WCMA developed a certification program for window covering products, titled Best for Kids, which includes third party testing of products for accessible cords. Because even young children are left unsupervised for a few minutes or more in a room that is considered safe, such as a bedroom or family room, adult supervision is unlikely to be effective to eliminate or reduce the hazard. 
Part 1112 includes procedures for CPSC to accept a testing laboratory's accreditation and lists the children's product safety rules for which CPSC has published NORs. Start Printed Page 1052 Based on these data, CPSC concludes that even though the requirements in sections 4.4 and 4.4.1 of the ANSI standard attempt to reduce the strangulation hazard associated with accessible and hazardous operating cords, these requirements are still inadequate, because they continue to allow accessible and long cords to be part of the window covering.
The availability of alternatives to corded window coverings may sometimes be constrained due to size and weight limitations. Letter can be found at: Operating cords on custom window coverings present a strangulation hazard, including death and serious injury, to children 8 years old and younger. ripplefold drapery fullness curtain system carriers window curtains drapes kirsch track custom treatments fold ripple dimensions fair center alanrichardtextiles windows Start Printed Page 1027 The power sources for motorized systems, in order of installation complexity are battery-powered, DC plug, solar-powered, and what is commonly called hardwired.. Operating cord requirements for stock window coverings in section 4.3.1 of ANSI/WCMA-2018 effectively eliminate the strangulation hazard associated with operating cords. This estimate was based on work completed by D+R for the Department of Energy (2013). Cord Sizing Formula.
[16] In some Roman shade incidents, children inserted their heads into the opening between the inner cord and the shade material. Requirements for operating cords. (1) ANSI/WCMA A100.12018, American National Standard for Safety of Corded Window Covering Products, approved January 8, 2018; IBR approved for 1260.1 and 1260.2. At least 35 commenters stated that safer window coverings might be too expensive for some consumers, because regulations will increase the cost of window coverings, and motorized window coverings cost much more than corded products. (5) The rule would apply the same requirements to custom window coverings that already apply to stock products. Accordingly, the Commission will not rely solely on education campaigns to address the risk of injury and will move forward with rulemaking. Accordingly, the rule also proposes to amend the Commission's regulation on requirements pertaining to third party conformity assessment bodies to add Safety Standard for Operating Cords on Custom Window Coverings to the list of rules that require third party testing. 35. Several commenters expressed support for the voluntary standard and felt that working through the voluntary standards process to develop requirements for window coverings would create a more robust standard. If sustained lateral pressure occurs at a level resulting in vascular occlusion, strangulation can occur when a child's head or neck becomes entangled in any position, even in situations where the child's body is fully or partially supported. The CPSA defines a manufacturer as any person who manufactures or imports a consumer product. 15 U.S.C. CPSC has submitted the information collection requirements of this rule to OMB for review in accordance with PRA requirements.
(Feb. 5, 1996), directs agencies to specify the preemptive effect of a rule in the regulation. In the remaining 14 incidents (7 percent), a child became entangled in a window covering cord, but was able to disentangle from the cord and escape injury. Children's products may be decorated or embellished with a childish theme, be sized for children, or be marketed to appeal primarily to children. The strangulation hazard to young children on window covering cords is serious, with most incidents resulting in death. 30. The recalled products also included stock products, which can be purchased by consumers off the shelf, and custom products, which are made-to-order window coverings based on a consumer's specifications, such as material, size, and color. 3310 This analysis was based on work completed by D+R for the Department of Energy (2013). Implementing the rigid cord shroud requirements would allow custom window coverings to meet the mandatory rule by using a rigid cord shroud to make an operating cord inaccessible. 5. 