Make Your Blinds Safe

Since 2014 all internal blinds made and sold in the UK must comply with specific child safety requirements. Safety devices for every type of blind are available and can be easily fitted to existing blinds.
 

Don’t wait to replace an existing blind to make it safer. At the very least keep all cords and chains secured out of reach of babies and young children. There is a range of devices to help you. It’s quick and easy to make your blinds safer.

Whether your blind is operated by a chain or cords there is a wide range of safety devices to make them safer. Some of the more popular items are:

Chain Tensioners

If your blind has a looped chain, such as a roller blind, make it safer by using a tensioning device. These devices should be securely fixed to an adjacent surface and at the maximum distance from the top of the blind so the cords and/or chains are held permanently taut by the device.

How to make existing roller blinds safer



Cleat

If your blind is operated by cords, such as a venetian blind, use a cleat to store the cord. Cleats should be securely fixed to an adjacent surface out of the reach of children and at least 1.5 metres from the floor. The cords must be secured in a figure of eight after each and every operation of the blind. Ensure all spare cord is securely contained on the cleat.

How to make existing pleated blinds safer



How to make existing vertical blinds safer



How to make existing venetian blinds safer



How to make existing roman blinds safer

There are child safe alternatives for every blind style available so always consider these first when looking for your new blinds. The UK blind industry has seen significant product development in recent years to design operating methods that do not use cords or chains.

Blinds can now be simply moved into position by hand with spring assisted operation.
Wands can be used to operate vertical blinds and venetian blinds to open and close the blinds and tilt the slats.
Motorisation offers child safe operation and ease of use, with some linking to home automation and smartphones and tablets.
 
 

Some window sizes or shapes may not lend themselves to cordless window blinds or you may specifically wish to co-ordinate with your existing blinds – if this is the case there are still safe options:

In-built safety systems

In-built safety systems are those that are built into the product and so do not require additional installation or operation in use. These include chain break connectors where the chain is designed to separate under any undue pressure. Breakaway tassels at the bottom of cords work in the same way.
 

A breakaway device on the cords of a roman blind. The blind raises and lowers normally but cords will separate under undue loads

Chain break connector will part under any undue load but after inspection can be clipped back together again

Separate safety systems

Separate safety systems are those that require additional installation or operation in use. If cordless options or those with in-built safety devices are not suitable for your specific situation, then the only safe alternative is to use a blind with a separate safety device such as a tensioning device on a chain loop or an accumulation device such as a cleat so the cord can be stored out of reach of children. Make sure the device is securely fitted and always used.

Cord and chain tensioner for vertical blinds to hold cord and chain taut

Chain tensioner to hold a single chain or cord taut

Existing blinds

Roller Blind
Vertical Blind

Existing blinds 

Blinds which do not contain cords or chains, such as motorised products, those operated by a gearbox with crank handle or blinds that are simply moved into position by hand do not need any action.

Blinds which are operated by cords or chains which could form a hazardous loop must be made safer.

Just take these three easy steps:

1. Examine all blinds in the publicly accessible areas of your building and identify those that need to be made safer
2. Consider reducing cord and chain lengths where possible and fit an appropriate safety device to keep chain and cord lengths under permanent tension and loose cords out of reach on a device like a cleat.
3. Ensure all staff are aware of how to operate blinds safely and periodically inspect the safety devices to ensure they are still secure and working correctly.

New blinds

Consider “safe by design” first.

When choosing new blinds, consider one which does not contain cords or chains to operate the blind as these blinds require no additional safety devices as they are inherently safe.
Some examples are gear operated blinds where a gearbox is fitted at one end of the blind and this is then operated by a crank 

handle which can be permanently affixed or detachable – the latter is useful to prevent unauthorised use of the blind. Often gear operation is used for roller blinds in schools and other high use environments but gear operation is also available for other blind styles such as vertical blinds and venetian blinds.

Motorisation also removes operating cords and chains and allows for the blinds to be automated by linking to sensors and timers. With rapid advances in battery technology some blinds styles and sizes can be operated using rechargeable batteries meaning there is no need to have mains wiring to the blind.

External shading is inherently safe as it is fitted outside of the building and typically this form of shading is far more effective at reducing unwanted heat gain.

If your window size, position or shape does not lend itself to an inherently safe blind it is still possible to have operating cords and chains but they must be supplied and fitted with a compliant safety device.

In-built safety devices
These devices are built into the blind and typically involve a breakaway system where the cord or chain will part under undue pressure. The requirements of the standard are that the breakaway pressure is less than 6kg so these systems may not be ideal for high use areas.

Supplementary safety devices
Safety devices such as tensioning devices for looped cords and chains and cleats for cords can also be used and must be fitted in accordance with the instructions.

Cord and chain lengths
The child safety requirements determine the cord and chain lengths depending on the safety device used as can be seen in the chart below: