The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the IKEA Home Furnishings, of Conshohocken, Pa., on June 10, 2010, announced a voluntary recall Roller Blinds, all Roman and roll-Up blinds due to risk of strangulation expanding previous recalls of Roman and Roller blinds and has added its name to the retailers joining the voluntary recall announced in December 2009 of all Roman shades and roll-up blinds.
There have been two reports of young children who face near strangulation. CPSC urges that consumers should stop using products immediately unless otherwise instructed and reminds consumers that it is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
This recall involves roller blinds that do not have a tension device attached to the bead chain, all Roman blinds and all roll-up blinds. About 3,360,000 blinds have been recalled; 790,000 Roman blinds were recalled in November 2008 and August 2009 and about 533,000 Roller blinds were recalled in October 2009. The blinds involved in the recent recall were sold at IKEA stores nationwide from January 1998 through June 2009 for between $5 and $55.
Strangulations can occur with roller blinds if the blind's looped bead chain is not attached to the wall or the floor with the tension device provided and a child's neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop. Strangulations can occur with Roman blinds when a child places his or her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around hisor her neck. An additional hazard exists when the Roman blind has a continuous looped bead chain that if not attached to the wall or floor, which poses a strangulation hazard to children. Roll-up blinds strangulations can occur if the lifting loops slide off the side of the blind and a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop or if a child places his or her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.
Consumers should immediately stop using the roller blinds that do not have a tension device attached to the chain. In a previous recall, IKEA reminded consumers who have roller blinds with a tension device attached to the bead chain to make sure the tension device is installed into the wall or floor. If the consumer has difficulty installing the tension device, contact IKEA for additional information.
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