years about how dangerous roman shades and roll up shades are. Here is the link that has the recalls in them.

Strangulation Deaths of Children Prompt Recall to Repair of Roll-Up Blinds and Roman Shades by Lewis Hyman Inc.

Risk of Strangulation Prompts Recall to Repair Victoria Classics Roman Shades; Sold Exclusively by Target Stores

Near Strangulation of Children Prompts Recall of Roman Shades; Sold Exclusively at Pottery Barn Kids

Risk of Strangulation Prompts Recall to Repair Roller Shades by Lutron Shading Solutions

Strangulation Death of a Child Prompts Recall To Repair Window Blinds By Vertical Land

Near Strangulation Prompts Recall of Roman Blinds; Sold Exclusively at IKEA

I will post up the details of the recalls and our comments tomorrow.

New Roman Shade Standard...What does all those words mean?

2009-04-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are not educated in this kind of wording, it looks as though the letter written by the CPSC was ignored and the new standard was created by the industry.
We as well as many other parents and activists are sad to see this happen. Developing a new standard is not going to save the lives of children. We need to see change in the PRODUCT! Now it seems that they don't have to change their product at all. They just created a safety standard so that the product did not have to change.

For those of you who are technical in this department....here is the wording for the new roman shade standard.

4.4 The product shall reduce the hazard posed by accessible inner cords by meeting one or more of
the following requirements:
      4.4.1 The product shall have no inner cords.
      4.4.2 The product shall have inner cords that are not accessible
      4.4.3 The product shall have accessible inner cords that meet the requirements in 6.6.
            4.4.3.1 For products that incorporate an inner cord stop device on the cord(s), the
            device(s) shall be positioned 6 in. (153 mm) or less below the head rail, when only the bottom rail is in the
            fully lowered position.
4.5 In addition to meeting 4.4, the inner cords of Roman style shades shall meet one of the following
requirements:
      4.5.1 They shall not be accessible.
      4.5.2 If they are accessible, they shall incorporate a cord release device that prevents a free
      standing loop from forming
      4.5.3 If they are accessible and do not incorporate a cord release device, all the following shall
      apply:
            4.5.3.1 The vertical ring to ring (or cord guide to guide) spacing shall not be greater than
            8 in. (204 mm), and
            4.5.3.2 The cords on the side of the shade shall be 2 in. (51 mm) or greater from the edge
            of the product, and
            4.5.3.3 The product shall include a bottom bar or hem of sufficient weight and rigidity to
            eliminate a free standing loop when the lift cord is pulled and released from any point
            above the first ring/guide above the tie-off point.

6.6 Accessible Inner Cord Accessible inner cords shall adhere to the following:
      6.6.1 Pull Force This is the force necessary to create a free-standing 4 in. (102 mm) cord loop. With
      the blind in the fully lowered position, and the cord lock not actively engaged, a 10 lbf (32N) minimum-pull
      force shall be applied to each inner cord 2" (51 mm) above the bottom of the blind, in a downwards direction.
      6.6.2 Maximum Cord Loop The maximum loop created by the above pull force shall be no
      more than 6" (152 mm) long. (Equivalent to a 4 in. (102 mm) diameter loop).
      6.6.3 Products That Incorporate An Inner Cord Stop Device On The Cord These products
      shall be tested in the following order and meet the following requirements:
            6.6.3.1 Operational Test With the inner cord stop device securely attached to the cord,
            the venetian blind shall be raised and lowered smoothly 1000 times (non-venetian 3000 times),
            with an interval of at least 15 seconds between each cycle. The inner cord stop device shall   move
            less than 1" (25.4 mm) from its original position on the cord. (If the cord fails, replace.)
            6.6.3.2 UV Stability cycles after the UV treatment; Subject the materials used in
            the inner cord stop device to AATCC TEST Method 16-1998, for 500 hours or equivalent.
            After completion, perform 100 cycles in accordance with 6.6.3.1. Upon completion, the
            inner cord stop device shall move less than 1in. (25.4 mm) from its original position on the
            cord and the device shall still be operable.
            6.6.3.3 Impact Test Products that do not incorporate the cord-lock requirements
            outlined in AWCMA 1029-86 (see B 1.3) for the cord lock stopping the “free fall” of the blind,
            shall be capable of withstanding 1,000 “free fall” impacts from the fully raised to the fully
            lowered position, on a maximum sized blind.
            6.6.3.4 Compression Test The inner cord stop device shall not break from being subjected
            to a 25lb compression test, specified in ASTM F963-96Aa.
      6.6.4 Stock Blinds Blinds that are made to standard sizes, and then fitted by the consumer to
      varying sized windows, shall have an inner cord stop device that shall be adjustable. The adjustable inner
      cord stop device shall be pre-attached to the cords, and set to the maximum drop of the blind. Instructions
      for adjustment shall be included with each blind sold.
      6.6.5 Products That Do Not Require an Inner Cord Stop Device. Products that do not require
      an Inner Cord Stop Device, are as follows:
            6.6.5.1 Where the cords are not accessible.
            6.6.5.2 Where it is not possible to create a free standing 4in. (102 mm) diameter loop,
            after the above pull forces have been applied, in accordance with 6.6.1.

