What are the Child Safety Regulations for Blinds and Window Treatments

Child Safety

Children are naturally curious about their environment, whether their exploring the home or further afield. At Direct Fabrics we understand the potential hazards faced when owning a blind around children.

That's why we believe that it's so important for a child's world to be kept safe and secure. All of our blinds either have a cord-free mechanism or come with a safety device in line with the latest European regulations, and will be supplied with all made to measure blinds as standard.

It's now illegal to supply or professionally install an internal window blind which doesn't comply with the new child safety requirements. Blinds fully compliant with BS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014 are confirmed as 'safe by design', and this standard applies to all blinds fitted in all rooms in every home, regardless of whether children are present or not.

 

If you are due to visit a prospective client who is contemplating buying a new window covering for a child's room, then you should strongly advise them to consider designs that work without cords or chains, as follows:

  • Roller blinds with slow rise spring mechanism
  • Crank operated Roller blinds - with removable crank handle
  • Electrically-operated Roller blinds
  • Vertical blinds with wand control operation
  • Curtain tracks for either hand draw operation or electric

This does not just apply to the home environment however! All areas open to the public should adhere to the same guidelines to ensure that they comply with the new standard. We suggest that you ask your client to complete a risk assessment form to inform you whether you have to provide internal blinds which are compliant with child safety standards.

Although following the introduction of the new legislation in February 2014, all new made to measure blinds are to be supplied with a child safety device, why not offer to check all other window coverings in the building for child safety compliance? In any room with a shading solution already in place, designs with cords or chains must be secured with a child safety device whether or not children are living there. This is a preventative measure due to the possibility of young ones visiting the home / property at any time in the future.

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