Office of the Secretary
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Room 502
4330 East-West Highway
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
Via: www.regulations.gov
Comment Letter to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding Corded Window Coverings
[CPSC Docket No. CPSC- 2013-0028]
As a non-profit research center that uses research information to improve policies and programs that affect health and safety, we submit these comments in strong support of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) development of a mandatory standard that prohibits hazardous, accessible window covering cords.
A mandatory standard is needed because the current voluntary standard, which relies on warnings, has not significantly reduced the death rate. Decades have passed and the number of deaths and permanent injuries has not decreased. The CPSC is aware of 184 deaths due to strangulation and 101 severe injuries that did not result in death, from 1996 through 2012. The CPSC estimates that at least 11 children die each year as a result of cords on window coverings.
Fortunately, there are products on the market that do not pose strangulation risks to children. Although safer designs are available on the market, they cost more. If there is a mandatory standard, the competition will make these safer products more affordable.
We thank the CPSC for addressing this issue and urge the agency to issue a mandatory standard as quickly as possible to protect our nation’s children as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D.
President