Window Blinds and Child Safety

Wherever possible we incorporate components that reduce the risk of cord looping. We are very aware of the risks that exist and will always be committed to ensuring that our Customer's are equally aware. When we hear of another tragedy the obvious sadness and concern is mixed with sheer frustration as on many sides the problem can be eliminated but for many reasons probably never will be.
Several years ago we decided to take the initiative and replace corded verticals with wand operation and include cleat/hold back devices on all of our blinds as standard with the option of not having them being the Customer choice. Amazingly 6 months later we found that 95% of Customer's chose NOT to have the child safe options but instead opted for the corded vertical and looped cords that gave better operation and aesthetic appeal. Obviously only a small percentage of Customer's opting out of the safety approach would have a situation where a young child would be present but alarmingly when we were aware of the presence of young children and after caution and warnings conveyed over 80% still opted NOT to incorporate safety features.
We decided that it is not our place to make judgement on what decision a parent/guardian should make and reverted to allowing Customer's to make the choice but ensuring that they were aware of the risks involved.
Now we incorporate risk reducing components wherever possible and leave the Customer to choose any further precautions e.g. blinds such as the perfect fit system can be purchased from us under our 'one price' policy that are totally child safe - no looping and no extra charge. All blinds can be made and fitted with total child safety as the main focus at the time of order even changed at a later date when child age permits then giving the aesthetic and operation that appears to be the demand - we will even do this under our extended parts guarantee offer totally free of charge.
All existing blinds can be made safe restrospectively - anybody is welcome to call into our factory for free advice and free cleats/tensioners that will render blinds safer for the child to be around. Incidentally, we have offered and advertised this 'free to anybody who wants them' for the last 20 years and in all of that time we have only had 4 people take us up on the offer! Please take us up on our offer!
Ironically and something that Customer's should know is that in the case of vertical blinds the incorporation of the wand mechanism would replace the cording process in manufacturing which in turn means production time savings - effectively as a trade we would welcome a total ban on manufacturing that includes looped cords. However this will probably never happen, as we see it there are four main obstacles
1. By restricting UK manufacturers from producing 'looped' systems are you removing the point where Customers are made aware of the dangers that exist,when blinds can be purchased on a ready made basis that originate from overseas manufactured stock that will not incorporate any warnings, advice or alerts. In effect increasing the chances of incidence.
2. Would it be possible to blanket prohibit looped systems in the UK when as part of the EU the majority of countries would not be part of such prohibition?
3. Is it necessary to introduce the above when remedy is easily and, in the case of our courtesy kits, freely available to everyone. It can be solved literally in minutes.The solution exists though partitcipation is very limited.
4. Ultimately, at this moment in time, even after all the tragedies that have gone before with all the advice, remedies and even hindsight we know from direct experience that the majority of Customers would still choose not to have the more restrictive function and less aesthetically pleasing 'child safe' options.
From an Abbey Blinds point of view we will endeavour to always make Customer's aware of the dangers wherever possible. We feel that a UK ban,even though welcomed, would not be the complete answer as figures from countries that do have a ban tend to show overall that it makes no real difference (probably due to imported 'unsafe' units on one hand combined with lacking risk conveyance within the trade and Customer refusal to retrospectively incorporate safety devices on the other). VERY FRUSTRATING AND EXTREMELY TRAGIC.

blinds & child safety