Hi, I have a friend who has been selling window blinds for over 15 years, who is frustrated and confused regarding the new health and safety regulation (pushed by ROSPA) requiring all blinds to have a cleat which you must wrap the chord around. This follows children getting strangled by trailing blind controls. All blinds that are now produced with breakable chords (over 6kg and it snaps). He is OK with that, but he says he is now required to affix a cleat to the wall. That means drilling into tiles, concrete, pvc (e.g. window frames) to fit cleats. What is worse, with the chord dangling loose it's OK, any child putting it's head in the loop, the chord will snap, but when you wrap the chord around a cleat, you make new loops and because of the breakable point is above the cleat if a child gets caught there is no protection. I would be grateful for any comments

What's the actual 'regulation'? is it a British or European Standard or does it come via an EU directive?

The "Regulation" would presumably be the GPSR (General Product Safety Regulations) which would I think apply to both supply and professional installation. Other devices for retention of looped cords are available. Your friend doesn't necessarily have to use the cleats supplied. Intrusive drilling still a requirement, but isn't that also true for fitting the blind itself? Has your friend undergone appropriate asbestos awareness training?

The GRPS are a bit like HASAW they just say products must be safe as HASAW say you have to do everything that is reasonably practicable. You will find no mention of cleats or anything else in them. If blinds should have cleats Trading standards would be dealing with any company that did not fit them - assuming we are talking home use.

Hi Have you considered using the wand type device rether than chains? Working in mental health we recommend the use of blinds with the wands, without the cords or chains along the botton as they are a potential ligature. Hope this helps? H

Talked to me friend and he says he (as is the rest of the blinds industry) still confused about these regulations. I know the blinds must be manufactured to a safe standard (e.g. breakable chords), but when it comes to fitting them it's a different story. If someone could clarify the regulations, I would be very grateful. My friend will then pass on the info to his colleagues in the industry who are all frightened they could be breaking the law.