Have you ever wondered what ’child safe blinds’ really means? What isn’t safe about a regular blind? What makes a blind child safe? Do child safe blinds come in a range of different styles? Stay with us on this blog to find out…
When choosing blinds for your children’s bedroom there are lots to consider. What colour should you buy, which style of blind, do they need to be a blackout, and so on. But most importantly, you should know what to look for in child safe blinds.
At A1 Blinds, we follow all procedures to produce child safe blinds. As an absolute minimum, all our blinds meet the European Standard BS EN 13120 for both performance and safety. From the design process through to production, safety is at the forefront of all we do. This enables us to make beautiful, child safe blinds.
What Are Child Safe Blinds?
Child safe blinds are blinds that have been designed and produced with the safety of children in mind. This means that the blinds will be cordless or have cords that are tensioned or kept out of reach of baby’s and small children.
New European standards have recently become law in the UK. This means that all new blinds must be safe by design or supplied with appropriate child safety devices.
A blind which is ‘safe by design’ is cordless or has concealed or tensioned cords. These blinds are usually pushed or pulled into position using a wand or your hands. Motorised blinds and shutters are other options for child safe blinds that are safe by design as they are cordless. There are also safe by design options for roller, Venetian, vertical, pleated, and Roman blinds.
Appropriate safety devices to add to your blinds include chain-break connectors, cord/chain tidy’s and tensioners, and cleats.
Why Do You Need Child Safe Blinds?
As children grow, as does their curiosity. This means they’re likely to touch and ‘play’ with things they probably shouldn’t. Even though blinds are not innately unsafe, there have been instances of death and injury involving children and blinds. By taking simple precautions such as choosing child safe blinds, you can significantly reduce the risk.
Young children can be strangled by loose loops in pull cords, chains, tapes, and inner cords. To avoid this entirely, you should follow these simple procedures.
If you’re not opting for cordless blinds, make sure all cords are always secured out of reach of children. Do not tie cords or chains together and make sure that they do not twist to create a loop.
Move beds, cots, and high chairs away from the window so that a child cannot reach any cords whilst they are in them.
Move all furniture away from the windows… Children love to climb! Therefore, moving chairs or other furniture away will prevent children from climbing up and reaching cords or chains.
Turning Your Existing Blinds into Child Safe Blinds
When buying new blinds for your home, you should opt for child safe blinds. However, existing blinds with loose cords and chains may also pose a threat to children. But there are ways to make those safer too.
There is a range of safety devices available to add to every type of blind.
Chain-break connectors will help you to achieve child safe blinds. These devices will break apart when undue pressure is applied to the chain. Then after inspection, and if it isn’t broken, the connector can be reconnected again.
Cord/Chain tidy’s and tensioners will help to keep cords at a safe height and create child safe blinds. They should be securely fixed to an adjacent surface at the maximum distance, so the cords are held permanently taut by the device.
A cleat fixed securely to an adjacent surface will help to turn your existing blinds into child safe blinds. The cleat should be out of reach of children, at least 1.5 metres from the floor. To make the cleat safe, the cords must be secured in a figure of eight after every use.
If you have children, all blinds within your home, and not just in children’s bedrooms, should be child safe blinds. Do you have child safe blinds in your home?
A1 Blinds offer free home consultations whereby we will come out to your home and advise you of the best blinds and safety measures to suit your individual needs. During this appointment, we’ll measure your windows and bring a range of samples to help you decide. We also offer this service to schools, hospitals, and other public buildings. Book yours today here!
You can read more about our child safe blinds on our website or in our Child Safety Brochure. Alternatively, you can speak to one of the team to discuss your needs in more detail.
