Millions of Window Shades and Blinds Recalled

What This Means

The CPSC is aware of five deaths and 16 near strangulations in Roman shades since 2006 as well as three deaths in roll-up blinds since 2001. Strangulations in Roman shades are possible when a child pulls the cord out of the shade and wraps it around the neck or when a child places his or her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind.

In roll-up blinds, strangulations can occur if a child's neck becomes entangled in a lifting loop that has slid off the side of the blind or if a child places his or her neck between the roll-up blind fabric and the lifting loop.

Where This Product Was Sold

Major retailers in the United States and Canada, including Walmart (500,000 Roman shades and 600,000 roll-up blinds), J.C. Penney (more than 2.2 million Roman shades and about 340 roll-up blinds), and Pottery Barn (along with Pottery Barn Kids and PBTeen; about 305,000 Roman shades and 45,000 roller shades; an additional 85,000 Roman shades were recalled in August 2009), and online.

What to Do Next

For a free retrofit kit for Roman-style shades and roll-up blinds, visit www.windowcoverings.org or call the WCSC toll-free anytime at 800-506-4636.

Additionally, the CPSC and the WCSC suggest taking these measures:

• Examine all shades and blinds at home to ensure there aren't any accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product — and if there are any, make them inaccessible to young children.
• If possible, install cordless window coverings in homes where kids live or visit.
• Place cribs, beds, and furniture away from the windows to prevent kids from climbing on them to reach the cords on the window coverings.
• Install tension devices in shades that have looped bead chains or nylon cords to keep the cords tight.

For More Information

• http//www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10073.html
• http//www.windowcoverings.org/

Recall date: December 15, 2009