There are plenty of things that pose a danger to children. Are your blinds one of them?
Blinds likely aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think about accidents in the home, but they can be deadly.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a new set of blinds, taking the grandkids for the weekend, or you’re about to welcome a small person into your life, you might be wondering if your blinds are safe for children.
Want to make sure you’re protecting the kids in your life from harm? Read on for a comprehensive look at window blinds through the lens of child safety.
What’s The Reality?
Did you know that one child under 5 years of age dies every week from an accident in the home?
That’s 52 children a year. Makes for stark reading, doesn’t it?
And while this statistic isn’t specific to blinds, it’s not difficult to understand how they might contribute to the data. Those dangling cords are typical of so many window dressings in homes UK-wide.
Data analysis undertaken by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents tells us that kids under the age of three, who spend time alone in their room, are most at risk from blind-related accidents and injury. But of course, it’s crucial to consider the blind safety of any room where a young person may have access.
What Does The Law Say?
Window blinds are an incredibly popular solution for creating shade, increasing privacy and even improving the energy efficiency of your home. And until fairly recently, blinds with long, trailing cords were the norm.
Not anymore.
You might not know this, but it is now illegal for companies to sell blinds with looped cords or chains unless they have child safety devices installed at the point of manufacture.
These changes to safety standards for blinds came into force in 2014 and have improved product safety across the board. Unfortunately, there are still lots of pre-legislation blinds adorning windows and endangering children across the country.
The good news is that you can implement a selection of smart hacks to make your dodgy blinds a lot safer.
How To Make Pre-2014 Blinds Safer
That’s right. There’s no need to replace all your blinds if they don’t comply with the new safety rules.
Instead, there are some quick, cheap and easy changes you can make to keep the people in your household safe from harm. So don’t wait! Make a potentially life-saving alteration today with one of these helpful safety devices.
Chain Tensioners
Blind chain tensioners are designed to hold down the looped chain of your roller blinds, so they do not hang loose. This safety device prevents the cord or chain from tangling, keeping small children safe from getting stuck in the excess length.
To make sure your chain tensioner will work effectively, it needs to be securely fixed to an adjacent surface, like a window frame, and as far away from the top of the blind as the chain will allow. This means that the whole length of the chain is held permanently taut by the chain tensioner, eliminating the risk of strangulation.
Cleats
Is your blind operated by a cord? Many modern styles of pleated blinds, such as Venetian blinds, use a cord system rather than a chain.
For these blinds, a cleat is a simple device you can install to make your blinds safe for children. Coming in various materials and styles to suit any home, cleats are an easy addition to make for any DIYer. They should be installed securely to a surrounding adjacent surface and out of the reach of children, at least 1.5 metres from the floor.
Unlike chain tensioners which can be left to do their thing once installation is complete, the cords must be wrapped around the two arms of the cleat in a tight figure of eight after every opening or closing of the blind, making sure all spare cord is tucked in neatly.
What Are The Safest Blinds To Buy New?
Considering upgrading your existing windows coverings? Blinds make a versatile and effective shading choice, come in a vast range of styles and designs and look fantastic.
If you’re in the market for new blinds, consider blinds that are safe by design as the first port of call. This means blinds that are either cordless or operated by cords or chains that are held under tension or hidden within the structure of the blind.
From Venetian to cellular, there is a child-safe version of every type of blind on the market.
Cordless Blinds
Cordless blinds are the perfect option for children’s bedrooms and nurseries because they feature no cords or chains whatsoever.
There is a whole host of cordless blinds out there. Some blinds use spring-assisted operation, meaning a user can put the blind into position by physically pulling on the base of it. Others, such as Venetian and vertical blinds, make use of a handy wand that can open and close the blinds as well as tilt the slats.
Motorised Blinds
If you’re looking for the utmost convenience and child safety in your blinds, opt for motorised blinds.
Users can operate motorised blinds through the touch of a button on a remote control, or even using an app on their phone. This means that you can open or close your blinds in an instant, even when you’re not at home, and there is no risk whatsoever of a child in your house getting into blind-related peril.
To learn more about the effortless versatility of motorised blinds, check out our recent blog ‘Are Motorised Blinds Worth The Cost?’.
Update Your Blinds And Keep Children Safe
Don’t let your blinds be the one accident a week that kills a young child in the UK.
There are plenty of ways to ensure the safety of kids living in or visiting your home. And it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time to do so.
Interested in reading more about how Just Blinds keeps child safety at heart? Click here.
