In June, 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada and the European Union’s DG Sanco, urged the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) to eliminate the strangulation hazard posed by corded window coverings.

Since 1983, 497 children have been killed or seriously injured by accessible cords on window coverings. The rate of injuries and deaths has not been significantly reduced since 1983.

Consumer groups were permitted to participate in a limited way as part of a standards development steering committee. Over this year, however, our recommendations have been ignored and resisted. Furthermore, this revision process has not been transparent. Research commissioned by the WCMA for the purpose of drafting this standard and other information has not been shared with us. It is now clear that this flawed process will yield a very flawed result leaving children at risk.

The current draft of the standard, which is anticipated to be final this October, has failed to eliminate strangulation risks posed by accessible cords.

Innovative technological solutions have not been incorporated into the standard by WCMA even though they exist.

Our organizations regretfully have withdrawn from this standards development process because we could no longer give legitimacy to the flawed process and unacceptably weak resulting standard.