MSN reported today that over 50 Million Roman and roll-up shades are being recalled due to risk of strangulation. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Tuesday that about 50 million window coverings need to be repaired to make them safe for kids. About 5 million Roman shades and 3 million roll-up blinds are sold each year. They reported that 8 children have died and 16 have been injured since 2001. It was reported that the CPSC has issued so many recalls for different types of Roman shades and blinds, the agency is now considering new mandatory design standards to keep kids safe. This is an example of a product that should have undergone rigorous study and testing before it hit the market.
The illusion of safety with industry standards
November 25, 2009
ASTM International, a Pennsylvania-based group that sets voluntary safety standards, last week eliminated its guidelines for drop-side cribs, citing complaints about hardware failures,” as reported in the Bloomberg News on November 24.