the danger of blind cords

The silent killer in your home…

When taking on any home renovation project the safety of your family is always at the forefront of your mind and no more so than when tackling a bedroom revamp for your child.

One of the biggest safety hazards in your baby’s bedroom comes from the window, and we’re not talking about the risk of the glass cracking or the lock mechanism failing, no we are talking about blinds. Most accidental deaths in small children between the ages of 16 and 36 months happen in the bedroom due to the cord from the window blind looping round the child’s neck causing strangulation. It doesn’t bear thinking about does it!

There are of course preventative measures that can be taken to eliminate the risk of this happening, one of which is to install Wooden Shutters. These are one of the safest options for a child’s bedroom as they don’t feature any kind of roll mechanism meaning the need for a cord or chain is eliminated. They are also fantastic at retaining heat in a room, which is perfect during the winter when you want your little one to stay warm at night. The light source within the room can also be angled to the child’s preference using the shutter slats. You can completely shut out the glare of the moonlight if they prefer to sleep in complete darkness or you can angle the shutters to let in the desired amount of light.

If you do want to opt for a blind though the first thing to check before installing it is that it complies with the BBSA’s (British Blinds and Shutters Association) strict guidelines regarding child safety. This association takes a leading role in encouraging the highest possible standards of product service and safety.

Safe by Design is the best option for use in a child’s bedroom as these blinds are cordless or the cords are concealed within the mechanism meaning it is out of a child’s reach. Other blind options include in-built safety systems which feature a chain break, designed to separate under any undue pressure. Or you can purchase a separate safety device, which is designed to tie the cords away or conceal them.

This rule isn’t just restricted to the bedroom and should be applied throughout the house to help reduce the risk of accidents happening.

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