Any manually operated blind, such as a blind with cord or chain operation, poses a threat to a child’s safety with misuse of the blind potentially resulting in a child sustaining severe, or devastating harm.
As a result, the Make it Safe campaign was set up by the British Blind and Shutter Agency (BBSA) to create awareness of the potential danger and to promote window blind safety. This includes establishing safety standards* that require that all blinds made after February 2014 should comply with these standards.
Each blind must be safe by design or supplied with the necessary safety devices to keep children safe.
Child safe chain/cord operated blinds
With a chain or cord operated blind, a safety clip can be applied to the chain (as seen in the image below) and securely fixed to a wall or reveal, thus eliminating ligature risk.
Child safe crank operated blinds
To remove any threat posed by a cord or chain operated blind, a removable crank operation is an alternative. The blind is operated by a removable crank handle which when rotated, operates a gearbox hidden away on one end of the blind. The handle can then be removed and stored away in a safe place.
Child safe electric blinds
Finally, an electric blind operated by remote control involves no manual operation. Because of this, the operation occurs at the touch of a button and the blind does not have to be touched at all. Therefore, electric blinds are considered the safest blinds to install in an area where children may be present.
Our team provides advice on both the safety and installation of roller blinds in schools, health and leisure settings. Contact them via sales@swanmac.com for more details or with your enquiry.
