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Safety Update
Safety First
Through the WCMA the window coverings industry continues to
take the lead in providing safe products.
Over the
last 10 years, the window coverings industry has seen a tremendous
amount of innovation. And while product design and changes in usability
often can be easily identified, trends in product safety are sometimes
less widely publicized, although they remain on the forefront of
manufacturer concern.
For more than 50 years, the Window Covering Manufacturers Association
(WCMA) has been the North American trade association for manufacturers
and suppliers of hard covering window treatments. Its overriding
goal has been to work toward shaping and unifying the U.S. window
coverings industry, with an emphasis on both product innovation
and safety.
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WHAT
CHANGED AND WHAT STAYED THE SAME |
Some of the new additions
published in the 2002 revision of the American National Standard
for safety of corded window covering products (ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2002)
include:
• If a product contains an accessible inner cord, the
cord is restricted from forming a loop larger than 12 inches
in circumference.
• Stop devices for accessible inner-cord products must
meet specific pull-force strengths.
• Warning labels are to be written in both English and
Spanish.
• Any exterior component of the blind that can be touched
or ingested by young children must be produced with no more
than 0.02 percent lead per weight per window covering.
All key provisions of the original standard remain in place.
Manufacturers and fabricators need to ensure that any window
covering that incorporates an operational cord or chain bead
loop meets the following safety requirements:
• A passive device to eliminate or separate any cord loop
or chain bead loop.
• A permanently attached passive device to eliminate an
exposed cord or bead loop while a product is not being operated.
• A passive tension device to attach to the floor or wall
that will cause the cord or bead loop to remain taut and limit
exposure to the cords.
• A means of minimizing the exposed loop on products requiring
an operational cord-stop function (such as Roman shades) to
less than three inches from the top of the headrail when the
product is in the lowered position. |
Toward that end, the WCMA published revised standard guidelines
this year in accordance with American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) procedures.
CAREFUL REEXAMINATION
Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ANSI is a
highly esteemed, private non-profit organization that administers
and coordinates voluntary standardization and conformity assessment
for a diverse array of industries.
This revised standard (ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2002) is applicable to interior
drapery hardware and window covering products that incorporate bead
chains, cords or any type of flexible looped device in their operation.
And its objective is to provide requirements for covered products
that reduce the possibility of injury to young children from the
bead chain, cord or any type of flexible loop device used to operate
these products.
The original standard for the safety of corded window covering products
was created by WCMA in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission in 1996. The standard was developed using the
ANSI canvass method, and such standards are opened for revision
every five years. As anticipated in last year’s D&WC safety
issue (see D&WC, December 2001, page 56), this revised standard
was approved by ANSI on August 29, 2002 (see D&WC, November
2002, page 14).
Carolynn Jennings, executive director of the Window Covering Manufacturers
Association, said of the creation process for the standard, “It
was the object of careful re-examination by representatives of the
window coverings industry, safety experts, government regulators,
manufacturing consultants and consumer advocates seeking to update
and improve upon its scope and provisions.”
WHAT’S NEW?
While maintaining strict adherence to safety guidelines developed
in the first version, this revision addresses a number of additional
consumer concerns.
Safety requirements for products with accessible inner cords are
included. These products are restricted from forming a loop larger
than 12 inches in circumference. In addition, stop devices for accessible
inner-cord products must meet specific pull-force strengths.
There have been several modifications to requirements for warning
labels and hangtags to help consumers better understand and take
heed of cord-safety precautions. It will be important to note that
warning labels now must be written in both English and Spanish.
Additionally, the revision codifies lead content concerns. The standard
states that any exterior component of the blind that can be touched
or ingested by young children must be produced with no more than
0.02 percent lead per weight per window covering. (See the synopsis
of basic safety requirements outlined in the standard.)
As in the original standard, the revision includes an appendix that
provides descriptions and definitions of the products listed, as
well as discussions of functions for the various types of products
that belong in the category of corded window covering products.
There also is an appendix that provides instructions for testing,
allowing manufacturers to determine the safety and compliance of
their own products.
These appendices have been designed to aid manufacturers in their
compliance with this standard.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
This revised standard is evidence of WCMA’s commitment to
continually pursue the development of new devices, technologies
and designs that will ensure product safety and inspire consumer
confidence.
“WCMA firmly believes that nationally recognized industry
standards represent the most effective method for introducing advanced
devices and designs that can enhance the safety of window covering
products,” said Joseph Jankoski, WCMA president.
WCMA urges manufacturers to obtain a copy of the revised standard.
Copies are $9 each for WCMA members and $18 each for non-members.
To order, send a check made payable to WCMA at Window Covering Manufacturers
Association, 355 Lexington Ave., Suite 1700, New York, NY, 10017.
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