Millions of Roll-Up Blinds and Roman Shades Recalled Due to Strangulation Risk to Kids

About 5.4 million roll-up blinds and Roman shades made by various companies and sold at major retailers nationwide have been recalled today because of the risk of strangulation to children who can become entangled in the strings of the window coverings.

There have been at least ten reports of children being killed or injured after they got their heads or necks tangled in the strings of the shades or in the gaps between the shades and the strings, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The CPSC just announced six separate recalls of roll-up blinds, Roman shades, vertical and horizontal blinds, and cellular shades. The products were distributed nationwide through a variety of retail and wholesale outlets.

The largest of today’s window coverings recall involves about 4.2 million ¼-inch Oval Roll-Up Blinds and 600,000 Woolrich Roman shades, imported by Lewis Hyman Inc., of Carson, Ca. Strangulations may occur if the lifting loops slide off the sides of the blind and allow a child’s neck to become entrapped, the CPSC warns.

Two Children’s Deaths Reported

A one-year-old boy from Maine was involved in such a fatal incident in November 2007, after the roll-up blind fell into his portable crib, officials said. Then, in October 2008, a 13-month-old boy from Conway, Ark. was found strangled with his head entangled in the exposed inner cord and the cloth on the back of a Roman shade, the CPSC said.

All of the company’s roll-up blinds with release clips and all Woolrich Roman shades are being recalled. The Woolrich Roman shades, which measure 72 inches wide, come in twill fabric and micro-suede fabric. The Roman shades were sold only at Target stores nationwide and on www.target.com from March 2006 through December 2008 for between $25 and $43.

The Woolrich roll-up blinds were sold in retail stores nationwide from January 1999 through December 2003 for between $6 and $20, the CPSC said.

Other Roman Shades and Blinds Recalled

Hundreds of thousands of other Roman Shades, blinds, and similar window coverings sold by IKEA Home Furnishings, Pottery Barn Kids, Williams-Sonoma, Target, and other retailers nationwide also have been recalled after reports of child deaths and injuries.

The products carry risks of entrapment and strangulation and reports of children dying or being injured after getting their heads and necks stuck in the products have been received, the CPSC said.

For full details on all of today’s Roman shades, blinds, and window coverings recalls, visit www. cpsc.gov.

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