From February 2014, all new blinds must meet child safety requirements determined by British Standards. For homes with small children, there are more factors to consider when choosing blinds. Parents must find child safety blinds to ensure the risk of accidents is lowered. But, how can you be sure that your blinds are child friendly? Find out here.

Safe By Design

To ensure that new blinds meet up with child safety standards, certain child safety blinds put “safe by design” first. 

Consider buying new blinds that don’t require cables or chains to operate because these blinds are already safe and don’t need any further safety measures.

Examples include gear-operated blinds, which have a gearbox attached to one end of the blind and are controlled by a crank handle that can either be permanently attached or detachable. The latter feature is useful for preventing unauthorised usage of the blind. In heavy traffic areas like schools, gear operation is frequently utilised for roller blinds, but it is also an option for Venetian blinds, vertical blinds, and other types of blinds.

In addition, there are also cordless blinds that have no operating cords to change their position. These come in various types, depending on your specific style. Whether you are looking for roller, Venetian or pleated; retractable blinds simply move by either physically pulling or pushing them down. 

Motorised Blinds

Or, why not consider complete automation? Motorised blinds can be battery-operated and come with a remote that controls how much light they are letting in. All without cords and cables that could cause choking hazards. Not only are they child safety blinds, but they also offer a sleek and modern aesthetic to any home. 

Also, motorised blinds can help boost your home’s energy efficiency, which is highly relevant given the current times. For more information on motorised blinds, read our previous blog here.

Existing Blinds

However, you don’t just have to replace your existing ones with “child safety blinds”. There are simple solutions to ensuring your preferred blind choice is safe and out of reach of small children. Ideal for new parents. At MyFitter, we will work with you to ensure that you are completely satisfied with your blind choice. 

Cord Cleats

If you are wanting to transform existing blinds into child safety blinds, why not consider cleats to tidy up any cords that can be reached by children? Cleats are essentially double-ended hooks that attach to the wall or window frame and allow homeowners to tie a string around them for further security. They are best done in a figure-eight pattern.

The controlling cords for the blind can be wrapped around cord cleats, which is one of the simplest ways to keep cords away from children. Both the lifting cords and the tilting cords can be secured with cord cleats. Cord cleats can be used with Venetian and Roman-styled blinds, in a range of materials and colours. Install cord cleats out of reach for the children. 

Tensioners

For existing roller blinds that operate by a looped cord, it is important to ensure that these are securely fixed to a nearby surface, as this may lead to strangulation risk to young children, babies and even pets. 

Use a tensioning tool to make your looped chain blind, like a roller blind, safer. To ensure that the cords and/or chains are held permanently taut by the device, these devices should be firmly secured to a nearby surface and placed as far away from the top of the blind as possible.

MyFitter

Here at MyFitter, our team of fitters install curtains and blinds across the country. All of our blind fittings are made to measure and are perfectly fitted to meet your individual specifications. So, if you are requiring child safety blinds then look no further than MyFitter!

For more information, fill in our form here. Make sure to follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with our blind installations.