Roman Shade and Roll-up Blind Recall Details

On December 15, 2009, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ordered the voluntary recall for the repair of all Roman shades and roll-up blinds to prevent the risk of strangulation to young children. The recall - the largest in the 35-year history of the CPSC -- affects more than 50 million Roman shades and roll-up blinds. According to CPSC, about five million Roman shades and about three million roll-up blinds are sold each year.

CPSC ordered the recall after receiving reports of five deaths and 16 near strangulations, since 2006, in Roman shades and three deaths, since 2001, in roll-up blinds. According to CPSC, strangulations in Roman shades can occur when a child places his or her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/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/her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

CPSC advises consumers that have Roman or roll-up shades in their homes to contact the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) immediately at www.windowcoverings.org or by calling (800) 506-4636 anytime to receive a free repair kit.

Manufacturers and distributors of roll-up and Roman blinds involved in the recall include:

• Louis Hornick & Co. (New York, N.Y.)
• Draper Inc. (Spiceland, Ind.)
• West Elm (San Francisco, Calif.)
• Williams-Sonoma and its Pottery Barn divisions
• International Merchandise (Columbus, Ohio)
• Lotus & Windoware (Memphis, Tenn.)
• All Strong Industry (Ontario, Calif.)
• Wal-Mart Stores (Bentonville, Ark.)
• J.C. Penney Purchasing Corp. (Plano, Texas)
• Airtex Designs Group (Minneapolis, Minn.)

Immediate Corrective Actions Recommended: To help prevent child strangulation in window coverings, CPSC and the WCSC urge parents and caregivers to follow these guidelines:

• Examine all shades and blinds in the home. Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. CPSC and the WCSC recommend the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.
• Do not place cribs, beds, and furniture close to the windows because children can climb on them and gain access to the cords.
• Make loose cords inaccessible.
• If the window shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices to keep the cord taut.