Risk of Strangulation Prompts Recall of Roman Shades by Draper Inc.
CPSC recall 10074 · announced December 15, 2009 · Draper · 1,800 units affected
The product
This recall involves two models of Roman FlexShades - Roman-CL (clutch/manually operated by a bead-chain) and Roman-MO (motorized). They come in a variety of colors and fabric types and are custom sized/made to order. The shade has a wooden head rail and a 9" valance and four (or more) horizontal plastic stacking bars that are placed about 15 inches apart along the length of the fabric; each bar contains two plastic rings.
The hazard
These shades have an exposed operating cord and exposed inner cords on the back of the shade. Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. In addition, these shades have a continuous looped bead chain that when not attached to the wall or floor, hangs loosely by the shade, posing a strangulation hazard to children.
What to do (per CPSC)
Consumers should immediately stop using the Roman shades and call Draper for a free retrofit kit that removes both the operating cords and the exposed inner cords from the shades.
Notes
Incidents (per CPSC): None reported.
Sold at: Specialty window covering dealers nationwide from March 2000 through September 2009 for between $450 and $2,100.
Consumer contact: For additional information, contact Draper toll-free at (877) 315- 7037 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET daily, or visit the firm's Web site at www.draperinc.com and click on the "Roman Shade Recall" button.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission public recall data. This page reports official records and is not legal, medical, or repair advice.