NYS reminds residents to buy cordless window coverings for child safety

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- October is National Window Covering Safety Month. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection is alerting families to buy window coverings without cords to avoid injuries to young children.

“Strangulation from the cord of a window treatment can happen in the blink of an eye,” said New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that an average of nine children die per year from strangulation due to window treatment cords. From 2009 to 2020, another 200 children suffered serious injury.

In December 2018, the window treatment industry agreed to phase out window treatments with cords. As a result, stock window coverings sold in stores or online should be cordless or free of accessible cords to meet the revised safety standards.

Where corded window replacement is not an option, the Division recommends these safety measures:

• Secure pull cords above a child’s reach using a cord cleat or wall attachment. Placing a pull cord on a piece of furniture or wrapping it around the window treatment can result in the pull cord coming free and dangling within a child’s reach.
• If any part of the cord has a loop or plastic connector, cut the end and remove the connector to ensure the pull cord ends will not become an accidental strangulation hazard.
• Install cord stops and make sure they are property installed to limit the length of inner lift cord that can be pulled out.
• Move anything that children play with away from the window treatments and pull cords, including all cribs, beds, furniture, and toys.

For more information about how to keep window cords away from children, you can visit the Window Covering Safety Council website.