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How To Keep Your Blinds Child Safe?

Jul 16 2021

A home should be a safe place where children can freely walk around and have fun. Most of the new parents ensure that their house is safe for babies and toddlers. However, all of us should have child safety in mind as we never know when a child might be around. Window blinds, when installed incorrectly can create a hazard to little kids. Looped blind cords/chains can harm toddlers if are unsecured. In today’s post, we will share with you more information about child safety in blinds so you can be sure that your home is a safe place.

Captured product: Aura Gold Senses Mirage Blind

How to make sure your blinds are child safe?

If you bought your blinds before 2014, they might not be fully child safe. Before changes in child safety regulations, window coverings were not supplied with child safety devices as standard. That’s why it is important to check your blinds and whether they are up to date with the newest legislation. The changes in standards for blinds enforced limitations on cord/chain length and the obligatory child safety devices in all blinds. According to the new legislation, all the blinds must be supplied with child safety devices, even when children don’t live in the house. This is due to the possibility that children may visit the house from time to time.

 All the blinds available on our website are supplied with child safety devices and instructions on how to fit them. If you ordered a blind from us, always check if your blind is supplied with adequate child safety devices.

If you bought venetian blind or a faux wood blind you will receive cleats to attach to the wall. Cleats are small plastic hooks that allow you to wrap a cord around them. Always make sure that the cleat is placed out of the reach of children and at least 1,5 meters from the floor. Whenever opening or closing your blind, ensure that all loose cord is a wrapped tightly around the cleat.

All the other blind types operated by a cord will require a child safety box. To fit, insert the cord/chain and position the box on the wall, with medium tension on the cord/chain and follow the fitting instructions. The front of the box is then clipped on so that the chain passes through it when being opened and closed. This child safety device is an effective solution for any loose cords.

You might see an easy break chain as another effective way to make your blinds safer. An easy break chain is used to separate the chain easily in case of an emergency. However, we’ve noticed that it breaks easily. That’s why we always recommend a child safety box as the most effective way to secure the chain.

Your Blinds Direct is a member of the BBSA and welcomed the new child safety regulations that came into force in 2014, which includes more stringent component safety checks and minimum specifications for all new blinds.

Captured Product: Cypress Teak Senses Roller Blind

Tips for keeping your blinds safe

• Take furniture such as a child’s cot, bed etc. away from the windows. Young children might climb on it and get tangled in a cord or chain if it is not secured.
• Secure all the cords and chains so they are not accessible for children. Unsecured cords or chains might create a loop that your child could get tangled in.
• Don’t tie cords or chains together as they might create a loop.

Child safe blind types

Some blind types are designed in a way that they are completely child safe. Blinds that are safe by design are generally operated by wand or motorised.

Captured product: Polaris Aqua Roller Blind

Roller blinds are generally operated by the chain. For a cordless blind operation, you can choose to operate your blind by a motorised wand or remote control. Our motorised blinds are an affordable choice for any modern home.

Captured product: Banlight Duo FR Forest Green Vertical Blind

When buying a vertical blind you can choose to have your blind operated by a wand instead of the chain. Wand operation is fully child safe and simple to use. It allows you to fully control the amount of light coming into the room. If you don’t want the bottom of your vertical slats to be joined by a lower link chain, you can also choose sealed pocket weights.

Captured product: Vista Snow Allusion Blind

Allusion blinds are designed to be completely child safe. The blind is operated by a wand that gives you great control over light and privacy. Allusion blinds don’t have vanes connected by lower link chain, so you can walk through it while the blind is drawn closed.

Captured product: Polaris White Roller Blind

We hope that this post will raise awareness of the importance of child safety. If you need any further advice on how to keep your blinds safe, let us know. Your Blinds Direct is a leading UK manufacturer of beautiful made-to-measure window blinds, serving customers nationwide. Take a look at our website here for a huge selection of blinds styles, materials, and designs.