Blind cord tragedy - EU safety standards must be met

Every parent’s worst nightmare must be the death of a child due to a freak accident in the home. Unfortunately, it happens all too often, so parents cannot be too careful.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) wrote to 140 suppliers and manufacturers of blinds throughout the country in April of this year advising of new EU safety standards, stipulating that a safety device should be attached to the cords of blinds. This is not a case of fussy regulations, but little more than minimum protection for vulnerable children.

A spot check this week of retail stores found readymade roller blinds for sale without safety devices. None of those stores were even aware that they stocked the safety devices. Although Maurice Buckley, the chief executive of NSAI, stated that this country has strong EU standards, it would seem they are being ignored in relation to blinds.