We have recently heard in the news the sad cases of two small children who were strangled by the cords used to open and raise blinds.
Standards to keep us safe
In Australia we have a number of mandatory Safety Standards that apply to products that have the potential to cause serious harm to consumers, and mandatory Information Standards with safety information or other important information about the product. The Standards describe the minimum requirements that products, or their labels must comply with before they can be supplied.
The Standards can cover things such as;
- how the products are made
- what they are made from
- their design
- tests they must be able to withstand
- packaging
- information about the products
- safety labels that must be attached.
One of the mandatory Standards covers blinds, curtains and window fittings supplied after 30 December 2010 and requires:
- corded internal window coverings be provided with warning labels that highlight the strangulation hazard to children
- corded internal window coverings be accompanied by installation instructions and any components specified in the installation instructions.
Who has to comply?
The Standard applies to anyone who supplies these goods. Under the Australian Consumer Law, this means:
- manufacturers
- importers
- distributors
- retailers
- hirers
of blinds, curtains and window fittings after 30 December 2010
What if the supplier doesn’t comply with mandatory safety Standards?
The most serious consequence is death or serious injury. No one wants to be responsible for this.
There are number of consequences that directly affect someone found not to comply can face. These include
- Penalties up to $1.1 million for companies and $220,000 for individuals
- Having to recall all products sold and remove everything from sale
- Implement a compliance program
3 things suppliers should do to keep their customers safe
- know which of the products you supply are covered by mandatory Standards
- make sure that they comply –if appropriate test samples and have them tested by qualified independent testing facilities
- put a compliance program in place to ensure that non- compliant products are not sold
For more information about the window fitting standard see the ACCC’s product safety page:
http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/981424
For more information about conducting a business risk assessment and implementing a compliance program I’d be happy to talk to you.