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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Insulated Black-Out Roller Shades and Insulated Roman Shades
Units: About 7,300
Manufacturer: Green Mountain Vista Inc., of Williston, Vt.
Hazard: The black-out roller shades and insulated roman shades have a continuous looped bead chain that when not attached to the wall or floor, hangs loosely by the blind, posing a fatal strangulation hazard to children.
Incidents/Injuries: CPSC received a report of a 2-year-old girl from Bristol, Conn., who suffered a near strangulation, June 2008, when she placed a loose bead cord loop around her neck and then slipped off the radiator where she was standing. Her 5-year-old brother lifted his sister, who was gasping for air, from the cord entanglement. She vomited and had deep neck bruising, but has since recovered from her injuries.
Description: This recall includes all insulated black-out roller shades (colors: white, cream, harvest, light sage) and insulated Roman shades sizes 48, 60 and 72 (colors: white, natural, sage, sienna, blue, goldenrod, mahogany, terracotta). The shades have RN number 107875 printed on the care label of the shade and identify the manufacturer on the "Installation and Care Instructions."
Sold at: Country Curtains, Plow & Hearth, The Linen Source, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, Ann & Hope, The Sportsman's Guide, Target.com, The Curtain Shop of Maine, and Solutions Catalog. Sold nationwide from June 2005 through September 2008 for between $60 and $200.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately check their window coverings to see if the tension device is attached. If not attached, immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Green Mountain Vista Inc. to receive a free repair kit. If the consumer is not able to install the tensioning device, contact Green Mountain Vista for further instructions.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Green Mountain Vista at (800) 639- 1728 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.gmvista.com
Note: CPSC reminds consumers to examine all Roman Blinds and shades in their homes. If looped pull cords are present or exposed inner cords are found on the back of blinds or shades and children are in the home or occasionally visit your home, please consider replacing them with blinds or shades that do not have exposed pull cords or inner cords.
By PJ in NJ (Guest Post)
11/21/2008
If anyone thinks this can't happen, you're wrong. It happened to my nephew about 8 years ago when he was 5 years old. The living room couch was up against their bay window. He climbed up on the back of the couch and was playing with the cord for the blinds, similar to the one here only it was woven. He somehow got it around his neck and while trying to untangle it, he fell.
Luckily my sister-in-law heard him thrashing around and found him hanging by the cord on the side of the couch after about a minute and a half. Doesn't sound like a long time, but when I saw him in hospital the next day, I almost passed out (and I WORK in a hospital). His neck looked like someone had put a heavy metal chain around his neck and pulled. There was this little blond kid sitting there with a band of purple blood bruises around his neck that was 3-4 inches wide all the way around. It was truly horrifying!
If my sister-in-law hadn't come so quickly, he would have died. REMEMBER, it only takes a few minutes without oxygen for brain damage or death to occur. CHECK THE BLINDS IN YOUR HOUSE. THIS IS NO JOKE!
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