Blind And Curtain Safety Regulations You Need To Know In NSW
Blinds and curtains can pose significant health and safety risks for children and pets due to their cords and loose parts. Therefore, there are strict safety regulations in place in Australia for the design and manufacturer of these particular products.
Read the latest blind and curtain safety regulations in New South Wales here. Read on to find out everything you need to know, whether you are thinking of buying new blinds or curtains or want to check your existing ones to ensure that your family is safe.
National Mandatory Standards
There are two national mandatory standards in Australia that apply to blind and curtain safety. They are:
- The Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard – Corded Internal Window Coverings) Regulations 2010
- The Competition and Consumer (Corded Internal Window Coverings) Safety Standard 2014.
Both of these set out the installation and labelling requirements that suppliers must adhere to during the sales and installation of corded blinds and curtains.
Installation
Let’s begin by outlining what the safety regulations are in relation to installation. According to these standards, all corded blinds and curtains must be installed so that a loose cord cannot form a loop 220 mm or longer or less than 1,600 mm above floor level.
Furthermore, a cleat used to secure a cord must be installed at least 1,600 mm above floor level. The blinds or curtains must also be installed in accordance with the installation instructions on any retail packaging for the covering.
So, it’s the responsibility of the installer of the blinds to ensure all of these regulations are adhered to. You can check these things yourself to an extent, but to ensure full safety with installation, it’s best to hire a qualified and reputable company to install custom quality window coverings.
Labelling
Next, the regulations also cover the labelling of these products. They state that warning labels or swing tags supplied with the corded blinds or curtains must not be removed. This responsibility lies with the installer and with you throughout the period that you have the curtains or blinds.
They also state that the person installing a corded blind or curtain must attach a label that has the name and contact details of the person/company responsible for the installation. Check this is in place after the installation and get in prompt contact if it is not.
Consumer Rights
Although you can check these things, as a consumer, you have a right to expect that the curtains or blinds that you purchase are safe.
Australian Consumer Law requires safety standards to be met before goods are sold, so your blinds and curtains should be made and work to a high quality with the correct testing and warnings in place. Individual suppliers can be fined up to $220,000 if they breach Australian Consumer Law and corporations can be fined up to $1.1 million.
Have you been let down by poor quality blinds that you have bought off the rack? You should consider investing in quality custom blinds for your property that will serve you best in the long term.
If you suspect that your standard blinds or curtains are unsafe, you should alert the supplier about the issue and report it to NSW Fair Trading.
High-Quality Window Coverings
For window covering supply and installation in Ballina and across the Northern Rivers that you can trust, contact TT Shutters & Shading.
All of our products are rigorously safety checked and fully compliant with all regulations. Our installations are thorough and we follow all guidelines.
Call 1300 212 600 to speak to our friendly team about the window coverings we supply. We can provide you with a free quote or give you more information about our custom installation services today, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