5.2.8 Roman Style Blind
This warning tag must be attached to the lower most section of lift cord on the back side of a
Roman style product and be visible from the front of the shade upon installation.

Letter to the WCSC from the CPSC

2009-02-01T21:45:00.000-06:00

Here is a link that is from the CPSC to the WCSC regarding the proposed safety standard on roman shades.

Letter from CPSC

In this letter, the CPSC tells the Window Covering Safety Council, or the Window Covering Manufacturing Association that they don't believe some of their requirements will be effective in preventing strangulation. Our take on it is that they are right, these standards will NOT prevent strangulations!

This letter will be up for comment to the public for the next 11 days.
Please comment!

Risk of Strangulation Prompts Recall of Window Blinds Sold at Cost Plus, World Market Stores, and IKEA

2009-01-18T23:12:00.000-06:00

Click here for recall details

Here are 2 recalls for shades that have injured and killed children.
These recalls are great, and we applaud the manufactures and retailers for recalling them.
Our hope is that ALL retailers and manufactures will recall their products that have the exact same design which have killed or injured other children. All roman shades and roll up shades have the same exact design. They all need to be pulled off the shelves!

Welcome to our new blog!

2009-01-03T12:43:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our new blog.
We wanted to create a place where we could explain to the viewers what is going on with PFWBS and in the window covering world.
Please follow us or add us to your RSS feed. You won't be flooded with daily posts, just news from us when it occurs.

Thanks for your support!
Linda Kaiser
Founder of Parents for Window Blind Safety

Parents for Window Blind Safety

FAQ on our Safety Testing

WCMA does not speak for the entire Industry...

Clearing up false statements with facts.

Girl brain damaged from blind cords

What are you doing about Window Covering Safety Month?

PFWBS walks out of WCMA Steering Committee

Weslea

Angel Duenas 1/8/07 - 8/11/09

More Roman Shade Recalls

About the Lowe's Recall

CPSC database approved last week.

Contest Winner Announcement!

WCMA Stakeholder Meeting

More Roman Shades recalled after child dies in Cedar Falls, Iowa

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway Rules

New safety rule for cords on window blinds criticized

Don't be fooled by "child safe" stickers or advertisements!

Child nearly dies from window covering

More Roman Shades and Roller Shades recalled

Near Strangulation Prompts Recall of Roman and Roller Shades by Smith+Noble

Smith+Noble has added its name to the retailers joining the voluntary recall announced in December 2009 of ALL Roman shades and roll-up blinds.

Press release from CPSC meeting

CPSC calls for stronger safety standards that eliminate the risk for strangulation on all window covering products

CPSC Announces International Initiative for Strong Safety Standards on Window Coverings

IKEA recalls roman shades, roll up shades and roller shades.

Lawmakers push for window cord safety

Despite scores of deaths, government has been slow to force safer designs for window blinds

Window Cord Wind-Up Product Review

50 Million Roman Shades and Roll Up Shades recalled

CPSC now recommends Cordless Window Coverings in homes, daycares, and other places children visit.

Window blinds can not only be deadly...they can severely injure.

PFWBS gives RediShade their seal of approval

What do these recalls mean? A closer look.

Vertical Land: Retailer is Vertical Land in Pensacola FL.Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Vertical Land to receive a free retrofit kit.

Melina Roman Shades: Retailer IKEARemedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman blinds and return them to any IKEA store for a full refund.

Another KUDOS to IKEA. This is the kind of recall we like to see. Give the customers their money back so they have the choice to buy something safer without cords! This is IKEA's second recall this past year on roman shades.

Recalls in a nutshell

6 Recalls today on roman shades and other window coverings!

New Roman Shade Standard...What does all those words mean?

Letter to the WCSC from the CPSC

Risk of Strangulation Prompts Recall of Window Blinds Sold at Cost Plus, World Market Stores, and IKEA

Welcome to our new blog!

Vertical Land: Retailer is Vertical Land in Pensacola FL.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Vertical Land to receive a free retrofit kit.

Melina Roman Shades: Retailer IKEA
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman blinds and return them to any IKEA store for a full refund.