15 U.S.C. Section 14(a)(1) addresses required certifications for non-children's products, and sections 14(a)(2) and (a)(3) address certification requirements specific to children's products. Some recent studies have suggested that the VSL for children could be higher than that for adults. The Commission's requirements for certificates of compliance are codified at 16 CFR part 1110. Cord cleats are generally composed of transparent or white plastic material in a long, rectangular shape. CPSC requests comments on the adequacy of these devices to reduce or eliminate the strangulation hazard associated with custom window coverings. Accordingly, we support a mandatory rulemaking to address this unreasonable risk of injury. WCMA responded to CPSC staff on August 12, 2019 and stated that they have put on hold the planned revision of ANSI/WCMA standard because the Government of Canada published a new regulation on corded window coverings. headings within the legal text of Federal Register documents. Whether considering stock, custom, or unknown-if-stock-or-custom products, CPSC found that the pull/operating cord system is the single most hazardous scenario among the reported fatal incidents. Start Printed Page 1022 This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily //-->, Pleated and Honeycomb Shade String Kits Start Printed Page 1041 
15 U.S.C. Where To Find The Best Upholstery Piping Cord Online, Cords for clutch operated and motorized lift systems. 1 CFR 51.5(a). weighted average prices for window coverings range from about $54 to $94 for shades and from about $25 to $250 for blinds. Custom window coverings have a longer product life. Id. able to find the status of your order. posey The rule may impact the cost of custom window coverings, but consumers already pay more for custom window coverings, and are likely willing to pay more for safer products. Additionally, the Commission seeks comment on the following topics: A. Application of the share of custom product sales to the window coverings in use estimate, amounts to approximately 111 million custom horizontal blinds, 213 million custom shades, 10 million custom vertical blinds, and 179 million custom curtains or drapery.
People cannot be perfectly attentive, particularly over long periods of time, regardless of their desire to do so (Wickens Hollands, 2000). Continued deterioration of the nervous system can lead to death (Howell and Gully, 1996; Medalia et al., 1991). CPSC is aware that some window coverings are specifically designed for children, and based on the factors listed above, fall within the definition of a children's product. If the Commission issues a final rule for operating cords on custom window coverings, such a rule would require custom window coverings that are children's products to meet the third-party testing and certification requirements in section 14(a) of the CPSA. Given that these reports are anecdotal, and reporting is incomplete, CPSC strongly discourages drawing any inferences based on the year-to-year increase or decrease shown in the reported data. The study included a survey of 2,100 households in 13 cities across the United States to collect a representative sample of data on household characteristics, including number of windows, location of windows, the types of window coverings installed, and operation. CPSC staff observes some decline in pediatric incident data that suggests compliance with the voluntary standard is effective at reducing the number of incidents (see Tab A of Staff's NPR Briefing Package for CPSRMS and NCHS data). the parent was not listening to or watching what the child was doing at all) for about 4 percent of awake time in the home. This size continouse cord loop can also be used on Woven Wood or Bamboo Shades continuous cord operation as long as the continous cord is a cord and not a beaded pull cord. Table 7). 3. (a) This part establishes a consumer product safety standard for operating cords on custom window coverings. Additionally, the Commission instructed the staff to investigate the level of compliance of window coverings with the voluntary standard. Table 1b expands on Table 1a to display the distribution of the annual incidents by severity of incidents and type of window coverings involved. For example, Roman shades, which are sold almost always as custom window covering products, account for 1.9 percent of annual sales in 2019, but generated revenues equal to 2.3 percent of the total. 15 U.S.C. Accordingly, every custom product sold with accessible operating cord presents a hidden hazard to young children and can remain a hazard in the household for 20 years. A stock widow covering is a completely or substantially fabricated product prior to being distributed in commerce and as a specific stock-keeping unit (SKU). Stock window coverings on the market demonstrate the feasibility of safer technologies to meet these requirements. All other brands use 1.4 mm or 1.8 mm cord for the pull cord Estcourt Least burdensome requirement that would adequately reduce the risk of injury. 12 = FeetExample of a 3 Cord Shade,The Width of your Shade is 72 InchesThe Length of your Shade is 48 inchesThe Length of your Lift Cord is 36 inches(This is the cord you raise & lower your blind)You can make it longer if needed. Prices for custom window coverings are, on average, higher than those for stock products, which are already required to comply with section 4.3.1 of ANSI/WCMA-2018. corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. The IRFA must contain. Through market research, CPSC staff found several examples of cordless blinds that are made with a maximum height of 84 inches and a maximum width of 144 inches.