The Recall Desk
CriticalCPSC·09329·Announced 2009-08-26

Vertical Land Recalls Window Blinds and Shades Due to Strangulation Risk

Vertical Land is recalling window blinds and shades because accessible cords can form loops that pose a strangulation hazard to children.

What this means for you

Highest-severity recall. Risk of serious injury or death is documented or strongly suspected. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports a strangulation death of a child, which meets the rubric criterion for a Critical severity score of 5.

Plain-English summary

Vertical Land Inc. is recalling approximately 15,400 horizontal blinds, 16,400 vertical blinds, and 800 cellular shades. The recall involves custom-made window coverings that lack cord tensioning devices or inner cord stop devices, which allows cords to form accessible loops.

The recall was prompted by a report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in May 2006 of a 4-year-old girl in Pensacola, Florida, who strangled in the loop of a vertical blind cord. The hazard exists because children can become entangled in the free-standing loops formed by the cords or bead chains.

These products were sold at Vertical Land stores in Panama City and Pensacola, Florida, from January 1992 through December 2006 for between $60 and $200. Consumers should immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Vertical Land at (800) 423-8653 to receive a free retrofit kit.

The recalled product

Product
Horizontal and Vertical Blinds and Cellular Shades
Affected units
15,400

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.