What about chains and chords on blinds?
If you buy a Roller, Venetian, Wooden, Roman or Pleated blind with cords, your fitter will also install a discreet little cleat or hook for the cord to wrap around, so there are no loose strings. Cleats are fitted at a minimum height of 1.5m above the ground, whilst hooks at fitted to ensure the chain is sits taught – this positioning will vary depending on blind and window size.
Having a safety device is now a legal requirement even in homes without children, as little ones may visit you from time-to-time. In fact, if you move home and leave your blinds, you have an obligation to make sure they are safe.
With certain blinds, you can order a special kind of breakaway device that will pull apart with excess force. The good news is that they are easy to reassemble if pulled apart by accident.
What about old blinds without safety devices?
If you have an old existing blind that does not have a cleat or break chain, please fit a safety device as soon as possible to make your product child-safe. Even if it wasn’t originally bought from us, we will provide you with the right safety device for your blinds free of charge. To find out more visit www.makeitchildsafe.org
Which is the best child-safe window dressing?
There are lots of cordless blinds and other kinds of window dressings that are safe for homes with young children.
Consider our Perfect fit frames, which click into place between the beading and glass of a uPVC window, with the blinds fitting within this made-to-measure casing. There are no no free hanging cords to operate the blind – instead the blinds are controlled using a simple tab or wand. Our Pleated, Venetian and Roller blinds can all be installed in this way.
Think about a tab Pleated, Day & Night Transition™ or Trilite™ blind, which are all fitted in the traditional manner but operated with a thumb tab rather than a cord.