CPSC, Window Covering Industry Announce Recall to Repair Window Blinds
New Investigation of Children's Deaths Leads to Redesigned Window Blinds
Press Release # 01-023
Note: The safety recommendations in this document regarding window cord hazards have been superceded by more recent advice. See Children Can Strangle in Window Covering Cords -- html or pdf
Transcript
(Two people getting out of car and walking up to house and) "Eric and Elizabeth Beller know all too well about the hazards of window blind cords. They thought they were playing it safe people going into the house) while on vacation two years ago. (view of people in living room.) There was a window near their 16-month old daughter Hanna's crib, (view of Eric Beller looking down) so they tucked the blind pull cord out of her reach during nap time (view of Elizabeth Beller looking down) The Bellers had heard that children could strangle and in looped pull cords."
(View of Eric Beller speaking) "Uh, right before we were going out to dinner, uh, a little after five, I went downstairs to get her up to feed her and when I, I went in her room, uh, she was uh, the inner cord of the blind was wrapped around her neck, um, (view of child) basically hanging from a cord."
Eric found Hanna hanging lifelessly from another blind cord. (close-up of cord) It was the inner cord that runs (view of cord being pulled down) vertically between the flaps in the blinds, that had strangled the child.
(View of Elizabeth and Eric Beller, Elizabeth is speaking) "When Eric handed her to me, she was very cold and she was, um, turning blue, (close-up of Elizabeth Beller) and I knew she was gone even though we tried to bring her back."
(View of a child) It was this tragedy and 15 others like it, that prompted CPSC to announce a new recall today. (view of a crib next to a window and close-up of the window) CPSC says all 16 of the inner cord deaths involved children in cribs next to a window (close-up of loop) and there have been another 114 deaths over the past decade involving loops at the end of the outer pull cord. (close-up of a crib against a wall) The commission is warning parents to place cribs away from all window blinds.
(View of CPSC's Chairman Ann Brown speaking) "Even the best parent would never think that their child could strangle in the cord of a blind, and that's why a blind should never be near a baby's crib, ever. This is a terrible hidden hazard."
(View of repair kit and instructions) The window covering industry is cooperating with CPSC. (close-up of blind and attachment) Newly manufactured blinds will now have this attachment, so the inner cord cannot form a loop. (close-up of cord with attachment) Consumers who have older window blinds, (cord being pulled) can get the attachments free.
In Washington, this is Meredith Resnick reporting.