Blind and curtain cords can strangle a child quickly and silently. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says about 9 children under 5 die each year in window covering cords. Over 13 years, January 2009 to December 2021, more than 200 incidents involving children up to 8 were reported, and a child died in 48% of them — even with an adult in the room. CPSC’s first tip is cordless window coverings in every room a child may be in.
1. Cordless blinds and curtains, labelled “cordless”, wherever children may be.
2. Can’t replace them? Shorten pull cords, remove loose ones, anchor continuous loops to floor or wall.
3. Cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and cords, ideally on another wall — about 9 deaths a year in the US; 48% of incidents fatal.
Checker
Updates as you choose. The six checks are CPSC’s tips. If coverings are cordless, the cord-specific steps (2 to 5) may not apply; the checker still lists them for you to tick (our simplification).
What CPSC reports
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths | About 9 children under 5 a year strangled in window covering cords | — |
| Incidents | More than 200 involving children up to 8, January 2009 to December 2021 (13 years); 48% fatal | At 200, about 96 (our sum) |
| Injuries | From a neck scar to quadriplegia and permanent brain damage | — |
| How | On pull cords, continuous loops, inner cords or any reachable cord, quickly and silently, even with an adult present | — |
| Draft rules | On 28 September 2022 CPSC staff sent two draft final rules to the Commission — performance requirements for custom coverings’ operating cords, and hazardous cords on stock and custom coverings as substantial product hazards; finalisation not stated here | For children 8 and under |
What to do — CPSC’s six tips
| If | What to do | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Buying | Look for the “cordless” label, for every room a child may be in | Check Korean labelling separately (ours) |
| Can’t replace | Shorten pull cords as much as possible; remove loose cords | — |
| All cords | Keep them out of reach | — |
| Cord stops | Install correctly and set to limit inner lift cord movement | — |
| Continuous loops | Anchor to the floor or wall | — |
| Furniture | Move cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and cords — ideally to another wall | — |
All figures are US data. 48% of more than 200 incidents means at least about 96 deaths (our sum at 200). The release is dated 3 October 2022 (No. 23-001), though its address contains 2023.
Other hazards in a home with children are in button batteries and TV and furniture tip-overs; heaters in space heater safety.
Checklist
- ☐ Cordless blinds in children’s rooms and living areas
- ☐ Cords short, high and anchored
- ☐ Crib moved to another wall
- ☐ Sofas and toy boxes away from windows
Questions that remain
Are curtain tie-backs a risk too?
CPSC names any reachable cord; keeping cord-like ties out of reach fits that principle (our gloss).
Korean standards?
This post uses US CPSC material; check Korean window covering standards separately.
Sources
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) — Nearly Half of Incidents with Kids and Corded Window Coverings Resulted in Death; GoCordless to Save Lives — source (release 23-001, 3 October 2022; checked 21 October 2026). About 9 deaths a year under 5, over 200 incidents (2009–2021) with 48% fatal, injury range, quick and silent, six consumer tips, two draft final rules (28 September 2022).
- Not read. Whether the rules were finalised; Korean standards.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- The product manual — cord stops and anchors.
Written on 21 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
