Reports linking the deaths of eight children to roll-up window blinds or Roman shades have led to a massive recall. The consumer protection measure’s broad scope suggests that nearly every Roman blind and roller shade on the market may place children at risk of strangulation injury or wrongful death.
Announcing the recall today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) noted reports of sixteen children who nearly strangled after becoming entangled in loops formed in the blind cords. Strangulations in Roman shades can occur when a child places her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the back of the blind or pulls the cord out and wraps it around her neck. Strangulations in roll-up blinds can occur if the lifting loop slides off the side of the blind and a child’s neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop or if a child places his neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.
A 2008 order denying the Window Covering Manufacturers Association’s summary judgment motion in an infant wrongful death case found that the trade organization had “developed a national safety standard intended to address the strangulation hazard of window blinds” in 1996. Rountree v. Ching Feng Blinds Indus. Co., Ltd., 560 F. Supp. 2d 804, 807 (D. Alaska 2008). In issuing the wide-ranging window covering recall, the CPSC reportedly expressed frustration that the recall was necessary since the products should have been safer in the first place.
The CPSC is directing consumers who have Roman shades or roll-up blinds in their homes to contact the Window Covering Safety Council immediately at www.windowcoverings.org or by calling (800) 506-4636. If your child is injured because of a dangerous window blind or shade, contact Portland, Oregon personal injury lawyer and products liability attorney Dane E. Johnson for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. You may reach us toll free at (800) 714-3204 or contact us online.
Related Web Resources
Press Release, CPSC, Window Covering Safety Council Recalls to Repair All Roman and Roll-Up Blinds Due to Risk of Strangulation (Dec. 15, 2009).
Elisabeth Leamy & Vanessa Weber, 50M Blinds Recalled Following Child Deaths ABC News, Dec. 16, 2009.
Comments on this entry are closed.