Child Safety
Reducing Risks for Children
All of the blinds that we supply and install are fully compliant with Child Safety legislation which was introduced in 2014.
Reducing the risk of accident, without hindering the functionality and styling of your blind is a core concept for all of our projects.
Child Safety FAQs.
Looped or long window blind cords are a strangulation hazard for young children
The window blinds industry is driven by the necessity to supply and install child safe blinds. All blinds installed since February 2014 must comply with UK child safety legislation which specifies maximum lengths for looped blind cords.
How will Window Blind Child Safety law affect me?
All blinds supplied and fitted by 1 Stop Blinds must, by law, be safe and not pose a hazard to children.
I have heard of accidents involving children and blinds. How will you make my blinds safe?
All blinds operated by looped cords or chains pose a strangulation risk to young children. Looped roller blind cords, for example, are made safe by incorporating weak links which will breakaway if a cord forms a ligature around a child’s neck. Other looped cords are attached to the wall using a containment device.
What if my blinds don’t use looped cords.
Vertical blinds and some venetian blinds are tilted with a wand mechanism and are inherently child safe. However wooden blinds and venetian blinds are raised and lowered by cords which may pool on the floor and pose a possible strangulation risk when the blind is raised. These cords must be contained by fitting a cleat to the wall at a specified height from the ground.
But I don’t want you to drill holes into my wall or tiles.
We understand that some customers find the safety devices unsightly. However we must fit any accompanying child safety devices, and we will decline to fit your blinds if they are not safe for children.
Our children are grown up, we don’t need child safe blinds.
There may not presently be children in the house but your blinds may remain in the house if you move on, and pose a future strangulation hazard to young children.
Can my old blinds be repaired if they are not child safe?
If 1 Stop Blinds repairs your blinds they must be left child safe. Sometimes it is not possible to repair old blinds that do not comply with current window blind child safety law. Since the introduction of child safety legislation 1 Stop Blinds must leave your blinds child safe after repair. Sometimes the blind can only be repaired by replacement.
Must my existing blinds be child safe by law?
The UK window blind child safety legislation is not retrospective. However, 1 Stop Blinds recommends that existing blinds, for example, in rental properties, should be made child safe. We are all responsible for safety in our own homes.
Which blinds are safest for children?
Some blinds are safe by design and do not use cords or chains. For example Perfect Fit Blinds use cords which are concealed under tension. Motorised and electric blinds are inherently child safe.