National Window Coverings Safety Month

ress release!  I thought that this was important and wanted to share with my readers.

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 In recognition and support of October as National Window Coverings Safety Month Good Housekeeping Custom Blinds and Shades will offer its customers free cordless upgrades between September 15^th through October 31^st.

The initiative is part of a nationwide campaign co-sponsored by the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). It was designed to increase consumer awareness of potential window cord hazards, as well as to encourage the use of cordless window products in homes with young children.

Good Housekeeping, which launched its comprehensive collection of custom blinds and shades earlier this year, features performance and safety-based window treatments, with an emphasis on cordless options for child safety.

“Window treatments need to be durable and safe, especially if there are young children in the house,” said Rosemary Ellis, Editor-in-Chief of Good Housekeeping. “Our custom blinds have been evaluated at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute to ensure that they meet industry standards and have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal.” 

Parents and caregivers throughout the nation are urged to replace blinds, corded shades and drapes with today’s safer products. In offering its customers free cordless upgrades, Good Housekeeping Custom Blinds and Shades hopes to shed light on and prevent potential strangulation hazards that window cords can pose.

In order to avoid such incidents and ensure child safety, the Window Covering Safety Council offers the following precautions:

• Always keep windows closed and locked when small children are in the room. If you wish to open a window for ventilation, be sure it is one out of their reach.

• Do not place cribs or other furniture near windows. Young children are determined climbers and they are often enticed to crawl over such objects and reach for nearby items. When doing so, they run the additional risk of falling.
• Never allow anything to dangle into a crib or bed. Babies and toddlers can easily become entangled while sleeping or playing.
• Discourage children from playing near windows and patio doors. Establish rules concerning safe play areas and stick to them.
• Never allow long window covering pull cords to "puddle" on the floor next to the window.
• Never allow pull cords or continuous cord loops to hang loose and free, especially within the reach of a small child.
• Pay attention to the bottom chains that exist on many vertical blinds. While inconspicuous, these chains pose the same risks as pull cords, particularly to those children crawling on or playing close to the floor.
• Only install window treatments that provide the highest quality child safety devices, such as cord-free hardware systems, cord tensioners and control wands.
• Consider installing window guards on both upstairs and downstairs windows to prevent children from tumbling out. While screens are sufficient for keeping bugs outside, they do little to hold a child's weight. Be sure that each window guard has a quick release mechanism in case an emergency exit is necessary.

The complete collection of Good Housekeeping Custom Blinds and Shades are available through several authorized online retailers including: Blindsgalore.com, Americanblinds.com, Blindschalet.com, Selectblinds.com, Stevesblindsandwallpaper.com, Shadesshuttersblinds.com, Blindsaver.com and Blindsexpress.com.

For additional information about the Good Housekeeping Custom Blinds and Shades free cordless upgrade promotion, please visit: www.GoodHousekeepingBlindsandShades.com.

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Disclosure:  This information was provided to me by a PR firm.  I did not receive any form of compensation   for sharing this with my readers.