The new safety standard will require the vast majority of all window covering products sold in the U.S. to be cordless or to have inaccessible or short helper cords. The revised updated safety standard, ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022, strengthens window-covering safety by eliminating the use of free hanging operating cords, free hanging tilt cords and multiple cords into a cord connector on all made-to-order custom window covering products.
The revised standard covers both stock and custom products and will require more window covering products produced in the U.S. to be cordless or have inaccessible cords once the new safety standard is in place.
A custom product is a made-to-order window covering that is not available off the store shelves.
The 2022 revision to the standard eliminates the use of free-hanging cords. Prohibits the use of continuous cord loops and bead chains on all horizontal slatted custom products and adds enhanced performance requirements for permitted categories of custom products utilizing retractable cord operating systems, rigid shrouds, and continuous cord loop operating systems with tension devices.
The effective date of the new standard is June 1, 2024. This means that the new standard applies to all products manufactured on or after this date.
The standard applies to all types of window coverings sold or manufactured in the U.S. by all participants in the window coverings industry.
Yes.
Now that these standards have been approved by the CPSC, compliance with the standard is mandatory. All companies who manufacture, distribute, or sell window coverings in the U.S. are expected to comply with the safety standard or be open to legal action if non-compliant products are sold.
There are many cordless options available to consumers easily identifiable by the “Best for Kids” label. Consumers today can look for the “Best for Kids” certification label to identify cordless window covering options. WCMA created the “Best for Kids” certification program in 2015 to make it easier for consumers shopping for window coverings to identify cordless products.
For information on the Window Covering Safety Council’s ongoing national public education campaign, visit www.windowcoverings.org.