At Action Blinds in Galway, child safety is our absolute priority. Internal window blind cords and chains can pose a serious risk to babies and small children, who could injure or even strangle themselves on looped operating cords and chains.
We fully support the “Make it Safe” campaign, originally launched by the British Blind and Shutter Association (BBSA) to promote window blind safety in homes, public buildings, and other environments. This campaign provides essential safety advice to homeowners, landlords, and those responsible for public and commercial buildings. You can have absolute peace of mind knowing that blinds we make, supply and install complies fully with the EN 13120 safety standard.
1. Safety Checklist for Existing Blinds
If you have standard corded blinds in your home right now, you can drastically reduce the risk of accidents by taking these immediate precautions:
- Keep Cords Out of Reach: Make sure all cords and chains are always secured completely out of reach of babies and young children.
- Never Tie Cords Together: Avoid tying cords or chains together, as this can inadvertently create a brand-new, highly dangerous loop.
- Move Furniture Away: Children love to climb. Immediately move all cots, beds, highchairs, playpens, sofas, and bookshelves far away from windows and blind cords.
Retrofitting Safety Devices for Looped Cords
If your current window treatments rely on operating cords or chains that could form a loop, you must keep them out of reach using specialized safety hardware. As shown in the industry guidelines, the most common safety devices include:
Chain-Break Connectors: Designed as a built-in safety system, these will break apart when undue pressure or load is applied to the operating chain, neutralizing the loop hazard. They can be clipped back together again after inspection. Because chain sizes vary, you must use the specific connector designed for your chain.
Cord/Chain Tidys: These tension devices must be securely fixed to an adjacent surface at the maximum distance from the top of the blind so the cords or chains are held permanently taut.
Cleats: These must be securely fixed to an adjacent surface, completely out of reach of children, and at least 1.5 metres from the floor. The cords must be wrapped securely around the cleat in an “8” formation after each and every operation of the blind. Ensure all spare cord is securely contained on the cleat.
2. Choosing New Bedroom Blinds: Good vs. Best Child Safety Options
When upgrading a child’s bedroom or nursery, your choice of operation dictates the safety level. Founder Thomas Dunne of Action Blinds breaks down the two most practical approaches for Irish parents and landlords balancing budget with absolute peace of mind:
Child-Safe Bedroom Blinds Comparison
| Feature | The Budget-Friendly Option | The Ultimate Safety Option |
| Product Type | Standard Blackout Roller Blinds | Smart Motorised / Cordless Blinds |
| Safety Mechanism | Side safety clips / Pinned chains | 100% Cordless by Design (Zero physical chains) |
| Critical Installation Rule | Chain must be securely pinned to the wall exactly 1.5 metres off the ground. | No wall hardware or tension clips required. |
| Operation Style | Manual chain with a safety chain-break connector. | Remote control, wall switch, or automated smartphone control. |
| Parental Control | Child can manually reach the chain if climbing on furniture. | Total Lockdown. Complete control via a phone app, blockable from kids. |
If you want to eliminate risks entirely, choose a Safe by Design window treatment. These systems remove loose hanging loops from the equation completely.
The Premium Standard: Smart Motorised Blinds
Motorised blinds are the absolute safest option for a child’s bedroom. Because they have no side chains, there is nothing for a child to grab.
Expert Insight from Thomas: For busy parents working from home or looking after multiple children, the ultimate solution is pairing motorised blinds with a Smart Wi-Fi Hub. This connects your blinds directly to your phone. If your kids are playing upstairs, you can operate, open, or close the blinds entirely from your smartphone.
Perfect Fit & Tensioned Systems
Perfect Fit blinds use an internal cord system held under constant, rigid tension inside a bespoke frame that clips directly to your window. The blind is raised and lowered seamlessly by hand using a sleek central tab, leaving zero hanging cords.
Wand-Operated Systems
Often used for vertical layouts, these eliminate pull cords entirely. A solid, heavy-duty wand is used to pull the blind across the track and twist the louvres open or closed.
There are beautiful Safe by Design options available for roller, venetian, vertical, pleated, and Roman blinds.
3. Why Action Blinds is Galway’s Trusted Installer
At Action Blinds, we do not treat safety as an optional extra—it is the foundation of how we do business.
- Strictly Certified Stock: We refuse to supply or install any window treatment that falls short of national BBSA safety guidelines.
- The 1.5-Metre Standard: Our professional fitters strictly anchor all manual chain controls a minimum of 1.5 metres off the ground to keep them out of toddler range.
- On-Site Risk Assessments: During your home consultation, our team evaluates room layouts and furniture positioning to help you identify and eliminate hidden blind hazards.
For a full pictorial guide to child-safe window treatments, please reference here for the official campaign materials.
Need Advice on Making Your Home Safe?
Don’t take chances with loose cords. Contact Action Blinds in Galway today to book a professional home assessment. We will walk you through our premium cordless ranges, corded blinds or help you secure your existing blinds for complete peace of mind.
